1954: After The Korean War- Photographs By Cliff Stovers
Event Details
503 South Street,
Waterloo, IA/ 50701
Contact Name: Annette Freeseman
Email: annette.freeseman@gmdistrict.org
Phone: 319-234-6357
Event Description
Cliff Strovers was stationed in Busan, South Korea after the Korean War cease fire in 1953. For 14 months he served with the 44th Engineering Construction Group, “to begin re-building the city’s infrastructure so its residents could get back on their feet.” While on duty he helped construct roads, port facilities and the city’s first hospital, off duty he moved around Busan and the nearby country side, photographing Koreans as they moved through their daily lives.�
When he returned to his hometown of Grinnell, Iowa the pictures were placed in a tin box and stored away. Fifty-five years later he pulled them from storage, digitalized them and took the copies when he returned to Korea with his grandson. While in Busan, he met Suck-hwan Dang director of an observation tower in the city park. Impressed with the quality and subjects of the colored photographs, Mr. Dang asked Cliff’s permission to exhibit his work. Now Cliff is sharing a selection of his photographs in his first exhibit in the U.S. at the Grout Museum from November through March 2014. Visitors will get a glimpse of life in Korea after the war and will experience what Cliff saw as he captured Koreans in their day to day life. Approximately 35 colored photographs will be on display along with stories and information about Mr. Strovers.
