Dave Kulesza
Dave Kulesza captures the uncanny colours of the capital of Pyongyang in his architecture photography series, DPRK: North Korea In Colour.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson | Photography: Dave Kulesza
Changgwang Pool #3 by Dave Kulesza.
“The three days spent shooting felt like I was on a moving escalator, like the flat ones at an airport that’s in the middle of the terminal and speeds you up a little if you’re in a hurry,” says Dave Kulesza.
Melbourne-based photographer, Dave Kulesza claims the premise for DPRK: North Korea In Colour is simple — North Korean Architecture and interior design, showcased with a common theme of colour. However, it is our unpreparedness for these locations that makes them stand out. The unfamiliar is at once familiar. Perhaps as seen in Wes Anderson movie or old Russian propaganda posters.
This is fitting as DPRK: North Korea In Colour reveals the shared love of axial symmetry: every view and prospect are balanced by series of shapes and texture that shouldn’t work together, but oddly do. “A lot of the spaces we visited were built in the 60s, 70s and 80s, and to this day have been well preserved,” Dave reflects. “A time capsule of a period has been captured and maintained, making it a surreal experience to photograph.”
The triggering moment for the series was the diving board inside the Changgwang Health and Recreation Complex. It sparked something that the photographer was unable to shake and became the sole reason for the trip. “I remember immediately being captivated by it, for its scale, colour coordination and quintessential perfection,” Dave explains. “I honestly had to continue researching to seek clarity on whether the location was a temporary film set or an actual location inside a country that’s meant to be dark and gloomy.”
In the resulting shot, Dave captures the vivid and clashing colour palette in all its retro glory. The turquoise blue tiled roof contrasts the greyscale, mosaic walls, while the daisy yellow diving board, in an altar-like composition, accentuates the aqua blue pool and red grandstand seats. As a final detail, the floor is covered with yellow and white square tiles. “The Changgwang Diving Board is by far one of my favourite shots in the series, and it holds a lot of significance as it made the entire series a reality,” Dave adds.
“Colour was the common theme which flowed fluently throughout Pyongyang, and this is what tied everything together and became the inspiration for the series DPRK: North Korea In Colour. Pictured: Bus Stop Pyongyang by Dave Kulesza.
“Behind every image, there is a feeling/emotion I experienced - awe, excitement, fascination and exhilaration. Each image also represents an unexpected moment.”
Seafood Restaurant by Dave Kulesza.
U-Bahn Carriage by Dave Kulesza.
The diving board transformed from foundations of curiosity, into ‘mega fascination’ for the Melbourne-based photographer. And within the series, sold at Modern Times and Fenton & Fenton, jewel-like imagery is depicted, from the glint of ceramic tiles, or the brutalist architecture softened by pastels.
For the photographer — who claimed that organising the visit to North Korea was one of his easiest trips — the series was an exercise in surrendering to the environment. With a limited time frame at each location and a tight, highly organised schedule, Dave never had a chance to return to a site. As such, the photographer didn’t know if he had got the shot until he was back in Melbourne, looking over the images on his computer screen. “95% of the images in the series represent a stumbled upon unanticipated moment,” he reflects.
“I think having experience in photographing architecture and interior design as a profession; it allows you to understand what sections of a space will photograph well, what type of light will be effective and what composition could work,” he adds. “However, everything was completely out of my control, so it became a case of work with what you’ve got.”
The lack of people in each shot feels strangely like a foreboding for Melbourne's fate as the pandemic closed down businesses and streets — voiding the landscape from humans. But Dave shares that the work instead highlights the power (and manipulation) of media, as he deliberately left the people out of the shot. The emptiness in the images highlights the architecture — akin to the propaganda that the country churns out to the world.
The second series of images came out after Dave had time during lockdown to look closer at his collection, and fittingly concludes the first. Even though they were taken on the same trip, Dave adds, “this was a great opportunity to include those images which unfortunately didn’t fit the original show, along with some new finds with fresh eyes.”
“The Changgwang Diving Board (pictured) is by far one of my favourite shots in the series, and it holds a lot of significance as it made the entire series a reality,” says Dave Kulesza.