Original artwork description:

This ballpoint pen surrealist self portrait is part of 'The Regime’ series, which was inspired by renowned photographer, Stephan Gladieu’s ‘Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Portraits’ which I stumbled upon at the Arles Photography Festival whilst I was on a residency in Provence, France in 2021.

Initially I interpreted the images of such rigidly posed and forlorn looking people in various scenarios as being a satire of North Korea’s infamous propaganda. However, the photographer in fact did not direct his subjects on how to pose at all. Their expressions and stances were taken entirely of their volition, which made the work even more impactful to me.

The censorship and oppression of the citizens of North Korea is known to all of us. Gladieu's work inspired me to recreate a selection of the scenes but with self portraits. A society such as that of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, feels so archaic from the western perspective or for that matter, from any perspective.

I wanted to assume the role of certain figures from Gladieu’s series, whilst emulating their expressions as to consider the unimaginable reality of being born into a dictatorship with your autonomy being so profoundly suppressed. We, in the west cannot even fathom such a thing. I want to bring the proximity of this distant milieu to the forefront.

Materials used:

ballpoint pen and coloured pens on paper