The Reflexion of Power

“The film is a rare glimpse into one of the most reclusive places in the world, Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. Slowly, an unknown phenomenon dissolves this strange city, creating an unexpected architectural and metaphorical situation.

I was born in Romania during the communist dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu. Ceausescu was an important collaborator of the founder of the North Korean Stalinian dynasty, Kim II-Sung. My memories of the childhood during that period are influenced by an almost continuous state of absence: absence of food, toys, entertainment. The only official entertainment was represented by the public ceremonies in honor of our president: a mix of extremely complex mass choreographies, patriotic songs and glorification of the economic and ideological superiority of Marxism. It was a different evaluation of objects, organization and of time. After research on contemporary dictatorship, I realized that what is still happening in North Korea is similar to the totalitarian regime I experienced during the first 9 years of my life. 

Despite a continuously changing geo-political context, North Korea is like an enclave of a different time, like an ideological island living in a different rhythm and a different chronology. The extremely emphatic personality cult of its leaders has altered the concepts of power, divinity and state. On the reflection of power, the overwhelming liquid is also a symbol of this different time, of a hidden past that comes back to the surface and challenges reality.
 
On creating the piece, first there was a historical research to do on North Korea and the background of the Juche ideology. I needed a clear picture of the monuments in Pyongyang and their meanings. Then, I needed to find out exactly the scale of each sculpture and architecture in order to adapt the 3D computer simulation to it. With that information, I was able to model, in 3D, the buildings and statues, matching them to the real objects as much as possible.

Another important part of the process of creating the piece was testing the 3D fluid simulations, like recreating small and big water surfaces, liquid textures, reflections, etc. It took hours and hours of tests of these computer elements in order to achieve a convincing water look.” 

Mihai Grecu in a statement to PLATFORM:VB (July 2015)