Fabian Muir SEARCHING FOR NORTH KOREA

After leaving a career in journalism, Australian photographer Fabian Muir began traveling to countries that were, to some, unusual destinations: former Soviet Union countries and, as he describes them, “other places that seem to exist outside of our own time and space.” His travels eventually took him to North Korea where, he says, much of what he witnessed was contrary to the stereotypes and his own preconceptions of the totalitarian state.

Determined to capture what he perceived of those living in the country, Muir created the series “Searching for North Korea.” “Discovering that there is a softer undercurrent to North Korean society that is very different from the way the state presents itself on the world stage became one of the key elements of the project,” he says. Instead of the orderly and militaristic vision that comes to mind for many when they think of North Korea, Muir captured families and civilians during a night out, at an amusement park, bowling and performing theater, among other scenes.

Muir began photographing the series in 2014. The project continued over a two year span that included six visits to the country. Like all visitors to North Korea, he was assigned two guides who also worked as minders. They determined his daily schedule and, with very few exceptions, accompanied him wherever he went. Yet, despite the constant monitoring, Muir says the guides never interfered with his photography. It was, however, difficult to execute more meditative shots since they require longer periods of setup and anticipation. Instead, Muir turned the obstacle into an opportunity to learn, he says, “how to work much faster and on the run.”

—Amy Touchette

Photos © Fabian Muir fabianmuir.com