Korean Art in Hungary in Mid-20th Century: North Korean Cultural Relations and National Identity as Reflected in a Group of Artworks

Abstract

Contextualising the 20th-century copies of Koguryŏ-era paintings at the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Art in Budapest, one can see that the purpose of making the copies was not only to display and preserve cultural heritage, but also to show that the newly established North Korean state saw in these paintings a renewal of its own national art. The increased attention to ancient wall paintings began with the colonial Japanese, who applied their newly learned scientific methods to archaeological research, uncovering hidden treasures in their colonised territories and expanding their knowledge of their newly acquired territories by making copies of the murals. After the liberation from Japanese rule, North Koreans used the new discoveries to forge a new national identity and a connection to their past, not only focusing on history but also developing new artistic methods (e.g., the large-scale revival of traditional ink painting, communal artworks) while studying and copying them. When copying the paintings, not only the consciously created forms were depicted, but also the damage, so comparing copies made by several artists in different periods over several decades is an important way of tracing the changes in the condition of the paintings. The mass production of reproductions of paintings (often for international use) for exhibitions in Central and Eastern Europe underlines the propagandistic purpose of these paintings and their intention to express the national identity of the time.

The visibility of Korean culture in Hungary, represented through North Korean art, has been supported by a strong and conscious cultural policy, especially after the Korean War, when North Korea used its cultural products to promote and publicise Korean art in Central and Eastern Europe, and engaged in fundraising activities to rebuild the country, which had emerged from the ruins of the Korean War in the 1950s. Following conflicts between China and the Soviet Union, diplomatic relations and cultural exchanges between North Korea and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe became increasingly active between 1956 and the 1960s. Artists from North Korea became inspired by 19th century folk and historical art from Central and Eastern European art museums, and instead of the political propaganda images of the early 1950s, they began to produce artworks depicting national, ethnic and local elements. Thus, in the mid-1950s, there was a shift from politically charged propagandistic, anti-imperialist objects (such as political posters) to objects illustrating national art, presenting copies of artworks considered representative of North Korea.