May 2020
Train Controller
North Korean Linocut
by Hwang In Jae
Train Controller
Size: 49 x 70 cm
Edition of 10
Artist: Hwang In Jae
Price: 1600 EUR
ID: L037
North Korean Linocut:
The Train Controller
The train controller is responsible for inspecting sections of the track.
Here, we have a young woman carrying out her duties with joy. All artists express workers in this joyous state. Welcome to the socialist realism style or an idealised life.
THE NORTH KOREAN LINOCUT
The artist surrounds the controller with streaked white lines. This is not only to emphasise her pull, but also to denote the power and speed of the Red Flag locomotive can be felt.
The details of the train and the electric overhead wires are clearly recognisable in the foreground. However, the rest of the train is lost in a blur.
The black marks at the bottom left corner emphasise the train bursting along through the picture as she remains planted in her position.
Koryo Studio keep the first print and we have just a few of this popular piece left but these are rare, amongst the artist’s last work before he died.
SUBJECT MATTER
The Red Flag train is a locally made electric train.
Its first edition was built in 1961 and it represented a significant achievement for the DPRK. And an engineering feat they are rightly very proud of.
The locomotive appeared as ‘an object’ representing modernisation strength and power. This is an example in the publication Pulse (Dongmaek).
