North Korean Artist List
Since 1993 we have worked with North Korean artists on various projects which we hope allow them to express themselves in a more nuanced way than the limits imposed on them by their DPRK studio.
Where possible, we work directly and in a private capacity with the artist.
Some of the artists we work with remain anonymous. However, below you can find a profile of the North Korean artists we work with who publish work using their name (or pen name).
North Korean Artist:
Hwang In Jae
Artist Profile
Hwang In Jae (1943-2015)
Linocut Artist and Painter
Commissions
Artist Introduction
Hwang was born in Changchun City China.
He studied in Pyongyang and graduated from the University of Fine Arts in 1968. He moved to the major art studio in Pyongyang in the late 1970s and was honoured with various prizes and the title of People’s Artist (the highest award).
Hwang In Jae Artworks
We had the honour of working with Hwang in the last decade of his life. He is a wonderfully talented artist and a great personality. His works are extremely collectable (we have several older pieces in our collection) and we were fortunate not only to be the only foreigners to commission him directly but also to receive two other bodies of work ‘Heroines and Villains’, and ‘Women at Work’.
’A number of his works are in the collection of the British Museum and ‘The Fairy of the Kumgang Mountains’ (2009) is in the Queensland Art Gallery collection (commission by Koryo Studio for the Sixth Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art).
His works are also to be found in Phaidon’s publication ‘Printed in North Korea’ by Nicholas Bonner.
Hwang In Jae Artworks
Worker at a Port
Year: 2012
Artist: Hwang In Jae
Linoleum
Size: 78 x 62 cm
Price: 1500 EUR
ID: L006
Edition of 10
Size: 76 x 60.5 cm
Artist: Hwang In Jae
Price: please enquire
Propaganda Artists
Year: 2012
Size: 52 x 70 cm
Artist: Hwang In Jae
Price: 1800 EUR
ID: L040
Bus Conductor
Size: 49 x 69 cm
Edition of 10
Artist: Hwang In Jae
Price: 1600 EUR
ID: L038
North Korean Artist:
Choe Chang Ho
Artist Profile
Choe Chang Ho
Ink on paper (Chosunhua)
Artist Introduction
Choe Chang Ho was born in 1970, 26th of September. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Fine Arts in 1993.
Choe Chang Ho aspires to develop a unique style, focusing on figure drawing and estimating a one-month completion time for the painting. The goal is for viewers to contemplate life and gain insights into Korean culture and workers’ dedication, fostering an appreciation for the elderly and their contributions to society.
He introduces his piece at Kangson foundry, reflecting a profound connection to the Kangson foundry and an elderly man’s dedication to his work, highlighting his significant role in the second Chollima movement.
Despite being retired, the man was called back to develop a new kiln firing method, embodying the spirit of commitment. Cheo Chang Ho, aiming to capture this essence, initially sought to depict the old man but found a suitable subject in a retired worker from the Sadong Mining Machinery factory during a visit to Kangson. Emphasizing the challenge of scaling up technical skills, he expresses a commitment to continue painting, citing role models like artist Jong Chan Mo and rejecting the concept of retirement for artists.
Awards & Artworks
Gold medal 1995 (for National Exhibitions).
Four pieces of painting are kept in the National Museum collection.
Choe Chang Ho Artworks
North Korean Artist:
Kim Ik Hyon
Kim Ik Hyon Artworks
North Korean Artist:
Kim Kwang Nam
Artist Profile
Kim Kwang Nam
Linocut Artist and Painter
Commissions
Kim Kwang Nam Artworks
Inside the Submarine
Year: 2015
Kim Kwang Nam
Linocut on high gloss paper
Size: 29.5 x 99 cm
Price: 1900 EUR
ID:L028
Edition of 15
Guarding the Skies
Year: 2015
Artist: Kim Kwang Nam
Medium: Linocut
Print run: Limited edition, 15 pieces
Size: 42 x 59 cm
Price: 400 EUR
ID: L013
North Korean Artist:
Im Hyok
Artist Profile
Im Hyok
Artworks & Awards
4 gold medals (for National Exhibitions) and 5 pieces in the National Museum collection
Artist Introduction
Im Hyok was born 1965, 21st September and graduated Pyongyang University of Fine Arts in 1989.
As conveyed in a message to Nicholas Bonner, he shares a unique connection to Kangson, having visited the steelworks multiple times. The first he visited was on December 26, 2008, shortly after Leader Kim Jong Il’s visit.
Recounting his experiences, Mr. Im Hyok explains that his portrait of a young man, a team leader at the steelworks, is based on a photograph by Mr. Kim Dong Hwan. Despite the challenges of working from a small photograph, Mr. Kim Dong Hwan selected him for his portraiture skills.
Mr. Im Hyok emphasizes the importance of personal visits to Kangson to grasp the essence of the workers’ lives beyond the limitations of a photograph.
Still striving to develop his own style, specializing in figure painting, he describes the lengthy process of creating the painting, taking 40 to 50 days on Chamji paper. The artist aims for viewers to question the size of the face, appreciate the details, and ponder the skill involved. He hopes the painting conveys the subject’s character and mind, portraying him as a proud, content, and secure team leader during break-time conversations.
Mr. Im Hyok envisions surprising Australian viewers, challenging them to shift from being observers of art to being observed by a Korean worker in his gallery.
Im Hyok Artworks
North Korean Artist:
Kim Yong
Year: 2001
Acrylic on stiff paper
59.5 x 59.5 (plus a 2cm white border)
Limited to 20 pieces
Signed by the artist Kim Yong.
North Korean Artist:
Jo Yong Chol
North Korean Artist Profile
Jo Yong Chol
Collection
Jo Yong Chol Artworks
‘Urban Girl Comes to the Countryside to Get Married’
Year: 1989
Linocut
Jo Yong Chol
3 of 9 prints
51 x 71cm
Koryo Studio Collection
North Korean Artist:
Jang Hue Ro
Artist Profile
Jang Hue Ro
Ink on paper (Chosunhua)
Born 1954, 8th April
Graduated Pyongyang University of Fine Arts Awards: 1976
Awards & Art
2 pieces in the National Museum collection
Artist Introduction
On his painting below, Jang Hue Ro recounts a visit to Kangson Steel Works in May, prompted by the task of painting a worker’s apartment.
Seeking inspiration from three ordinary workers’ homes, the focus shifted to a technical worker’s residence. The painting aims to convey the inhabitant’s essence through details like books and a desk filled with technical literature, reflecting a commitment to both work and study. Jang Hue Ro perceives the man as someone born and raised in Kangson, envisioning a family with a son in the army and a married daughter with two children. Drawing on personal visits, the artwork is a composite representation, offering the artist’s interpretation and understanding of Korean life.
Acknowledging the challenge of painting interiors, especially for someone accustomed to landscapes, Jang Hue Ro emphasizes the difficulty of capturing the feeling of a home. The narrative unfolds within the painting, suggesting a momentary absence of the man, leaving viewers to speculate on his whereabouts. Despite the apparent simplicity of a typical Korean worker’s home, the artist underscores the uniqueness of the inhabitant, emphasizing his special contributions to the country through knowledge and love for family.
The painting, reflecting a month of meticulous work, aims to evoke a sense of personal life, happiness, and dedication within the confines of the depicted home.
Jang Hue Ro Artworks
North Korean Artist:
Rim Ho Chol
Artist Profile
Rim Ho Chol
Born 1968, 1st January
Graduated Pyongyang University of Fine Arts 1997
Art & Awards
1 piece in the National Museum collection
Artist Introduction
On his work On The Way to Work, Rim Ho Chol introduces a unique perspective on daily life at Kangson Steel Works, focusing on external elements often overlooked. The sketch, created in January, captures the unchanging scenes of workers entering and leaving the steelworks, emphasizing the constant furnace fires.
He highlights the unconventional aspect of workers being greeted by bands or musicians each morning, contributing to a sense of camaraderie. Venturing outside the factory, the artist aims to convey the feeling of workers heading to their jobs in winter, showcasing real-life moments often disregarded.
The painting, completed in one week, is celebrated for its technical innovation, using a method where the paper is left exposed. The elevated viewpoint exaggerates the sense of a flowing river of people, emphasizing communal experiences. The artist expresses satisfaction in contributing to a series, creating a dynamic and spirited piece despite the potential dullness of the subject.
Rim Ho Chol Artworks
North Korean Artist:
Choi Chang Ho
Artist Profile
Choi Chang Ho
Born 1960. 21 September
Graduated Pyongyang University of Fine Arts 1983
Art & Awards
Merited Artist, 9 gold medals (for National Exhibitions) and 10 pieces in the National Museum collection
Artist Introduction
Discussing his piece ‘Foundry at full capacity’, Choi Chang Ho describes himself as an artist with a history of capturing the power of steelworkers at Kangson Steelworks, who returned after 27 years to create a dynamic piece that portrays the living, breathing nature of the industrial environment.
While he primarily works as a landscape artist, this project rekindled my interest in industrial subjects. Growing up in the northern part of Korea, where his father worked in a train factory, the concept of power has always been influential in his art.
In just over 20 days, Choi Chang Ho completed this significant piece, the ninth in the series, choosing the number for its lucky connotations. He aspires for viewers to feel the heat, strength, power, and dedication of the workers at Kangson Steelworks, symbolizing the broader narrative of our country’s empowerment.
Rim Ho Chol Artworks
North Korean Artist:
O Song Gyu
Artist Profile
O Song Gyu
Born May 28th 1969.
Graduated Pyongyang University of Fine Arts 1991.
Art & Awards
Level 2 artist.
One gold medal (for National Exhibition) from a painting in 2007 (anti-Japanese guerrillas celebrating with music after battle).
2 pieces in the National Museum collection.
Artist Introduction
O Song Gyu, born on May 28th, 1969, is a seasoned artist who graduated from Pyongyang University of Fine Arts in 1991.
Recognized as a Level 2 artist, O Song Gyu has achieved notable success, earning a gold medal at the National Exhibition in 2007 for a painting depicting anti-Japanese guerrillas celebrating with music after a battle.
His artistic prowess is further exemplified by having two pieces included in the National Museum collection, solidifying his place among distinguished artists in the field.
Rim Ho Chol Artworks
Anonymous Artists
The following are artwork commissions that don’t have the North Korean artists’ names.
(This may be for a variety of reasons).
Miss Barber
Year: 2002
Artist name withheld
Medium: Acrylic
Size: 75 x 56 cm
Price: 400 EUR
ID: F002
Red Necktie
Year: 2012
Size: A3
Artist: North Korean graphic artist (Unknown)
Price: 880 EUR
ID: CM03
Silence
Artist: Anonymous
A3 size (42 x 29.5cm )
15 original (84.5 x 63 cm)
Price: 120-800 EUR
Let’s Wash Our Hands
A3 size
Artist: Anonymous
Original (70.3 x 47.2 cm with a 2.4 cm).
From 120 EUR
