Armageddon averted

Just finished Stephen Kotkin’s (2008) book “Armageddon averted – Soviet collapse 1970-2000″. Thoughtful analysis of the Soviet collapse and rise of new Russia. Interesting point that Soviet power started to decay already during 1970s when it was thought to be in its zenith. Another paradox: during Gorbatchev Soviet state had huge military and security apparatus to try to fight back, but nothing happened – Soviet state just collapsed and soldiers retreated from Eastern Europe. Historical retreat without a fight. Gorbachev believed in Marxism and tried return to its ideals through reforms. Contemporary Russia is mixing market freedom with its authoritarian past, following China’s example, – or as the author puts it: Market Leninism.

Biennale di Venezia

I went to Venice Biennale in 2007 and 2009 – and now its again time to visit new Biennale. Part of it is rubbish, but setting and sheer number of different works is impressive. Also Biennale seeks some political angle, so it is not just art for arts sake.

actually not from biennale, just a shop window

installation

chinese statue

Venice by night

tapistry of Angelo Filomeno

Advertisement by Italian Ministry of Health

Russian installation – hand moving a painting

Nordic pavilion: corpse of an art-collector

French installation – no way out

great installation – night sky and hypnotizing music

Installation of exotic flowers and fruits

African village

Mullah’s banana!

Iraqi motor oil – long life!

Another hypnotizing work – by a chinese artist

Wooden statues, brown stuff is resin

Murals of Pripyat

Pictures taken from Pripyat – ghost town next to Chernobyl nuclear plants. Some soviet-folk -style murals were painted for the sports hall. Others pictures are of surfaces worn out during decades – there is resemblance to the movies of Tarkovski. The last picture with some stars is from local school.

Trip to North Korea (2007) – day 5

Huge statues symbolising farmers, factory workers and “poets”

1 May celebrations

1 May in Pyongyang

1 May – rare scene of “normality”

1 May in downtown park, things getting bit wild

Huts where Kim il Sung was raised

Pyongyang metro – serving people since 1950s

Pyongyang metro

Pyongyang metro

100-storey building that was never finished, our guides were silent about it

Eternal President – Kim il sung

Statues around Kim il Sung monument

Brilliant general Kim il Sung leading the war

War booty captured from imperialists

Nice war diorama in the war museum

1920s Japan built in Pyongyang by Kim yong il, to shoot movies

Another building used for shooting films

Our group with local students

Our guides in traditional dresses

People training in formations by the l’Arc de Triomphe

Workers (hammer), farmers (sickle) and poets (brush) united

DDR inspired monument – again hammer-sickle-brush combination

Building in Pyongyang with korean signs

Local IT-class, for a show

Tourist visa

Tourist visa

Back to Beijing with train

Pyongyang railway station – no photos

Trip to North Korea (2007) – Day 4

One of the few privately owned cars (yellow plates)

Traditional village, for tourists. Sleeping on heated floor was cozy.

Barren landscape on the way from Kaesong to Pyongyang

No trees, no people

Back to Pyongyang and to a sports event!

Red flags in a sports event

North-Korean favorite sport – parade-ground drill

visiting South-Korean labor unionists, closely guarded by security agents

Local cheerleader

Trip to North Korea (2007) – day 3

Panmunyom – border between North and South

In the no-mans land. North Korean soldiers guard the access to the South

Soldiers at the border

The big modern building is in South Korea

Observing the border – we were told that US and their “puppets” are building a wall at the border. But could not see one…

…even with binoculars

Barren landscape of North Korea – barely any trees and land plowed during the great famine of 90s

Kaesong city. Playing with local kids – rare spontaneous moments during the trip.

Statue of Kim il Sung standing eerily in Kaesong city.

The main road of Kaesong – no traffic

photo op with a group of local kids

Trip to North Korea – Day 2

Mausoleum of the late “eternal” President Kim il Sung. A truly bizarre place to visit.

Mausoleum and huge pools.

Our guides – Mr Kim had been a guide for years, Ms Kim had just started working.

Propaganda poster – children sign for united Korea

History lesson – armistice agreement and UN flag

Armistice agreement and DPRK (Democratic Republic of North Korea) flag.

Kim il Sung beaming on the wall

Museum – state philosophy “juche” has been evangelized around the world