Photo: MediaBistro.com
One day when I was reading the paper I saw a photo of North Korea. It was beautiful in a lonely sort of Edward Hopper way, showing a street that was empty of almost everything generally seen on streets, just a couple people in a hurry and blank walls of buildings, one pink, one blue.
I really wanted to buy a copy, but in spite of sending a twitter message, I never did figure out how to reach the photographer, David Guttenfelder. Since then I have seen other fans on his Instagram site asking for copies of North Korea photos.
According to Guttenfelder’s official website, he “has spent all of his career as a photojournalist working and living outside of his native United States. He began as a freelance photographer in East Africa after studying Swahili at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. As an Associated Press photographer he has been based in Kenya, Ivory Coast, India, and Japan. … Born in the U.S. state of Iowa, he graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology, African Studies, and Journalism.
“He now lives in Tokyo as AP’s chief photographer for Asia.”
In a National Geographic article that Elizabeth Krist wrote called “Reality On A Need-to-Know Basis,” Guttenfelder talks about his photo collection of “North Korean artifacts,” odd little bits from his hotel rooms and from banquets and events he has been allowed to attend. He is a frequent visitor and has an unusual amount of access.
The artifact pictures are a lot of fun. Check out a few, and follow the photographer on twitter: @dguttenfelder.
“North Korean artifact #155. A book of piano sheet music for a North Korean songs found in the town of Sinpyong, DPRK. The title is, roughly, ‘My Nation’s Bright Moon’ ”
“North Korean artifact #156. Hotel room key, Rajin, DPRK.”
“North Korean artifact #157. Toilet paper roll with no hole in the center.”
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