DANDONG, China: Seated beneath tall windows and dressed simply in singlets and trousers, North Korean painters are hard at work. The artists staple canvases to frames or copy idyllic landscapes from laptop computers. One wears headphones as he brushes a group of running horses onto his canvas.
The nine men have come to the Chinese border town of Dandong from Mansudae Art Studio, North Korea’s largest producer of art. There are many outlets like this along the border; they house some of the thousands of North Korean artists who cater to burgeoning demand for their work. “Chinese have begun collecting art, and North Korean art is much easier and cheaper for them to obtain,” says Park Young-jeong, a research fellow at the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, a Seoul-based organization.
In recent years as countries have responded to North Korea’s weapons tests with sanctions, Mansudae and other art studios have increasingly played a more controversial role – helping Pyongyang raise cash abroad. North Korea has long been punished for alleged underhand dealings in minerals, finance and arms; art was seen more as a channel for mutual understanding. That is changing.
Mansudae is run by the North Korean state. Its output ranges from statues of global leaders to propaganda posters, embroidery and more. It has built monuments and statues in at least 15 African countries, according to independent United Nations sanctions experts.
In a report in February, they said that a part of Mansudae called Mansudae Overseas Projects was a front for the North Korean state to cash in on military deals. As well as monumental statues, they found it built military installations such as a munitions factory and bases in Namibia.
The North Korean UN mission did not respond to a request for comment and no one from Mansudae could be reached.
The UN Security Council banned Mansudae’s statue business in 2016. On Aug. 5, after Pyongyang conducted more weapons tests, the Security Council blacklisted Mansudae Art Studio, subjecting it to a global asset freeze and travel ban. Diplomats say this will prevent Mansudae from conducting business.
“With this listing, anything Mansudae produces — including paintings, other artwork, monuments, buildings, and other construction — cannot be bought and should be frozen per the asset freeze,” said a UN Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
In a further resolution on Sept. 11, the Security Council decided that all joint ventures with North Korean entities or individuals must be shut down within 120 days, or by mid-January.
Exactly what the measures mean for existing Mansudae art has yet to become clear. In Beijing’s art district, a gallery called the Mansudae Art Gallery says it is the studio’s official overseas gallery. Its head insists the sanctions do not apply to it and says they have had no impact on his business.
“Now more than ever we need avenues like art to create understanding between North Korea and the rest of the world,” said Ji Zhengtai.
It is not possible to estimate the total value of Mansudae’s dealings, but the Security Council diplomat said the business had earned tens of millions of dollars globally.
“WE DON’T DO POLITICS“
Mansudaeartsudio.com, a website in Italy which calls itself Mansudae’s “official website abroad,” says the studio is “probably the largest art production center in the world.”
Mansudae’s Pyongyang studio covers 120,000 sq m (nearly 30 acres), employs about 4,000 people including around 1,000 artists, and is divided into 13 creative groups, seven manufacturing plants and more than 50 supply departments, the website says.
The website is run by Pier Luigi Cecioni, who sells Mansudae works online and at fairs through what he calls an exclusive agreement with Mansudae Art Studio. He declined to say how much he sells, but in August after the sanctions on Mansudae Art Studio were announced, he told Reuters that the revenues go direct to the studio to pay for paints and equipment.
Cecioni said he sells works from his personal collection, most of them bought several years ago — before sanctions on Mansudae were announced. His website makes clear that any online purchase is made with his Italian company, not Mansudae. UN sanctions are not retroactive.
A panel of independent experts is charged with monitoring UN sanctions on North Korea. It reports violations and recommendations to the Security Council’s North Korea sanctions committee. Its reports are confidential, but the committee traditionally publishes annual reports.
Hugh Griffiths, who heads the panel, declined to comment, saying “the matter is subject to an ongoing investigation.”
Cecioni said, “the last thing I want is to have trouble with Italian or American authorities. I have strong contacts, especially with the Italian ones, and they help me to respect all the rules.” An Italian foreign ministry source said it is customary to keep contact with everyone who has ties to countries under sanctions, to ensure they respect Italy’s international commitments.
In September, Cecioni said that he had no plans to shut down his operation. “I consider it very important to let people know that ... North Koreans do not make only bombs but also art and are common people,” he said. He postponed an exhibition of propaganda posters he had planned for September in Treviso, but said this was because Mansudae’s representatives told him they thought it unwise to showcase their anti-US tone in the current climate.
Word of the sanctions has been slower to reach China. A circular from its Commerce Ministry announcing the start date of the measures which included Mansudae Art Studio does not name Mansudae. Asked why not, the ministry did not respond.
The Dandong center works in partnership with Mansudae, said its manager, Gai Longji. Asked on the day the sanctions took effect if they were affecting business, he did not answer directly.
“We don’t do politics,” he said. “We do art.” Liaoning Sanyi, the firm behind the center, did not respond to a request for comment.
WHITE TIGER
Reuters spoke to at least 30 experts — collectors, art historians, academics and people who have sold North Korean art globally. Many said the market for paintings is niche and amounts to little in terms of revenue compared with the billion-plus dollars North Korea has raised every year selling coal and other minerals abroad.
Even so, they say North Korean diplomats in Europe have been enthusiastic to promote art exhibitions with the simple aim of bringing in hard currency.
In China, demand has really taken off. Dandong is a popular attraction for tourists who come to peep at North Koreans over the Yalu River border. Busloads of tourists show up every morning. Visitors sample a North Korean speciality of noodles in cold soup, watch North Korean women sing and dance, and buy North Korean paintings.
Besides Mansudae, just about every ministry and almost all the local authorities in North Korea have an art studio, said Koen De Ceuster, a lecturer in Korean studies at Leiden University who has been studying North Korean art for over a decade. “There’s studios all across the country,” he said.
Other prominent studio names include Paekho and the Central Arts Studio. Paekho, which means “white tiger” in Korean, is the biggest seller of popular paintings in Dandong, traders there said. Collectors who have dealt with Paekho say it is run by North Korea’s military — Reuters could not independently establish this. Paekho’s varied output includes propaganda posters calling for a nuclear-free world.
The Dandong center that Reuters visited has hosted around 500 North Korean artists since 2014, manager Gai said. They stay for between six months and three years.
Many Dandong galleries house North Korean painters. Staff there said they have sold North Korean paintings for as much as $100,000 to buyers around the world. Art experts agree the pieces can very occasionally fetch six-figure sums.
Not all the proceeds go to Pyongyang. Mark-ups can reach four or five times the dealer’s purchase price, according to one Dandong dealer.
LONG GAME
While the Security Council’s Aug. 5 sanctions targeted only Mansudae, its September resolution on joint ventures also included restrictions on North Korean labor: This combination could hurt everyone in the art business, Dandong traders say.
But there are ways around the measures, they add. For instance, paintings from Mansudae could be sold under the name of an art studio that hasn’t been sanctioned. Artists come to China under cultural exchange visas, not as workers. And two businessmen said paintings have long been accepted instead of cash in the barter deals that fuel the region’s economy.
At the other end of the border from Dandong in the city of Yanji, Chinese antiques dealer Zhao Xiangchen said people usually roll up a couple of paintings and carry them quietly across the border to him.
His antiques stall was thick with dust as he camped in a vacant slot next door, selling the paintings online.
Since the sanctions were announced, Zhao said, Chinese customs have become more vigilant.
“But I’m playing the long game,” he said. “I still think there’s huge latent demand for North Korean art in the Chinese market, that’s only set to grow.”
White tiger, dark horse: North Korean art market heats up
White tiger, dark horse: North Korean art market heats up
Showtime: The best television of 2024
- From warlords in feudal Japan, through tender comedy and banking chaos, to a stalker in Scotland
‘Shogun’
Historical drama “Shogun” was reportedly years in the making, and it shows. Each episode is like its own mini big-budget movie. Few foreign-language shows (the majority of the dialogue is Japanese) have managed to grab the attention of the Western world in the way “Shogun” has. The adaptation of James Clavell’s 1975 novel centers on John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), loosely based on the English navigator William Adams, who became a samurai for the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate in the early 17th century. But it’s the women, particularly Blackthorne’s translator Lady Mariko (a hugely impressive Anna Sawai) who are the real heroes of the show, which is a beautifully paced mix of political intrigue and brutal combat.
‘Industry’
The high-stakes, high-paced financial drama’s third season was its best yet, as the stress levels of the employees of London investment bank Pierpoint & Co skyrocketed. The introduction of Kit Harington as Henry Muck (no, not Musk, definitely not. Right?) — the horribly wealthy, horribly privileged creator of a green-energy startup whose doomed desperation to be liked was a constant source of glee for viewers — was a stroke of genius, as was the jaw-dropping chaos of the finale, stunning not least because there had already been so many instances of jaw-dropping chaos throughout that it was a surprise they had anything left. But “Industry” always seems to have plenty more in the tank. Roll on season four.
‘Slow Horses’
No, the fourth season of Apple TV+’s espionage drama didn’t really break any new ground. But when what’s in place is already so good, why mess with it? Gary Oldman continues to have a ball as the foul-mouthed, foul-smelling former superspy Jackson Lamb, lording it over his ragtag crew of MI5 cast-offs in Slough House, and his team of misfits continue to defy expectations by actually being quite good at spy work — even if only by accident at times. The show continues to mine familiar tropes of the genre, but also continues to make them feel fresh thanks to brilliant performances and direction, and the strength of the source material — Mick Herron’s novels.
‘Somebody Somewhere’
Rarely have big themes been tackled with such lightness and joy as in Hannah Bos’ and Paul Thureen’s coming-of-middle-age comedy drama. The third (and sadly final) season of this underrated gem keeps up the remarkable consistency of the previous two, and the remarkable Bridget Everett continues to shine as the main protagonist, forty-something Sam — a flawed but entirely relatable woman searching for acceptance and love, while continually self-sabotaging. The supporting cast are equally brilliant, and fans will feel bereft at their disappearance.
‘Baby Reindeer’
Back in the spring, Richard Gadd’s autobiographical drama was the most high-profile show in the world — though not always for the reasons its creator — or Netflix — would have wanted. The streamer’s ethical failures aside, its water-cooler status was earned just as much by Gadd’s raw depiction of a wannabe comedian (himself) and his relationship with a female stalker, Martha (a superb, emotionally harrowing performance by Jessica Gunning). Equal parts hilarious and horrifying, this is one of the most original shows in years and Gadd’s performance and writing are both unflinchingly self-aware.
‘Only Murders in the Building’
The fourth season of the comedy drama about an unlikely trio of true-crime podcasters (Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez) was arguably it strongest since its debut run, helped in no small part by its introduction of a host of new guest stars (Zach Galifianakis, Eva Longoria, and Eugene Levy) and returning ones (Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd, among others). This season’s murder investigation was deeply personal, and allowed the main characters to show greater depth than ever before, while retaining the sparkling comic chemistry between the three of them.
‘Fallout’
Adaptations of post-apocalyptic video games are proving hugely popular with viewers. “The Last of Us” was one of 2023’s finest shows, and the more cartoonish, but equally violent, “Fallout” thrilled us this year. Set in an alternate history in which a nuclear exchange between the US and China in 2077 drove many survivors underground into bunkers known as Vaults, “Fallout” centers on Lucy (Ella Purnell), who, more than two centuries after the bombs dropped, ventures into the wasteland that used to be Los Angeles to hunt for her father, who has been kidnapped by raiders. Having been raised in the safety and the — outwardly, at least — polite society of the Vault, Lucy is, let’s say, underprepared for the horrors that await.
‘Ripley’
Steven Zaillian’s adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s psychological crime thriller novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley” is beautifully shot in black-and-white, with gorgeous, lingering shots of the Italian coast. If that sounds a bit highbrow, don’t worry; the plot explores the basest of human instincts. Tom Ripley (the excellent Andrew Scott), a down-on-his-luck con-man in 1960s New York, is hired by the wealthy Herbert Greenleaf to convince his wayward son Dickie to return home from Italy, where he is living a leisurely life at his father’s expense. But when Ripley sees Dickie’s leisurely luxurious life for himself, he decides he’d quite like a piece (or considerably more) of it.
Screen stars: The best films of 2024
DUBAI: From action-packed escapism to bone-chilling mundanity, here are our picks from this year’s big-screen offerings.
‘The Zone of Interest’
Strictly speaking a 2023 film, but it came out too late to make last year’s list (although not too late to earn the Best International Feature Film Oscar this year). Jonathan Glazer’s extraordinary take on the story of the Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss, his wife Hedwig and their family and entourage as they make their home next to the concentration camp where unthinkable horrors are perpetrated contains no scenes of those horrors, but their sounds form a continual backdrop to this subtle portrayal of what philosopher Hannah Arendt famously called “the banality of evil.”
‘Inside Out 2’
Pixar’s summer offering was a delight: moving, silly, and profound. Riley, the young girl who — along with her five personified emotions — was the star of 2015’s beloved “Inside Out,” is entering her teenage years, which usher in a host of new emotions (Anxiety, Ennui, Embarrassment and Envy), disturbing the delicate balance achieved by the veterans Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who must now recalibrate to try and help Riley deal with adolescence.
‘Dune: Part Two’
The second instalment in Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi work follows Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalomet) as he attempts to earn the trust of the native Fremen people of the desert planet Arrakis to persuade them to help him take down House Harkonnen, who were responsible for the massacre of Paul’s own house. Love versus duty, religious extremism, and the morality of violence are all explored, but never in a way that detracts from the entertainment, which includes dazzling battle sequences, the love affair between Chalomet and Zendaya’s fierce Fremen woman Chani, and thrilling sandworm rides.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’
It has its detractors, and many of the criticisms are deserved, but this Marvel buddy comedy is great entertainment — frenetic, often hilarious, and pushing its 15 certificate to the limits. Ryan Reynolds’ titular foul-mouthed antihero takes his fourth-wall-breaking meta self-awareness to crazy new levels, and his connection with co-star Hugh Jackman as the reticent, always-anger-adjacent Wolverine is a joy. It’s not going to win any major awards, but it’s a huge amount of fun.
‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’
This prequel and spin-off to the excellent “Mad Max: Fury Road” was a relative flop at the box office, but that’s no reflection of its quality: Anya Taylor-Joy is excellent in the lead role, finding an emotional connection to Charlize Theron’s portrayal of Furiosa in “Fury Road,” and Chris Hemsworth holds nothing back in his performance as the evil warlord biker Dementus. As usual, director George Miller delivers astounding action sequences, but the screenplay also has real depth.
‘Challengers’
Zendaya steals the show in Luca Guadagnino’s spicy sporty drama. She plays former tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan now coaching her husband, Art, after injury forced her retirement. Art is struggling with form and fitness, and must face his former best friend (and former competitor for Tashi’s affections), Patrick (Josh O’Connor). The heated chemistry between its three stars makes “Challengers” a lot of fun.
Play it again: The best video games of 2024
‘Metaphor: ReFantazio’
With its mix of social division, political wheeler-dealing, tragedy and personality-forming insecurities, there was arguably no more of-the-moment game in 2024 than this Japanese RPG set in a medieval fantasy realm inhabited by an array of tribes, where discrimination runs wild and chaos has set in following the death of the king, the exclusive possessor of Royal Magic.
‘Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’
The ninth mainline entry in the “Like a Dragon” RPG series was the best yet. It took the action to Hawaii, where Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu team up to help the former reunite with his mother, who is living with cancer. The revamped combat system was a triumph, resulting in free-flowing fighting that always seemed to offer something unexpected.
‘Astro Bot’
This joyous cute-as-you-like PS5 platformer was both nostalgic and wildly inventive, with callbacks to numerous PlayStation characters from the console’s 30-year history. Easily accessible for even novice gamers, but tricky enough to satisfy the most adept, and filled with personality and humor, “Astro Bot” was a great reminder of why video games deserve to be considered art.
Balad Beast to return to Jeddah with international lineup
JEDDAH: Music festival Balad Beast is set to return to Jeddah’s Al-Balad between Jan. 30 – 31 with an international lineup of performers.
The UNESCO World Heritage-listed district will play host to the likes of Grammy-winning 21 Savage, Atlanta rap star Gunna, JID, and 2020 Mercury Album of The Year winner Michael Kiwanuka on day one. Regional artists such as Disco Misr from Egypt and Saudi Arabia-based talents DISH DASH, Gazi, Saoud and Varoo will also perform on Jan. 30.
Day two will feature hip-hop icon Wiz Khalifah, producer Metro Boomin, musical duo Hats & Klaps, and Ghostly Kisses with her ethereal pop sound from Canada. All-female Saudi rock band Seera will hit the stage on Jan. 31.
The festival will also feature immersive art installations — yet-to-be-named contemporary artists and designers will reimagine Al-Balad’s historic architecture with projections, large-scale sculptures, and interactive artworks.
“We are coming back to Balad with really exciting experiences. Fresh music with new and returning acts, and as always, otherworldly immersive experiences inspired by our past, present and future,” said Ahmed Alammary, MDLBEAST’s Chief Creative Officer.
Balad Beast is part of Saudi music entertainment company MDLBEAST's lineup of annual events, including SOUNDSTORM in Riyadh and XP Music Futures in the Saudi capital.
According to MDLBEAST, the historical buildings in the area — some of which are 400 years old — will be protected from potential degradation due to sound testing and strategically placed stages “to minimize any impact on the buildings.”
The houses are made of stones, mined from Arabia Lake, separated by wooden planks to alleviate the heat of the area’s climate. One of its infamous sights that garners attention from tourists is Nassif House.
In 2024, the festival played host to a similarly high-profile list of performers, including Ty Dolla $ign, Wu-Tang Clan, Major Lazer Soundsystem, Russ, and DJ Snake.
Festival in Riyadh finds Common Ground between Iraqi and Saudi cultures
- We are ‘all one culture, one society and one message,’ says Iraqi official
RIYADH: From heritage to long-standing traditions, the deep connections between Iraq and Saudi Arabia span thousands of years to the pre-Islamic era.
The second Common Ground festival, an initiative by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, is an immersion in the bonds of the two nations through art, cuisine and performance.
Alataf Ebrahim, the head of the festival department at the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, told Arab News: “Baghdad and all the Iraqi governorates are passionate about embracing Saudi culture. While the event is called Common Ground, with pride, we say that we are all one culture, one society and one message.
“This is a big and very important event, and the project is bold for planning and drawing joint cultural events now, and in the future. As the Ministry of Culture, this venture has been initiated for two years and we plan on having Saudi cultural nights in Baghdad as well as in 2025.”
HIGHLIGHT
Common Ground festival features an exhibition dedicated to the history of traditional clothing, musical instruments, songs, and significant cultural figures of Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
One of the main festival attractions is Al-Mutanabbi Street, which is recreated based on the historical road in Baghdad along with its iconic main gate. The renowned hub for intellectual life hosts various bookstores, clothing stores, live painting and oud performances, and panel discussions around various cultural crossovers.
In the heart of the bookshop district is one of Baghdad’s oldest coffee shops, Shabandar cafe, which opened its doors over a century ago and has since become a landmark in the city. The establishment has born witness to the twists and tragedies of Iraq’s tumultuous history.
“Shabandar cafe is an open corner for poets and intellectuals, and visitors as well, as they read about the latest cultural news through physical newspapers that are always on each table. This area is where the most prominent cultural activities in the capital (take place),” Ebrahim explained.
Al-Mutanabbi’s poems are also honored through 10, 3-meter-high scrolls. The works are written in a font that has the characteristics of the 4th century in the style of Ibn Al-Bawwab, the famous calligrapher who was born about a year after Al-Mutanabbi’s death.
“We’re presenting a mini cultural week that encompasses many experiences, not just books and literature, but also extends to musical performances; and an absorption between the two cultures and deepening that relationship,” he added.
As the Ministry of Culture, this venture has been initiated for two years and we plan on having Saudi cultural nights in Baghdad as well in 2025.
Alataf Ebrahim, Iraqi Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities official
Visitors can also indulge in local delicacies from both countries while enjoying the live folk music and dance performances that take place twice daily on the main stage.
The festival’s concert series featured an iconic performance by Iraqi singer Kadim Alsahir on the opening day, and a joint oud performance by Saudi singer and songwriter Abadi Al-Johar and Iraqi artist Naseer Shamma on Dec. 21.
The last show of the series will be on Dec. 25, featuring Aseel Hameem and Nawaf Al-Jabarti.
Over 100 artworks are on display at the “Beneath the Gaze of the Palms” exhibition, which examines questions of identity and heritage in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The showcase includes Islamic, Mesopotamian and contemporary art.
At the entrance of the exhibition is a large structure known as the Mudhif, which is a traditional reed house, particularly in the Al-Ahwar region of southern Iraq. It is a type of communal guesthouse or gathering space that plays a central role in the social and hospitality traditions of the region.
A large part of the exhibition highlights Darb Zubaida, one of the historical pilgrimage routes from the city of Kufa to Makkah that not only facilitated the movement of people, goods, and ideas but also played a crucial role in the cultural and religious life of the Islamic world.
“This road became a place for exchanging ideas with our communities in the Kingdom. Saudi poetry and handicrafts were transferred to Iraq while Iraqi literary and cultural heritage was transferred to Saudi Arabia.
“This is an important aspect of the exhibition, alongside the many artworks that spotlight the traditional, modern, and contemporary art and the traditional tales that are embodied by the contributions of the participating artists.”
The festival also features an exhibition dedicated to the history of traditional clothing, musical instruments, songs, and significant cultural figures of Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
The festival, which runs until Dec. 31, is being held at Mega Studio in Riyadh’s Boulevard City.
