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North Korea

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
French photographer Stéphan Gladieu undertook a unique photographic exploration of North Korea, navigating strict government surveillance to create mirror-portraits of locals. His work echoes the style of North Korean propaganda, blending art and subversion to reveal personal glimpses in a society dominated by state imagery. These full-length, direct-gaze portraits serve as a subtle yet powerful intervention in the country's controlled visual culture.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book will appeal to readers interested in photography, contemporary art, and East Asian cultural and political studies.

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An ingenious approach to personal portraiture in a country with a virtual embargo on the form

An ingenious approach to personal portraiture in a country with a virtual embargo on the form

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

While undertaking this photographic investigation of North Korea, French photographer Stéphan Gladieu (born 1969) found himself under constant surveillance everywhere he went. Because of these constraints, he managed to invent an ingenious space of freedom. Gladieu created mirror-portraits of people he encountered and was hosted by, often full length, which require a face-on pose and a direct gaze. In this way, he managed to create a form similar to North Korea's propaganda imagery, which made his approach more comprehensible and permissible to the authorities.

Fifty years after its foundation, North Korea endures a media portrayal of war, famine, nuclear programs and military parades. Indoors, people are required to display portraits of the regime's founder, Kim Il-sung and his son Kim Jong-Il. Family photos are not allowed; nor are personal portraits. Consequently, Gladieu's work attains an almost historic act of intervention in the country's visual politics.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9782330120115

Publisher: Actes Sud

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 November 2020

Country: France

Imprint: Actes Sud

Illustration: 80 Illustrations

Contributors:

  • Photographs by Stéphan Gladieu
  • Text by Patrick Maurus

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 220.0mm

Height: 280.0mm

Weight: 680g

Pages: 160

Collections

Arts & Culture Non-Fiction Photography Books

About the Author

Stéphan Gladieu started covering war & social issues, travelling across Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and Asia before becoming increasingly interested in using portraiture to illustrate the human condition. He has photographed Saudi Princes, Princesses in Nepal, actors & directors behind the scenes at Cannes Film Festival, politicians, intellectuals, but also everyday people throughout the world.

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