Sun 4 May 2008
Submitted by YOUR NEW REALITY
As all true totalitarians know, the best way to get the message across is through a good poster.
Bizarrely, North Korean propaganda posters are now being displayed as art in a London gallery. Then again, some of the paintings are beautiful, in a paint-by-numbers kid of way, like the peace doves one below :
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The exhibition features 400 hand-painted posters dating from the peak of the Dear Leader Kim Sung Il’s power in the 1950s to the present regime led by his son, Kim Jong Il.
There are posters penetrating every aspect of North Korean life, with slogans explaining how it should be lived: “Let’s create a social impetus for enjoying wearing our national dress”.
Colour scenes of the workers’ paradise encourage farmers to boost production in a nation beset by famine and corruption. The Korean War — or the Great Fatherland Liberation War, as it is known in the North — is also a common theme: “Let’s not forget the blood-drenched hatred!”
No enemy is hated as much as America. Clenched fists smash US soldiers. The slogans scream: “Let’s take revenge a thousand times on the US imperialist wolves!”
The poster slogans are almost as cheesy, and funny, as some of the paintings :
“Let’s breed more high-yielding fish.”
“In all institutions and workplaces, let’s popularise basketball,”
“Nobody in the world can defeat us!”
“Let’s expand goat rearing and create more grassland in accordance with the party!”
“Let’s be invincible in every fight.”
“Let’s achieve even more supremacy”
The translations below the posters are from the London Times.
“Peace Has To Be Defended”
“Let’s smash them in a single blow!”
“Let’s all become perfect swimmers”
“He who provokes us shall be punished!”
And when you’re making a nice cup of tea after a hard day’s work done fighting all that Western wolf-like imperialism, don’t forget to stop the leaks!
“In families let’s save even a single drop of water!”
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