KIM HAPPINESS, Philippe Chancel

KIM HAPPINESS is a photographic series from French artist Philippe Chancel and documents various trips to North Korea between 2005 and 2014 - from public city life in the country to the epic Arirang Festival mass games held in Pyongyang. His first portfolio on the DPRK was shown at the 37th Rencontre d'Arles in 2006 and currently continuing his long-term project 'Datazone' which looks at places that are often either too much in or completely outside of the standard media radar such as Port au Prince, Kabul, Fukushima, Pyongyang and Astana.

The most recent selection of his North Korea work, entitled KIM HAPPINESS, was shown at last year's Paris Photo and focusses on a what appears to be a somewhat lighter side of the North Korean personality. A man suppresses laughter at the wheel of his car, a couple giggle on a fairground ride - a young tennis couple smile at the camera from an almost too perfect Wes Anderson-style gymnasium complete with deer grazing in an idyllic meadow.

© Philippe Chancel - KIM HAPPINESS

© Philippe Chancel - KIM HAPPINESS

© Philippe Chancel - KIM HAPPINESS

© Philippe Chancel - KIM HAPPINESS

The KIM HAPPINESS series has also been produced as a book published by L'Artiere Edizioni. You can buy it here: www.lartiere.com/en/shop/collections/kim-happiness
 

See more of Philippe Chancel's work on his website: www.philippechancel.com