En voyage en Corée du Nord, il poste ses clichés sur Instagram

Taylor Pemberton, jeune photographe américain, vient de passer quelques jours en Corée du Nord et nous envoie ses cartes postales via son compte Instagram. Sans jugement ni sentence, il nous fait le portrait d’un Etat policé, où le quotidien de chacun est réglementé du lever jusqu’au coucher.

« Mon voyage a duré quatre jours et j’avais deux guides: un homme et une femme. Il est important de noter qu’il y est interdit de se balader seul, quelque soit l’heure du jour ou de la nuit. Il faut suivre un itinéraire strict et un emploi du temps serré vous permet de ne voir que ce que la Corée du Nord vous autorise à voir. On dort dans un hôtel isolé sur une île et l’on est constamment averti de l’interdiction ou non de prendre des photos. »

View this post on Instagram

One of the first things you do in North Korea is go pay respect to the great Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il. These bronze statues are 22 meters high and part of a monument complex that was constructed in downtown Pyongyang. You could argue that the two figures depicted here are North Korea’s equivalent of Jesus, the Pope, the Dalai Lama, and Gandhi combined (which still may not even communicate the importance these two hold in North Korean lives). Paying respect here is pretty simple: patrons purchase flowers, lay them at the base of the monument, make a bow, and go on their way. It's mandatory to do so. #contrateur

A post shared by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 19, 2015 at 7:35pm PDT

 

« L’une des premières obligations à remplir en arrivant en Corée du Nord est d’aller rendre hommage aux grands Kim ll-Sung et Kim Jong-ll. […] Rendre hommage signifie que chacun doit acheter des fleurs, les déposer aux pieds du monument, faire une révérence et partir dans la direction indiquée par ces statues. Ce protocole est obligatoire. »

 

View this post on Instagram

North Korea has no internet, no television, no free information. This is the only public news I saw in Pyongyang, where each headline and each image is a tribute to the DPRK and great leader. It's difficult to wrap your head around the sheer magnitude this imposes for an ecosystem and it's people. Want to openly make art? Want to freely listen to music, or watch films? Want to create or learn anything outside the constructs of formal structure? Sorry, not possible. Even something as trivial as Instagram has had a huge impact on my ability to grow creatively. I'm able to practice the art of photography and documentary. I can be inspired by people I've never met. I feel the competition, the pressure to keep growing and exploring. I don't know where I'd be without the accessibility of free information. I grew up on the Internet. I've formed my own conclusions. And for that, I feel very grateful. #contrateur

A post shared by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 21, 2015 at 6:41am PDT

 

« En Corée du Nord il n’y a pas internet, pas de télévision, pas de liberté d’informer. Voici les seules sources publiques d’information que j’ai vues à Pyongyang, où chaque titre, chaque image est un hommage au DPRK et à son leader. C’est difficile d’imaginer tout ce que ça implique pour le peuple qui vit au milieu de cet écosystème. Créer une oeuvre d’art ? Ecouter de la musique, regarder un film ? Créer quelque chose ? Apprendre quoique ce soit en dehors du système de penser imposé ? Impossible, désolé. »

 

View this post on Instagram

North Korea considers itself a self-reliant socialist state. One of the benefits, they proclaim, is the subsidizing of core necessities: housing, healthcare, education, food, general commodities, etc. One of the things I noticed right away is that clothing choices appear standardized. Men generally wear slacks, dress shoes, and collared shirts. There are no consumer brands, no logos, no advertisements. There is most definitely nothing provocative or alluring worn or presented in public. It reminded me of simpler times, perhaps the early 20th century (minus the hats). After asking about this, I was told there are very few options to choose from, almost a ’rationing’ of sorts. It was tough to get a clear answer, and I think the mere curiosity seemed confusing to begin with. One thing you can always expect to see, however, is the pin displayed near the breast pocket… this time, a dual representation of Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il. #contrateur

A post shared by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 19, 2015 at 8:19am PDT

 

« L’une des premières choses que j’ai remarquées, c’est que les choix en matière d’habillement sont standardisés. Les hommes portent des pantalons à plis, des chaussures chics et des chemises à cols. Il n’y a pas de marque, de logo ou de publicité.  »

 

View this post on Instagram

Pyongyang metro, 100 meters deep under the earth. This was a fascinating place to visit, not only because the opulent imagery, but because you had the opportunity to be in a contained space with the Pyongyang locals – North Korea's ultra-privileged. #contrateur

A post shared by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 20, 2015 at 6:11pm PDT

Étiquettes : corée du nord, instagram, interdit, photographe, témoignage, voyage