beaux livres : photo, architecture, art

Through the Pale Dawn is one of two new books by Portuguese photographer Carlos Lobo. The images in this collection were taken during a stay of several weeks in North Korea. As is well known, photography in this country is extremely difficult. Carlos Lobo had to resign himself to traveling in an organized group, guided by officials who showed tourists only what the regime allowed them to see.

Thus, far from the usual representations where propaganda is always blatant, the photographer focuses on capturing the “little things” of everyday life for North Koreans. These are images taken alongside the official narrative: scenes on the fringes of visited sites, urban or natural views far from grand monuments or imposing buildings, portraits of people in their daily lives. This “poetic” documentary photography does not exclude the political perspective that emerges here and there throughout the book.

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