North Korean Propaganda Posters: Artistry and Messaging
“Let us achieve the party’s agriculture revolution policy thoroughly and brighten the year with increased grain production.”
Stanford fellow Katharina Zellweger, who lived in Pyongyang while working for a Swiss government agency, has collected over 100 posters from North Korea. Most of these posters focus on promoting new agricultural practices and policies.
The positive posters offer an alternative message to the violent scenes typically associated with North Korean propaganda.The posters often reflect the priorities of the North Korean government, encouraging citizens to rally around a certain cause.Featuring a microscope and a selection of foodstuffs, this poster shows ‘changes in crops and practices becoming more efficient,’ according the director of the University Museum and Art Gallery in Hong Kong, Florian Knothe.Almost all state posters in North Korea feature large worded slogans. Literacy may not be as high as the 100% figure reported by the country’s officials, but Zellweger believes that her posters were designed on the assumption that everyone can read.What happens is that, usually, the government announces the subject — let’s say breeding rabbits — and then different artists paint posters,” Zellweger said. “Like a competition, one or two are chosen and then these are multiplied by the thousand in print.The posters often celebrate and promote policies devised by the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea.As well as addressing political and economic issues, the posters carry social or familial messages. This image encourages children to play with spinning tops.(The posters) promote family values, welfare, social activities — things very much away from what people would perceive as political propaganda,” Knothe said(The posters) suggest social change, economic growth and scientific advances like the electrification of the country,” said Knothe.Athletic achievements and international sporting events are topics commonly addressed by the propaganda posters.The posters often use a very clever combination of words and pictures so their messages are integrated into the image,” said Knothe.Although soldiers are normally always depicted as males, women are often used to communicate messages relating to agriculture and industry.Most of the posters — including all of those in Zellweger’s collection — were painted by hand.Many of the posters are produced at the Mansudae Art Studio, a state-run facility believed to employ around 1,000 of the country’s most gifted artists.Propaganda posters are used to promote better practices in agriculture and industry.This poster relates to Mount Kumgang, a scenic mountain in the east of the country.The message is often simple and direct, such as this poster calling for ‘more cotton!’One of 25 of the posters now on display at the University Museum and Art Gallery in Hong Kong.
