The Extended Series has been pieced together as a seamless flow on extension of the original series, DPRK: North Korea In Colour and adds 20 new Fine Art Prints to the current series. Aligned intentionally 1 year from the original series conception, the new aims to carry on captivating its audience through its unexpected aesthetic. The series continues to explore design and structure within the Hermit Kingdoms capital, Pyongyang, exploring the association of colour, flowing fluently throughout the city. The imagery was taken during a 3 day visit to Pyongyang in 2019, documenting parts of the Socialist Capital from a neutral, non political perspective.
To purchase artwork contact us on 1800 433 686 or shop ‘The Extended Series’ by Dave Kulesza online.
Dave Kulesza is an architecture and interior photographer based in Melbourne. His recent project took him to Pyongyang, North Korea where he captured the unseen colours of architecture and design of the city for his exhibition DPRK: North Korea in Colour. Stumbling across an image of the Changgwang Diving Board close to three years ago, was Dave’s first point of visual contact into a side of North Korea he wasn’t aware existed. He began filtering out the mainstream military and political preconceptions to dig deeper. It didnt take long before he discovered the colour. It was soft, subtle and in abundance. The colour flowed fluently throughout the Capital City and each space had its own sense of personality & individuality.
Sizing Options All prints are available to purchase in the following 3 sizes.
600 x 900 mm
800 x 1200 mm
1500x1000 mm
$900
$1350
$1800
Framing Options All prints are priced unframed, but are able to be framed in the following options.
Pricing Natural Raw Oak Frame
600 x 900 mm + Framing 800 x 1200 mm + Framing 1500 x 1000 mm + Framing
$1400 $2100 $2950
Further Details All prints are Limited Edition Fine Art Prints. Edition of 15 in each size. Signed and numbered. Authenticity Certificate provided with every edition. Printed on Canson 310 GSM Photographique Rag Paper. Framed with non reflective art glass.
Pink Raw Oak Frame For any further questions or assistance, please contact us on 1800 433 686 or email us hello@fentonandfenton.com.au
DPRK: The Extended Series
Athletes Dormitory Limited Edition Fine Art Print
Bus Stop Pyongyang Limited Edition Fine Art Print
DPRK: The Extended Series
Chongnyon Hotel Gift Shop Limited Edition Fine Art Print
Handball Brutalist Limited Edition Fine Art Print
DPRK: The Extended Series
Changgwang Pool #3 Limited Edition Fine Art Print
Chongnyon Hotel Maintanance Limited Edition Fine Art Print
DPRK: The Extended Series
Pastel City Pyongyang Limited Edition Fine Art Print
Ryanggang Hotel Limited Edition Fine Art Print
DPRK: The Extended Series
Lottery Kiosk Limited Edition Fine Art Print
Seafood Supermarket Limited Edition Fine Art Print
DPRK: The Extended Series
Sosan Billiards Limited Edition Fine Art Print
Sosan Hotel Bar Limited Edition Fine Art Print
DPRK: The Extended Series
Sosan Hotel Waiting Room Limited Edition Fine Art Print
The Figure Skaters Limited Edition Fine Art Print
DPRK: The Extended Series
The Silent Lectern Limited Edition Fine Art Print
Three Revolutions Exhibition Limited Edition Fine Art Print
DPRK: The Extended Series
U-Bahn Carriage Limited Edition Fine Art Print
Volleyball Gymnasium Limited Edition Fine Art Print
DPRK: The Extended Series
Yanggakdo Hotel Bowling Alley Limited Edition Fine Art Print
Yonggwang Station Limited Edition Fine Art Print
Resuming DPRK: North Korea in Colour We chatted with Dave to learn more about his second series of DPRK: North Korea In Colour.
In what appears to be a curious dichotomy, the whimsical stylistic signature of auteur Wes Anderson is found in one of few countries under a socialist rule, North Korea. When Melbourne-based photographer Dave Kulesza set on an exploration of the country’s mysterious capital, Pyongyang, both startling beauty and Wes-whimsy became tropes for a new attitude towards the state’s stereotypical brand: order and politics.
“The very first location we visited was the Grand People’s Study House. What caught my eye immediately was an elevator, where a green chair and carpet where half visible from the inside. In that moment I felt like I was on a Wes Anderson set. The tour guides weren’t excited, this is the daily standard for them, but I was in awe. I was so drawn to it. The architecture, colour palette and design are best described as Wes Anderson-esque.” says Dave Kulesza. In November 2019 he released DPRK: North Korea in Colour a photographic series that documents his travels over the course of three days. Understanding the maligned preconception of the country, Kulesza was uninterested in skewing a narrative, “When you think of North Korea the idea of missiles and military parades can be quite intimidating. We associate the country with dark and depressing imagery, but I saw light and colour and beautiful, subtle tones. If you go in with an open mind it can be the most incredible experience you can have.” The Extended Series, exhibiting from December 5 to December 14 at the Fenton & Fenton showroom in Prahran, sees the addition of 20 new Fine Art Prints to the original series. Aligned intentionally one year from the opening series, this body of work continues to explore design, structure, and the association of colour flowing fluently throughout the Hermit Kingdom’s capital. “The original series has 15 prints. It was difficult to cull – I was still playing with the layout right up until the point I had to submit them to the printer! This extension showcases a kitsch style that you see everywhere in Pyongyang; it has a karaoke vibe, which I felt didn’t tie in with the original series. But after a year, when I looked at the photos with fresh eyes, I saw how it accented my previous work. The extended series dials up the colour tempo.”
Strange and unfamiliar, in a world that seemed unrecognisable as our own, the photographer’s vantage was a capital punctuated with towering architecture, balanced proportions and blasts of colour, “North Korea is a cut off country, especially in terms of digital consumption – it’s effectively nonexistent. So, all your senses are used. It smells old in certain places. It’s a visual explosion of colour. Looking up you see structures, looking in front of you, you see vibrance. We’re so used to being captivated by our devices; going cold turkey in North Korea is a great thing. It’s a real and tangible experience.” “The colours are incredible – it’s a wash of pastels across the entire city. It was repainted sometime between April and August, just before I got there. Heavy, dark, and bold colours were replaced with a more subdued palette. What was dark greens, deep pinks and yellows is now pastels. Everywhere I went I saw captivating elements of colour.” Being forced into a visual environment without the distraction of technology fueled the course of the adventure, “I didn’t know what I’d see at each of the locations, so there was no planning, you had to be switched on the whole time. I only had one shot. It was a forward moving journey and whatever happened, happened. I was only photographing what I could see. From every opportunity possible … even the window of our moving van.” Albeit a happy accident, Wes Anderson’s wheelhouse – intense detail, extreme symmetry and saturated colour – was paid homage to in the collection, “This series is very experimental, it doesn’t reflect too much on the commercial work I do. There was so much colour to work with and structural elements to play with, it’s a Wes Anderson tribute in a way. I love his work; his style of shooting is beautiful. I wanted to honour what I saw in Pyongyang through the lens of my perception; it’s politically neutral. I photographed it in the way I wanted to.”