Portraiture, Space, and the Juche Grand Narrative 5
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THE ETERNAL SUNS OF MANKIND: PORTRAITURE, SPACE, AND THE JUCHE GRAND NARRATIVE A 6 5>(, A Thesis submitted to the faculty of j r San Francisco State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements tor *^35 the Degree Master of Arts In Humanities by Vickie L. Hall San Francisco, California May 2015 Copyright by Vickie L. Hall 2015 CERTIFICATION OF APPROVAL I certify that I have read The Eternal Suns of Mankind: Portraiture, Space, and the Juche Grand Narrative by Vickie L. Hall, and that in my opinion this work meets the criteria for approving a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree Master of Arts in the Humanities at San Francisco State University. Oil Cristina Ruotolo Ph.D. Professor of Humanities ' f o t i A M . XtJc Mary Scott Ph.D. Professor of Humanities Saul Steier Ph.D. Associate Professor of Humanities THE ETERNAL SUNS OF MANKIND: PORTRAITURE, SPACE, AND THE JUCHE GRAND NARRATIVE Vickie L. Hall San Francisco, California 2015 The DPRK’s cultural forms are embedded in DPRK political doctrine. They join together socialist realism, traditional Confucian values, borrowings from Christian monotheistic imagery and devotional forms, and reverence for other Marxist-Communist predecessors (Russia, China, etc.). These systems of thought make portraiture of the Kim family one of the most important parts of what I am calling the Juche Grand Narrative of the country. Through portraiture the leadership exercises continuous communication of its philosophical goals with the population. The presence of these portraits within the public space plays an integral part in how North Korean citizens act, react, and interact with their fellow citizens. The formal elements of these portraits wordlessly represent and repeat what the Kim dynasty would like the masses to believe about their lives and legacy. They are a visual cue to North Korean citizens exclusively, as foreigners may purchase other forms of North Korean art but not these portraits. I certify that the Abstract is a correct representation of the content of this thesis. Chair, Thesis Committee Date ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all members of the Humanities Undergraduate Graduate Study Programs at San Francisco State University. It is with assistance from all that I have gained the tools to enable me to create and research the work contained within this thesis. My special thanks goes out to Dr. Mary Scott. Without her help and guidance, I might not have thought to focused my energies toward North Korea and the cultural forms of the DPRK. It has been under her tutelage that I was presented with the opportunity to develop my knowledge of this “elusive” nation. I would also like to thank Dr. Robert Thomas for his support and encouragement during my time at San Francisco State. As his Teachers Assistant, I was able to learn valuable skills that have led to my ability to become a Graduate Teaching Associate, and have also broadened my knowledge of theoretical works that I might have otherwise missed. Last, but not least, I would like to thank Dr. Cristina Ruotolo for assisting me in the development of this thesis, and providing me with the invaluable opportunity to teach at San Francisco State. Her guidance has provided me with the ability to pursue my goals of becoming an instructor of the highest caliber. TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures........................................................................................................................viii Introduction................................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 1: The Juche Grand Narrative.......................................................................7 The Feudal System......................................................................................... 10 Confucianism..................................................................................................11 Sovereign- Subject............................................................................ 13 Christianity......................................................................................................17 Japanese Imperialism.....................................................................................18 Juche and Chajusong.................................................................................... 20 Chapter 2: DPRK Socialist Realism and Its Influences...........................................23 Terminology: Realism vs. Socialist Realism...............................................25 Soviet Influence................................................................................ 27 Chinese Influence.............................................................................. 33 Chapter 3: The Studio System and Ideological Purity in Creation.........................38 Artist Discovery and Studio Education........................................................ 39 Inside and Outside Consumption of Art......................................................41 Reading the Outside..........................................................................44 Discovering the Inside......................................................................50 TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTINUED Chapter 4: The Portrait: Juche Symbolism and Communication...........................53 Motifs in Large Portraiture........................................................................... 54 Reading Profile Portraiture........................................................................... 57 The Narrative of the Portrait.........................................................................60 Chapter 5: City and Portraiture Collide....................................................................65 Pyongyang...................................................................................................... 66 Space as communication............................................................................... 68 Monuments and communication...................................................................71 Juche Expression............................................................................................74 Conclusion.................................................................................................................. 77 References................................................................................................................... 80 vii TABLE OF FIGURES Figures Page 1. Roses for Stalin............................................................................................................30 2. Stonebreakers..............................................................................................................30 3. Embrace of the Great General.....................................................................................34 4. Mao with Citizens.........................................................................................................34 5. Confrontation............................................................................................................... 45 6. Sunflower...................................................................................................................... 45 7. We are the Happiest Children in the World............................................................... 51 8. Leader and a Peasant................................................................................................... 56 9. Kim portraits in metro car...........................................................................................59 10. Pyongyang map............................................................................................................66 11. Arch of Triumph at night.............................................................................................70 12. Juche Tower..................................................................................................................70 13. View of Kim Il-Sung Square from Juche Tower.......................................................72 1 On January 29th 2002, President George Walker Bush gave a monumental address to the nation. Reeling from the recent September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center, the United States was in a haze of uncertainty and fear for its future. This State of the Union speech was one that would rally the American public and offer comfort to the nation with its assured and purposeful tone. Providing the US with a sense of hope and strength in this time of adversity, the speech was impressive from even from the most skeptical of viewpoints. The address was clear and concise with its message: We are a nation that will persevere and will overcome in spite of those that seek to attack our sensibilities. As Bush stated five minutes into the address, “You will not escape the justice of this nation.. .’’'which alludes to the swift retaliation that those attackers will meet. We were also introduced those believed to threaten our freedoms; Iran, Iraq, and North Korea, which Bush labeled the “Axis of Evil”. While it is true that the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) makes no apologies for its anti-American stance, there had not been a significant confrontation or incident between the two countries since 1994, when we had reportedly been seconds away from sending nuclear warheads in their direction.2 This left many to wonder “Why North Korea and why now?” When re-visiting the address, we can