Curious Beauty in the DPRK
The photographer wanted to create an exhibition in a format that allowed the images to take centre stage. Held in a pop-up space at the Truman Brewery, East London, we created an internal wall to add hanging space, painted white to match with existing white brick walls. Content of imagery focused on design and architecture of North Korea, an angle on the country rarely shown.
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 8]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-8.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-8.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-8.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-8.jpg 1920w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N05/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-8.jpg 2240w )
Picking up on marble as a key decorative motif, we made plinths, text boards and captions in a faux marble finish. Two super-size light-boxes framed either side of the entrance, drawing attention from passers-by throughout the exhibition.
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 22]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-22.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-22.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-22.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-22.jpg 1920w )
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 19]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-19.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-19.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-19.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-19.jpg 1920w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N05/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-19.jpg 2240w )
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 13]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-13.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-13.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-13.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-13.jpg 1920w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N05/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-13.jpg 2240w )
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 26]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-26.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-26.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-26.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-26.jpg 1920w )
Once inside, the vibrance of the imagery printed on 100 per cent cotton rag jumped out against the white walls. Frames were also white, minimalist tray frames with no glass to detract from the warm textural imagery.
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 10]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-10.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-10.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-10.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-10.jpg 1920w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N05/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-10.jpg 2240w )
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 14]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-14.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-14.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-14.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-14.jpg 1920w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N05/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-14.jpg 2240w )
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 25]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-25.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-25.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-25.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-25.jpg 1920w )
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 21]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-21.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-21.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-21.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-21.jpg 1920w )
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 3]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-3.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-3.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-3.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-3.jpg 1920w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N05/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-3.jpg 2240w )
The last piece of the exhibition was a short film, viewable on a simple screen and with headphones, which gave context to the content of the exhibition.
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 16]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-16.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-16.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-16.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-16.jpg 1920w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N05/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-16.jpg 2240w )
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 7]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-7.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-7.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-7.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-7.jpg 1920w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N05/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-7.jpg 2240w )
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 12]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-12.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-12.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-12.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-12.jpg 1920w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N05/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-12.jpg 2240w )
The exhibition was visited by approximately a thousand people over three days.
![Tony G Creative Production House Curious Beauty in the DPRK 9]( https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N01/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-9.jpg 320w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N02/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-9.jpg 640w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N03/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-9.jpg 1280w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N04/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-9.jpg 1920w, https://www.tonyg.co.uk/assets/images/_N05/Tony-G-Creative-Production-House-Curious-Beauty-in-the-DPRK-9.jpg 2240w )
Photography: Timothy Chase