SILENT OBSERVATION
The artwork "Silent Observation" addresses the pervasive presence and influence of state propaganda in North Korea. It illustrates how the daily lives of the people are monitored and controlled by the government, conveying a sense of inevitability and lack of personal freedom. The interactivity with the radio intensifies the viewer's experience by allowing them to feel the restrictions and powerlessness that the citizens endure. This digital artwork serves as a critical engagement with the North Korean regime, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of surveillance, propaganda, and personal freedom. This piece offers a profound and poignant depiction of life under a highly controlling regime, providing viewers with an immersive and thought-provoking experience.
The Television:
In the center of the room stands an old CRT television on a simple wooden stand. The TV continuously streams the North Korean state broadcaster KCTV, which airs propaganda and news. The screen displays an image that is possibly a propagandistic portrayal or a state program. The television is the visual focal point of the room, drawing the viewer's attention and symbolizing the central role of propaganda in North Korean society.
The Radio: Mounted on the wall to the right of the portraits is an old radio. The radio continuously broadcasts the state radio program, which includes news, patriotic songs, and propaganda messages. In North Korea, the radio cannot be turned off; only the volume can be adjusted. This references the actual practice in North Korea, where citizens are unable to turn off the state radio and can only change the volume.
The Portraits:
On the wall above the television hang framed portraits of the two former leaders, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. These portraits are mandatory in every North Korean household and symbolize the omnipresence and veneration of the leaders in the daily lives of the citizens.
3D print of a North Korean television. Realised with a Raspberry Pi. You can see a live stream of North Korean state television.
The Television: In the center of the room stands an old CRT television on a simple wooden stand. The TV continuously streams the North Korean state broadcaster KCTV, which airs propaganda and news. The screen displays an image that is possibly a propagandistic portrayal or a state program. The television is the visual focal point of the room, drawing the viewer's attention and symbolizing the central role of propaganda in North Korean society.
The Radio: Mounted on the wall to the right of the portraits is an old radio. The radio continuously broadcasts the state radio program, which includes news, patriotic songs, and propaganda messages. In North Korea, the radio cannot be turned off; only the volume can be adjusted. This references the actual practice in North Korea, where citizens are unable to turn off the state radio and can only change the volume.
The Portraits: On the wall above the television hang framed portraits of the two former leaders, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. These portraits are mandatory in every North Korean household and symbolize the omnipresence and veneration of the leaders in the daily lives of the citizens.
3D print of a North Korean television. Realised with a Raspberry Pi. You can see a live stream of North Korean state television.
