[KS] North Korean images: some further thoughts

Sun Aug 7 06:11:01 EDT 2011

Hi Aidan,

Whatever comments were made, I commend you on sharing that piece. Those
photos are stunning, and that blue one is indeed almost mesmerising. Also
for the wealth of information that you newly provided.

You weren't the one who claimed they were all new photos, you just provided
the link and shared the information summary. Forget the know-it-alls.

On Sun, Aug 7, 2011 at 5:32 PM, <Afostercarter at aol.com> wrote:

> **
> Dear friends and colleagues,
>
> Many thanks for these interesting and varied comments.
> Perhaps I should clarify why I felt moved to post this link:
>
> 1. As a general rule: If I run across something interesting
> about Korea in a non-Koreanist outlet - eg *The Atlantic -*
> then I like to spread the word among fellow-Koreanists,
> lest they would miss it. Don't other people feel that way?
> It's called *gemeinschaft*.
>
> 2. While various political points might be made, actually
> my own reaction this time was primarily *aesthetic*.
>
> In a new book hot off the press*, Kate Hext and I ponder
> what is involved in *making art of the DPRK* as one form of
> engagement. There's a lot of this now, and it's very various.
>
> What really grabbed me was Guttenfelder's o so painterly
> first shot in the sequence. Those astonishing blue hues!
>
> 3. I am well aware, as I imagine are many on this list
> - but perhaps not all, which is why it's comradely to share -
> that there are now thousands of interesting images of
> North Korea available. Flickr alone has Kernbeisser,
> Ray Cunningham and many others. The latter kindly
> links to his own favourite photographers of the DPRK here:
> https://sites.google.com/site/northkoreaobservations/home
>
> There are books of photographs too. I count at least five
> coffee-table large-format picture books of North Korea.
> It's interesting to compare them, as I did briefly in a
> long working paper for the aforementioned book chapter.
> This section I take the liberty of appending.
>
> 4. Finally, even the world's priciest photographer has got
> in on the NK act. Hext and I discuss this in our chapter. See also
> http://www.mattlippiatt.co.uk/Andreas%20Gursky.htm
>
> All in all, there really is a bit more to this topic than just
> 'yeah yeah, been there, done that, got the tee-shirt.'
>
> Kind regards
> Aidan FC
>
>
> *Aidan Foster-Carter*
>
> *Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Sociology & Modern Korea, Leeds
> University, UK*****
>
> * *****
>
> *E*: afostercarter at aol.com     afostercarter at yahoo.com   *W*:
> www.aidanfc.net    ****
>
> Flat 1,  40 Magdalen Road,  Exeter,  Devon,  EX2 4TE,  England,  UK****
>
> *T:* (+44, no 0)     07970 741307 (mobile);     01392 257753 (home)   ****
>
> *Skype*:  Aidan.Foster.Carter   *Twitter:*  @fcaidan   ****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **DPRKrazy, Sexy, Cool: The Art of Engaging North Korea.   *
>
> **Ch. 2, pp 31-50 in Rüdiger Frank (Ed.), *Exploring North Korean Arts**.
> *
>
> Nuremberg: Verlag für moderne Kunst Nürnberg, for Vienna University/MAK,
>
> 2011. Available from the latter at
> http://www.makdesignshop.at/index.php?cat=8&page=8&id=1615  (It doesn't
> seem to be on Amazon yet.)
>
> ** **
>
> **_______________________________**
>
> ****
> **
>
> *Every picture tells a story*
>
> *[Paragraph on Guy Delisle[1] omitted]*
>
> ** **
>
> More common are photographic books about North Korea, some seeking to make
> art of it in their own way. In *The Last Paradise *(2003) Nicolas
> Righetti, a Swiss photojournalist, sets  images often garish and grainy –
> some taken from video – alongside snippets of text and commentary (official
> and unofficial) printed in white on a green background. The effect is
> striking, if unsettling. At least two Amazon customers missed the point,
> complaining that the pictures are poor quality; but others defend him as
> “puckish.” A later book on Turkmenistan – where else! – is similar in
> conception, but the photography appears more conventional. [2]
>
> ** **
>
> By contrast, the images in the British photographer Charlie Crane’s *Welcome
> to Pyongyang *(2007) are crystal clear. The book itself is more ambiguous.
> The ubiquitous Nick Bonner is credited as “collaborator and producer,” so at
> one level this could be read as a puff for Koryo Tours; the book begins with
> a “Welcome to Korea” from an official tourism guidebook.  The photographs
> are sites on Pyongyang’s tourist trail, often with a posed guide or employee
> whose presumed voice (not actually in quotation marks) is the sole caption
> or explanation. Thus Yong Ran, incongruous in *hanbok* in front of a large
> machine at the Three Revolutions Exhibition: “All the parts of this
> electronically controlled hydraulic excavator are made in my country.”
> (About half way through; the book has no index, contents list or
> pagination.)
>
> ** **
>
> Bonner says in his introduction: “What we present [here] is Pyongyang on
> its own terms.” Whereas most works considered above would be anathema to the
> DPRK, this book no doubt must pass muster with the authorities. Fair enough;
> and intriguing to learn that “There are no photography exhibitions [in North
> Korea] for aesthetic purposes only. Photography is not regarded as an art
> form in its own right.” But Bonner is on thinner ice in telling the would-be
> visitor: “There is little background reading that will help prepare you …
> You would be better advised to travel with an open mind.” Does that mean an
> empty mind? Or is there a sub-text: Of course we know and they know that
> this is all theatre, so just relax and enjoy the show?[3] We have come a
> long way from Chris Marker[4], half a century earlier – and not forwards.
>
> ** **
>
> There is competition here from at least three other photo-essay books on
> North Korea: by Philippe Chancel,[5] Mark Edward Harris,[6] and Christian
> Kracht et al.[7] Space precludes a detailed review. Chancel’s
> award-winning work gives a wider if still somewhat sanitised – unlike the
> accompanying texts – view of Pyongyang. Harris ventures outside the capital,
> and beyond Sunday-best appearances; he has since published a similar book on
> Iran. Kracht is a well-known German controversialist; his essay,
> accompanying photographs by Eva Munz and Lukas Nikol, depicts North Korea as
> a “maniacal theatric play.” Who knew? The real lives of most North Koreans,
> far from Pyongyang, hardly make such coffee-table fodder. But plenty of
> images can be found online, from the everyday to the desperate.[8] Flickr
> alone has over 48,000 photographs of the DPRK, including the fine work of
> Eric Lafforgue.[9]
>
> ** **
>
> ------------------------------
>
> [1] Guy Delisle, *Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea. *Montréal: Drawn &
> Quarterly, 2005. (First published in French, 2003.) Also
> www.drawnandquarterly.com/newsList.php?item=a43204677c3785
>
>
>
> [2] Nicolas Righetti, *The Last Paradise: North Korea *Brooklyn NY:
> Umbrage, 2003. Slideshow and article at
> http://www.theglobalist.com/storyid.aspx?StoryId=4114 . More images – be
> sure to enlarge – at
> http://www.photoeye.com/BookteaseLight/bookteaselight.cfm?catalog=PY111&image=1<http://www.photoeye.com/BookteaseLight/bookteaselight.cfm?catalog=PY111ℑ=1>. For complaints and defence, see
> http://www.amazon.com/Last-Paradise-Nicolas-Righetti/dp/1884167322 For
> Righetti’s images of Turkmenistan, see slideshow at
> http://www.lensculture.com/righetti.html
>
> ****
>
> [3] Charlie Crane, *Welcome to Pyongyang. *London: Boot, 2007.
>
> ****
>
> [4] Both the original text of his extraordinary *Coréennes *(Paris: Seuil,
> 1959) and Marker’s reflections 38 years later can be read in English at
> http://www.markertext.com/coreenes.htm. A recent Korean edition (Seoul:
> Noonbit, 2008) is available at
> http://store.wexnercenterstore.com/chmaco.html
>
> ****
>
> [5] Philippe Chancel, with texts by Michel Poivert and Jonathan Fenby, *North
> Korea*. London: Thames & Hudson 2006. Many of his images can be seen at
> http://www.philippechancel.com .
>
> ****
>
> [6] Mark Edward Harris, with a foreword by Bruce Cumings, *Inside North
> Korea*. San Francisco: Chronicle, 2007 . Some images available at
> http://www.markedwardharris.com/gallery_NKorea.html
>
> ****
>
> [7] Christian Kracht, Eva Munz, Lukas Nikol, *The Ministry of Truth: Kim
> Jong Il’s North Korea. *Los Angeles: Feral House, 2007 (Original: *Die
> totale Erinnerung**: **Kim Jong Ils Nordkorea**. *Rogner & Bernhard,
> 2006). See also
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jan/15/korea.photography and
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery/2008/jan/15/photography.korea for
> images and discussion
>
> ****
>
> [8]  Fine collections include
> www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/04/peering_into_north_korea.html and
> www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/09/recent_scenes_from_north_korea.html
>
> ****
>
> [9] http://www.ericlafforgue.com/dprk.htm****
> **
>
> ****
>
> ****
>
> **________________________________**
>
>  Re [KS] Striking photographs of the DPRK from AP's David Guttenfelder, in
> The Atlantic*McCann, David* dmccann at fas.harvard.edu <koreanstudies%40koreaweb.ws?Subject=Re%3A%20%5BKS%5D%20Striking%20photographs%20of%20the%20DPRK%20from%0A%09AP%27s%09David%09Guttenfelder%2C%20in%20The%20Atlantic&In-Reply-To=%3CB21BB02B-435A-4F2B-AFCD-0E0F347F7944%40fas.harvard.edu%3E>
> *Sat Aug 6 09:07:45 EDT 2011*
>
>
>    - Previous message: [KS] Striking photographs of the DPRK from AP's
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>
> ------------------------------
>
> Isn't there a curious irony to the notion that on the one hand North
> Korea has a reputation for being forbidden or inaccessible, while on
> the other, any paying customer can visit the places the AP reporter
> photoed?  Especially given the fact that "large parts of North
> Korea ... are off-limits."
>
> The challenge of these notions,  though, is to determine where the
> crux of the irony is located.  What plays against what else for ironic
> effect?  For one set I would propose "sign up on a tour" versus
> "forbidden or inaccessible to foreigners."
>
> I have also heard it reported on good authority-- a former NASA
> astronaut with three space flights and continuing work with the
> Agency-- that in the not-too-distant future, space flights, earth
> orbit or eventually even the moon, will be available to anyone who can
> pay to go.
>
> What precisely is the point that Charles and Michael seem to wish to
> register?  That any schmuck with a camera can take pictures of those
> government-approved places and those people in North Korea?  I think,
> ironically, that Aidan made exactly that same point, only-- as Charles
> and Michael both noted-- they were indeed done well.
>
> David McCann
>
> On Aug 5, 2011, at 11:21 AM, Charles K. Armstrong wrote:
>
> >* With all due respect to Aidan, I agree with Michael that there wasn't*>* anything particularly unprecedented or striking about the subject*>* matter of the photos, although they were done well. There is a*>* widespread notion that North Korea remains  forbidden or inaccessible*>* to foreigners, and while there are certainly large parts of North*>* Korea that are off-limits, pretty much any paying customer from North*>* America or Europe can sign up on a tour and see the sights that the AP*>* reporters visited.*>* -- *>* Charles K. Armstrong*>* Professor of History*>* Director, Center for Korean Research*>* Columbia University*>* 930 International Affairs Building*>* 420 West 118th Street*>* New York, NY 10027*>**>* Tel: 212-854-1721*>* Fax: 212-749-1497*>**>**>* Quoting "Robinson, Michael E." <robime at indiana.edu <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>>:*>**>>* These are very nice, but not new scenes.  Very standard by my eye,*>>* but nice to have a professional do them.*>>**>>* Mike Robinson*>>**>>* From: koreanstudies-bounces at koreaweb.ws <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>*>>* [mailto:koreanstudies-bounces at koreaweb.ws <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>] On Behalf Of*>>* Afostercarter at aol.com <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>*>>* Sent: Friday, August 05, 2011 6:00 AM*>>* To: Koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>; baks at jiscmail.ac.uk <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>; members at asck.org <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>*>>* Cc: coyner at gol.com <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>; news at nknews.org <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>; nkeconwatch at gmail.com <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>;*>>* Philip at londonkoreanlinks.net <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>; nkleadershipwatch at gmail.com <http://koreaweb.ws/mailman/listinfo/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws>*>>* Subject: [KS] Striking photographs of the DPRK from AP's David*>>* Guttenfelder, in The Atlantic*>>**>>* http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/08/inside-north-korea/100119/*>>**>>* Inside North Korea*>>* AUG 2, 2011 |*>>* 148<http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/08/inside-north-korea/100119/#disqus_thread *>>* >*>>**>>**>>**>>**>>* Earlier this year, David Guttenfelder, chief Asia photographer for*>>* the Associated Press, along with Jean H. Lee, AP bureau chief in*>>* Seoul, were granted unprecedented access to parts of North Korea as*>>* part of the AP's efforts to expand coverage of the isolated*>>* communist nation. The pair made visits to familiar sites accompanied*>>* by government minders, and were also allowed to travel into the*>>* countryside accompanied by North Korean journalists instead of*>>* government officials. Though much of what the AP journalists saw was*>>* certainly orchestrated, their access was still remarkable.*>>* Collected  here are some of Guttenfelder's images from the trip that*>>* provide a  glimpse of North Korea. [37*>>* photos<http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/08/inside-north-korea/100119/ *>>* >]*>>**>**>**>**
>
> ------------------------------
>
>
>    - Previous message: [KS] Striking photographs of the DPRK from AP's
>    David Guttenfelder, in The Atlantic<http://koreaweb.ws/pipermail/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws/2011-August/008791.html>
>    - Next message: [KS] Striking photographs of the DPRK from AP's David
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>    - *Messages sorted by:* [ date ]<http://koreaweb.ws/pipermail/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws/2011-August/date.html#8793>
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