In this project, Alice explores North Korea through the voices of its artists.
In 2017 and 2018, Alice traveled repeatedly to North Korea to meet and collaborate with fellow artists. These trips took place in close collaboration with Koen De Ceuster, a former university lecturer in Korean Studies and an internationally recognized authority on North Korean art.
In this project, Alice explores the question: what does it mean to be an artist in North Korea? Her North Korean colleagues sketched an answer to this question. Their responses not only provide insight into North Korean art but also serve as a mirror for reflecting on the meaning of art in general.
In December 2018, Alice shared an initial reflection on her travels during TEDx AmsterdamWomen.
During the pandemic and other socio-political changes of recent years, Alice has attempted to delve deeper into this story. She strives to look beyond our societal differences. She believes that artists have a unique talent for reflecting our world and that art can thus enrich our understanding of the complex world we live in.
On this page, you can get a first impression of the project. Alice is still working on further developing the story.
The Artist’s Perspective (2017 - now)
Exploring North Korea through its art and artists.
TEDx Talk: What I learned from working with North Korean artists.
My collaborative art project in North Korea taught me lessons that extend beyond art. It became a journey through prejudice, self-reflection, and embracing my Korean colleagues.
Recorded on December 6, 2018, during TEDx AmsterdamWomen in the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam (the Netherlands).
Making a mosaic.
To answer the question "What does it mean to be an artist?", a group of North Korean artists sketched an image of Mount Paektu. This sketch led to a joint trip to this dormant volcano in Korea's northernmost province. It was an experience that enriched Alice's understanding of North Korea and its artists.
With the lessons of the North Korean mosaic artists in mind, Alice began developing this sketch into a mosaic. By cutting together hundreds of thousands of photographs taken during this trip, she created an image that captures the emotional experience of climbing and descending this mountain with her North Korean colleagues.
A video documenting the mosaic's creation process.
The mosaic will be 12 square meters and will consist of two rows of 6 square meters each. This is a working method she learned in North Korea. In Pyongyang, Alice learned mosaic techniques from artists at the Mansudua Art Studio and was guest during mosaic classes at the Pyongyang University of Fine Arts. Here, Alice translates and integrates the skills she learned in North Korea into her own storytelling style.
Video of the working process.
