A national industrial art exhibition which opened on September 5 in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the DPRK still goes on in a festive mood, though it is over a month since the anniversary.

On the ground floor of the venue over 900 industrial designs are on display in four sections, showcasing the past and present of the country’s industrial art which has developed along with the history of the DPRK.

On show in the first section, titled “Socialist country building and industrial art”, are the designs of the national flag and emblem, the first industrial designs of the DPRK, logos of national agencies, designs of flags, orders and medals and currency and those related to national events, the Kumsusan memorial palace and the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, which are of national significance.

They make visitors feel solemn to see as each of them is closely associated with the great events that left indelible mark in the country’s history.

In the design of the three-colour national flag, the red signifies the blood shed by the anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters and other revolutionaries who dedicated themselves to freedom and liberation of the country and the revolutionary force firmly rallied around the Party, with the white indicating that Korea is an independent country with a brilliant and time-honoured national culture and the blue representing the energetic spirit of the Korean people and national sovereignty. And the five-pointed star in the white circle against red background denotes bravery and heroism of the victoriously advancing Korean people.

Characteristic of all designs of orders and medals are that the red colour and star are at the centre of artistic representation. Referring to it, curator Yu Son Hwa said that the red colour is symbolic of the revolutionary traditions of the anti-Japanese armed struggle and the five-point star the prospect of brilliant victory of the Korean people.

The second section on the theme of “Pioneer in economic construction and improvement of the people’s living standards” is dedicated to industrial designs.

Industrial designs of heavy machines, rail transport, vehicles and farm machines offer a glimpse into the history of the Juche-oriented industry which grew by dint of self-reliance and self-development, which contributed to the completion of socialist industrialization in a matter of 14 years and propelled the building of an independent and comprehensive socialist economy.

In the third section “Our style and our flavour” are seen designs of logos, trademarks and clothes of all kinds which were produced to meet the ideological feelings and tastes of the local people and to be filled with national sentiments and in modern fashion.

Especially eye-catching are the designs of school uniforms created under the guidance of President Kim Il Sung, Chairman Kim Jong Il and Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

Busy as they were with state affairs, the great leaders who loved the children very much and the Supreme Leader checked the designs of all school uniforms, ranging from those for the revolutionary and primary schools to university students, and gave detailed instructions, the curator says.

Designs of fonts, ads and signboards and architectural decorations are on display in the fourth section on the theme of “Highest civilization at the top level”.

Designs related to the Samjiyon Grand Monument, Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery on Mt Taesong, Tower of the Juche Idea, Arch of Triumph and other monumental structures and Ryomyong Street and to the reconstruction of Pyongyang International Airport and the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum attract particular interest of visitors.

Exhibits on the first floor--over 1 000 designs highly appreciated at industrial art exhibitions so far held, products and models of them which were put into reality, materials introducing the national industrial art guidance and education system and various industrial art production and education institutions as well as different kinds of general information, references and international symbols related to industrial art—give visitors a window of opportunity to have a better understanding of industrial art and the course of its development.

“Many people visit the exhibition. The growing public interest in industrial art will further promote its development,” says the curator.