Cary Siress, Translator, Ordering Social Relations: Ideology and Collectivity in the Case of Pyongyang

7/29/2019 Cary Siress, Translator, Ordering Social Relations: Ideology and Collectivity in the Case of Pyongyang

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Publishedastranslatedessayin Collectivize:EssaysonthePoliticalEconomyofTerritory,Vol.2,MarcAngliland

RainerHehl,eds.(Berlin:RubyPress,2013),pp.97-120.ISBN978-3-944074-03-0

OrderingSocialRelations: IdeologyandCollectivityintheCaseofPyongyang

ArnoBrandlhuber,ChristianPosthofen

translatedfromGermanbyCarySiress

[]TheLeaderoftheworkingclassintroducesarevolutionaryideaofarchitecturebyreflectingthe

variedarchitecturaldemandsandaspirationsofthemasses,integratingandsystematizingthem.His

architecturalvisionoriginatesfromanabsolutevantagewithrespecttothemasses.Assuch,it

becomesanunconditionalguidingprincipletowhicharchitectsmustadhere[]Theyserveasa

powerfultheoreticalandpracticalweaponforachievingsuccessthrougharchitecturalcreation.[]

TheJuche-inspiredideaofarchitectureisahuman-centeredconceptionofdesignbasedonthe

fundamentalphilosophicalworldviewofJuche.Itisanarchitecturaldoctrinethatfullysatisfiesmass

demandsforleadingindependentandcreativelivesinrelationtothebuiltworld.[]Monumental

structuresarethemoststirringandlastingmeansofconveyingtheleadersachievementsand

upholdinghisgreatnessforprosperity.Monumentsremainwithmankindforeverandaretherefore

activeintheirideologicaleffectsoncollectiveconsciousnessregardlessofsocialprogressand

generationaltransitions.[]Thesegrandmonumentspresentanepicpictureofthepathofglorious

struggle[]andthusactivelycontributetoeducatingthepeopletobecommunistrevolutionariesin

thetruespiritofJuchephilosophy.

KimJongIl,OnArchitecture1

Communalinteractionsarecharacterizedbyparttowholerelationshipsor,moreabstractly,by

relationsbetweentheparticularandthegeneral.Thedialecticofparticularandgeneraldetermines

collective,socio-psychologicalsymbolsthatorganizegroups,communities,ifnotentirecitiesand

societiesaswell.Forarchitecturalsociology,thedialecticnatureofcommunalinteractionspertains

totheorderingofsocialrelationsthroughbuiltform.

ThecitationabovefromKimJongIlstreatiseOnArchitecturebearspreciselyontherelationship

betweensocialorderandthebuiltenvironment;theideologicalmomentofarchitectureis

1

Kim Jong Il, On Architecture, in Kim Jong Il: Selected Works 11, January-July 1991, (Pyongyang: Foreign Language

Publishing House, 2006), pp. 127-132. Gleaned from various propaganda passages glorifying the Great Leader, the

resulting text (text cited above or the resulting volume) was aimed to steer the function of ideology in North Korean

architecture theory.


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recognizedasprinciple,andissodeployedtosystematicallyenforceinterestsoftherulingpower.By

decree,thearchitectinNorthKoreaisatheoreticalandpracticalweaponofthestate.Buildingsare

erectedtobindmassdesiretotherevolutionaryachievementsofNorthKoreasuniqueJuche

ideology,whileservingsimultaneouslytoglorifythepersonificationofKimIlSungasthecountrys

EternalPresidentandtoensurepermanentaffiliationwiththegreatLeaderKimJongIl.

NorthKoreassinglerulingpartyexercisespervasivecontroloversocialorder;theNorthKorean

populaceisindoctrinatedbywhat,ineffect,amountstoaprogrammedregimentationofcollective

consciousness.Sincesocialdesireisshapedbythegoverningregime,architecturepropagatesthe

prevailingideologyembodiedbyit.Architectureinstillstherulingideologynotonlyinpublicopinion,

butalsointhepositionofarchitectsandplannersthemselves,especiallygiventhattheyserveasde

factoproxiesoftheparty.Andbecausedesignissubjectivelydrivenbydesirelikeanyothercultural

practice,architectsandplannersarejustassusceptibletoideologicalconditioningastherestofthe

population.Consequently,stateideologyactivelyorderseventhepresumablyimpartialobjectivesof

designandplanning.2

Inthissense,Pyongyangpresentsanextremecaseofamoregeneral,cross-culturalaspectof

architecture,wherebythesubjectandtheobjectaredrawntogetherinanemotivebond.

Architectureisalwaysframedbycollectivedesireandpublicperceptionsofthesurrounding

environment.Theactofviewingbuildingsandtheirsettingsconnectsthespectatorwithadesign

motifthat,inturn,providestheviewerwithaneffectiveconduitforchannelingprojectionsofdesire.

Theseprojectionsarematerialized,assomanylatentlychargedmeaningsofarchitecture,withbuilt

formservingastheirmaterialprovisionandexpression.Tosomeextent,architectureisboth

objectivebyvirtueofitsmaterialtangibilityandsubjectivebyembodyingsocialdesire:itstandsinas

theconcretizationoftheviewersown,albeitconditioned,aspirations.

Thequestionthenishowaresubjectsintegratedintocommunities,orbetteryet,howisitpossible

forindividualstofeelasenseofbelongingtoagreatercollective?

2Translators note: the terms conditioning and indoctrination are used in conjunction to convey the sense of the termVorstellungsorientierungas coined by the authors in the original German text. The term Vorstellungsorientierung

addresses the process by which the ruling party of North Korea inculcates the masses and seeks to steer, and ultimately

control, the collective imaginary of the nation. The authors use this term to critically interrogate the political and spatial

dimensions of this authoritative agenda, and also to identify, where possible, its latent potential for design practices.

Vortellungsorientierungorientating perceptions and imaginationspertains at once to architectures conditioning agency,

understood as its influence on social actors through everyday use and experience, and to the top-down

instrumentalization of architecture as a political agent of national indoctrination. The term as used in German is meant to

encompass the conditioning and indoctrination of all forms of perception, and is thus applicable, in principle, to

architecture theory and empirical spatial studies.


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Directivesaimedatenforcingnormativebehaviorplayasignificantroleinshapingacommunity

insofarastheyaffectindividuals,groups,andoperativesystemsalike.Aswithbehavior,perceptionis

alsoconditionedbytheswayofsocietalnorms,whicharejustasforcefulincultivatingindividual

valuesandbeliefsastheyareinpromptingthoseofacollective.Architectureactsasanormalizing

agentofculture.Builtformbecomesrootedinthecollectiveconsciousandthuslaysthefoundationforaspectatinggaze.Regulatedpractices,suchasarchitectureandurbanplanning,performintheir

ownwaytoshapecollectiveconsciousnessthroughbehavioralandperceptualconditioning.

Ideologies,religions,worldviews,eventhemarketlogicofNeoliberalism,areallmeansof

indoctrination.Architectureisalsoameansofindoctrination.Theintrinsiccapacityofarchitectureto

conditionasocialsettingisespeciallyobviousinsacredorinstitutionalfacilities.Yetarchitectures

performativeagencyisalsodiscernibleinlesssymbolicsituations,forinstance,inthewaythatthe

distributionofpublicandnon-publicspacesaffectshumanactivityorinthewaythatthespatial

organizationofordinarybuildingsordersexperience.Designdecisionsinfluencebothgroupand

individualinteractions.Itisthereforeinsufficienttoexaminetotalitarianindoctrinationonlythrough

policiesenactedbytheNorthKoreanstate.Architecturesrolemustalsobecriticallyanalyzed

because,asatoolofpersuasion,itiscomplicitinsocialconditioning.

Thetwosidesofarchitectureitsobjective,materialpresenceanditsubjective,ideologicaland

socializingcharacterareentangledinPyongyangtoadegreeperhapsonlypossibleinaclosed

society.Whilethesocialcollectiveandthecraftedenvironmentarearguablystilldistinctastwo

separate,butrelatedrealmsinothercultures,theircalculatedintertwiningisespeciallyclearinthe

NorthKoreancapital.TaketheKimilsungiaasanexample:aflowernamedafterKimIlSung,the

Kimilsungiahasbeenbredinbulkthroughoutthecountryandusedincreasinglysince1975asan

emblemtoidolizetheGreatLeader.Asamediatingsymbolthatbindsthesocialtothegreater

nation,theKimilsungiaflowerservestonaturalizepowerrelationsandlegitimizetheirstagingas

collectivespectacle.3

Theideologicalagencyofarchitectureanditsindoctrinatingimpactissoevidentandextremeina

closedsystemlikeNorthKoreathatittendstoovershadowthisaspectofthebuiltenvironmentin

westernculturewhetherwithregardstocontemporarybuildings,especiallyreligiousandfederal

buildings,orarchitecturescomplicityinhistoricaleventssuchasNationalSocialismorStalinism.

3

See Olaf Nicolai in the preface to Kim Jong Il, Kimilsungia: Pyongyangstudies IV, Disko 11, 2008. He states, The

staging of public spectacles encompasses all dimensions, from spatial layout of interiors, to modernist collage of

architectural motifs from Pyongang, to the ornamental pageantry of mass dances and public processions.


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Pyongyangisarelevantandworthwhilecasestudybecauseitrecognizespowerasacoreagencyof

architecture.Yet,thelessonslearnedherecomewithacaveat.Asseductiveastheyare,the

spectacularimagesofmasscomplianceintheNorthKoreancapitalshouldnotblindustothe

ideologicalforcesofarchitecturethatshapeourownWesternformsofsocio-spatialorganizations.

ImageCaptions

01 Thetwoflowers,theKimilsungiaorchidandtheKimjongiliabegonia,areusedthroughout

Pyongyangasofficialemblemsofstatepower.MainboulevardinthecenteroftheNorth

Koreancapital.

02 AnannualmasschoreographedspectacletocelebratethebirthdayoftheEternalPresident

KimJongIl,stagedduringtheArirang-FestivalintheRungrado-May-Day-Stadium.Asa

backdroptotheevent,30,000schoolchildrenandstudentsarecuedtoholdupcolored

cardsintandembeforetheirfaces,producingahuman-pixelpanoramaofPyongyangs

cityscape.IntheforegroundisasynchronizeddancechoreographyoftheKimilsungiaflower.

Thefiguresofthedancersandthemaskedfacesformingtheurbanpanoramamergeina

unifiedimagethatismeanttocallforththetimelessspiritualpresenceofKimIlSung.Inthe

guiseofaflame,theholyspiritdescendsonthescenefromthestarryheavensabove;the

iconographyconjuresupthesolargodworshippedunderpharaohEchnaton,founderofthe

firstmonotheisticreligioninancientEgypt,andtherebyservestolegitimizethedeified

statusofKimIlSungastheapotheosisofallrulers.Animageofthemonumental,170-meter

tallpillarthatrepresentsthenationalJucheideologyisalignedwiththesacredlightfrom

beyondandplacedinthecenteroftheurbanpanorama.MarkingthemainaxisofPyongyang,

theJuche-pillarstwenty-metertalltorchreceivesthedivineflame,sotospeak,symbolizing

aneverlastingbondwiththemythicaluniverse.

03-r Detailofthecompositeimageformedby30,000human-pixelsduringtheArirang-Festival.

ThedetaildepictsthelaterulerKimJongIl,whopassedawayin2011,asaKimjongilia

begonia.HumanbodiesareanintegralpartofNorthKoreasstate-ledindoctrination

machinery,incorporatingastheydotherulingideologythroughtheirmassparticipationas

acollectivelyconditionedunity.

04 TheKimilsungiadancechoreographydepictingthenationalflowerappearsrepeatedlyasan

instructionalrefrainthroughoutthethree-hourlongperformanceofNorthKoreanhistory.


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05 GroupsoftwodozenNorthKoreanwomencometogether,eachformingaKimilsungia

orchid.WavingabouquetofKimilsungias,asoldierstandinginthemiddlerepresentsa

flowertemple.Theflowertempleisareferencetotherevitalizingpowerofthenations

militaryanditsnaturalaffiliationwithKimIlSung,thefounderofthedynasty.

06 ThebirthplaceofKimIlSungisreveredinNorthKoreanstateideology,likeaChristian

BethlehemorIslamicMecca.Althoughareconstructionoftheoriginal,KimIlSungshouseof

birthfunctions,fromapsychoanalyticalpointofview,asatransitionalobject:AllNorth

KoreansattributespecialsignificancetoKimIlSungsbirthplacebecauseitrewardsthem

withasanctifiedrelationshipwiththestate.ItisthereforeashrinethatallNorthKoreans

mustvisitatleastonceintheirlifetimetosharethetherapeuticpromisesofnational

legend.Bygoingonthispilgrimage,NorthKoreansareindoctrinatedintothenationalmyth

ofNorthKorea.

07 OversizedjugsinthecourtyardofthebirthplaceofKimIlSung.Thepoorlymadepotteryis

supposedtosimulatethesimplicityofKimIlSungschildhoodhomeandthereby

demonstratetovisitorstherulersallegedlymodestupbringingasoneofthepeople.

08 AnnualflowerfestivalhostedinanexhibitionhallspeciallybuiltfortheKimilsungiaFestival,

whichisheldeveryApriltocommemoratethebirthdayofKimIlSung.Visitorsbecomepart

oftheshowbyhavingtheirofficialportraittakenwiththatofKimIlSungandKimJongIl.In

thephotograph,visitorsaresurroundedbyaseaofthenationalflowersnamedafterthe

countrystwoformerrulers,theKimilsungiaandtheKimjongilia.

09 CivilianandmilitaryorganizationsfromaroundNorthKoreasenddecorativeflower

arrangementstotheKimilsungiaFestival.ThegiftsarearrangedaroundamodelofKimIl

Sungsbirthplace,similarinspirittotheChristiannativityscene.

10 DayoftheSun,awinteryNorthKoreannativitysceneofKimIlSungsbirthplaceis

displayedinfrontofadenseforestofKimilsungias.

11-12 Picturesofthefloralarrangementsandthemodest,ofthepeoplepotteryareregularly

broadcastedaspartypropagandaonthecountrysonlystate-runtelevisionchannel.

13 AtypicalbillboardinPyongyang:ontheleft,animageoftheKimilsungiaorchid;inthe

center,theblessedPaektusanmountainthattheNorthKoreansarealsoobligedtovisitat

leastoncealifetime;andontheright,theKimjongiliabegonia.Intheguiseofflowers,KimIl


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SungandKimJongIlareomnipresentthroughoutthecity;thenationsrulersareelevated

beyondsocialcritiquebybeingportrayedastheapotheosisofeverythingnaturalinthe

world.

14 EntrancetothePaektusanAcademyofArchitectureinPyongyang,withapromotionalbillboardshowingthenativitysceneofKimIlSung,theJuche-tower,andtheKimilsungia

orchids.Theacademyservesasthecapitalsonlyarchitectureandplanningoffice.Architects

andplannersareswornintoserviceofthegoverningregimeontheirwaytowork.

15 TheentrancehalloftheArchitectureAcademyisadornedwithalargemuraldepictingthe

urbanpanoramaofPyongyang.ItisframedbyKimilsungiasandKimjongilias,withthewhite

blossomsscatteredinbetweenrepresentingthecommonfolkofNorthKorea.TherulerKim

JongIl,whowasstillinpowerasrecentlyas2007,isadditionallyrepresentedbyareal

Kimjongiliaflowerenclosedinavitrine,simultaneouslyprotectedandstrategically

positionedtowatchoverarchitectsofthestate.

16 Oneofthemanyimagesillustratingtheprominentroleofdesignandplanningintheoverall

powerstructureofNorthKoreasrulingregime.KimIlSungandKimJongIlaredepicted

togetherasthoroughlyengagedindesignandplanning,withthepointerintheformers

handtosymbolizehiscompetenceandpower.

17-18 deleted

19 TheBerlinCityPalace,alsoknowninGermanastheSchlossplatz,inaphotographtakenat

theendofthenineteenthcentury.

20 TheBerlinCityPalaceintheearlytwentiethcenturyasacompletearchitecturalensemble,

withtwocourtyardsandadome.

21 DestructionoftheBerlinCityPalaceduringWorldWarII,withtheBerlinCathedralinthe

background.

22 DemolitionoftheBerlinCityPalacebythegovernmentoftheGermanDemocraticRepublic

(DDR)in1950.

23 SiteclearedoftheBerlinCityPalaceruins,withSchinkelsAltesMuseumandtheBerlin

Cathedralinthebackground.


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24 ModeloftheDDRsPalaceoftheRepublicontheclearedsiteoftheSchlossplatzin1973.

25 TheheadlinesThePalaceoftheRepublicisOpenandTheHouseofthePeopleatMarx-

Engels-PlatzintheCapitalwereprintedonthefirstpageoftheDDRnewspaperandcentralmediaorgan,NeuesDeutschland,onApril21,1976.

26 deleted

27 OneofthemanyofficialmunicipalsignspublicizingthePalaceoftheRepublicsinceGerman

reunificationin1990.

28-29 deleted

30-31 TheoldBerlinCityPalacereturnsbywayofarenderinginthewinningdesignbyItalian

architectFrancoStella.

32 TheclearedMarx-Engels-Platz,nowre-namedtheSchlossplatz,standsemptywhileitwaits

fortheconstructionofthenew/oldBerlinCityPalacetobegin.Itssuccessivechristenings

fromSchlossplatztoMarx-Engels-PlatzandbacktoSchlossplatzisinitselfevidenceofthe

indoctrinatingfunctionofthesiteanditsstrategicsignificanceinpowerrelations

33 TheareaaroundtheSchlossplatzduringthewinterof2010,withaviewfromthe

constructionsitelookingtowardtheFriedrichswerderChurchbyKarlFriedrichSchinkel.

Threedummiescladinfull-scaleprojectionsoftheirfuturefacadesformaveritable

PotemkinvillageintheheartofBerlin,concurringwiththeindoctrinatoryinfluenceof

architecturalsettings.OntheleftisthedummyofSchinkelsAcademyofArchitecture.

Abusedasamerepropforcommercialbillboards,theconstructionhintsatthecoreinterest

ofprofitablereal-estateventures,whicharesharedbythoseBerlinarchitectsinvolvedin

building.InthemiddleisatemporarystructurefortheCenterfortheArts.CladasthePalace

oftheRepublic,theArtsCenterisenlistedasapoliticaldelegateandcallsattentiontothe

destructionofthePalaceoftheRepublic.OntherightistheCityPalace-cladconstructionsite

oftheHumboldtBox,whichsince2011has,paradoxically,offeredafuturisticvenueforthe

visitingpublictoviewplansforthepromisedre-constructionoftheoriginalCityPalace.

34-35 Architectureplaysanactiveroleintrans-culturalpracticesofindoctrination.KimJongIls

treatiseOnArchitecturepresentsasetofsystematicinstructionsonhowarchitecturecan


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beusedapoliticaltooltoindoctrinatethepublicbyinstillingtheinterestsofthoseinpower

inthecollectiveperceptionofourbuiltenvironment.Thetimehascometoaskourselvesthe

followingquestions:Wheredowelive?Whichsystemsservetohinderandconfineus,andin

whicharchitecturalorspatialconditionscanwerecognizesuchconstraints?Twoclosing

images:abillboardinadreary,pedestrianpartofBerlinadvertisingthenewCityPalaceandanotherpromisinganewskylinefortherecentlyconstructedghosttownofOrdosininner

Mongolia.

Documents

Cary Siress, Translator, Ordering Social Relations: Ideology and Collectivity in the Case of Pyongyang