YES, WE LOVE THIS COUNTRY!
Norway/North Korea, 2012
The 1st ever Norwegian Festival in North Korea, named after Norway’s national anthem, was organized, curated and directed by Morten Traavik and opened on May 17 – the Norwegian national holiday – in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.
Consisting of two separate events, an evening concert programme of Norwegian popular music performed by some of the country’s finest musicians, and a photographic group exhibition by contemporary Norwegian artists, the Festival received standing ovations from a than 1000-strong audience in Pyongyang, while generating headlines and heated debates in Parliament home in Norway: both the Norwegian Minister of Culture and Minister of Foreign Affairs had to answer to interpellations from the outraged political opposition regarding the Festival and Traavik’s other North Korea- related art projects.
Mass Media
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Scenekunst.no, 20.09.12:
Hva vil Morten Traavik? -
NRK.no 12.09.12
Utenriksdepartmentet mener norsk kunstner misbrukte UDs logo i Nord-Korea -
NRK.no Ytring, 11.09.12
En uunngåelig satire -
NRK.no, 11.09.12
Dro til Nord-Korea for å feire 17.mai -
Verdens Gang, 10.09.12
"Jeg er nyttig, men ingen idiot" -
Voice of America, 19.06.12
N.Korea finds cultural ally in Norwegian artist -
Bergens Tidende, 25.05.12
Anklagene flyr om koreansk 17.mai -
Politiken, Denmark, 23.05.12
Kunstner efter Norge-show i Nordkorea: Der findes idioter i alle lande -
Korean Central TV, North Korea, 18.05.12
North Korean News -
Bergens Tidende, 18.05.12
Kanskje kommer Kongen til Pyongyang -
TV2, 17.05.12
Feiret 17. mai i Nord-Korea med A-ha-låt -
Associated Press, 17.05.12
Accordion group in North Korea belts out hit