ANDREAS TAUBERT – FREIHEIT HINTER GITTERN

What do we really see of North Korea?

A country ruled by a totalitarian dictatorship, North Korea remains largely sealed off from the outside world—shrouded behind a carefully constructed smokescreen that is nearly impossible to penetrate. The few foreign journalists granted access must navigate within strict boundaries set by the regime. The images allowed to leave the country are carefully curated—only what the regime is willing to show.

For photojournalists, North Korea presents a unique challenge—not just in terms of access, but also for the documentary power of photography itself. How do you capture reality in a place designed to control what is seen?

It is this very question that German photojournalist Andreas Taubert invites us to explore. Since 1989, he has traveled to North Korea multiple times, each visit governed by the regime’s conditions yet revealing glimpses of the country beyond its official façade.

In this exhibition, Taubert shares what he was able to witness—one trip, one frame at a time. Iconic images of the demilitarized zone along the 38th parallel and the grand spectacles of mass propaganda and sports events are shown alongside more intimate glimpses of daily life—in homes, on city streets, in the countryside, and local shops.

Through his lens, North Korea is revealed as much by what is visible as by what remains hidden.

And you—what do you see of North Korea?