Sometimes while on a tour you end up going to places and seeing things you would otherwise not choose to go to or see and so it was that I ended up at the Pyongyang Embroidery Institute.
Sometimes these unwanted side trips can turn out to be a real treat as this one did.
Not regularly visited by tourists (and I suspect used as a space filler on some tours) the Pyongyang Embroidery Institute is nestled in the shadows of the, as yet uncompleted, Ryugyong Hotel. While it can trace its roots back to early in the 20th century and the Japanese occupation of Korea it has only been at its current location since 1978.
What made the Institute special or different was that I could not come up with any evidence of Kim Il-sung, or his successors, offering any on-the-spot guidance to the ladies in their embroidery endeavours. That said, the Great Leader did visit the Institute and pictures on the wall testify to this. Have I identified a gap in the knowledge of the omnipotent Great Leader ? Not necessarily so – on-the spot-guidance for the Institute was provided by his first wife, Kim Jong-suk. Madam Kim, the ‘Revolutionary Mother of the DPRK’ visited the Institute many times prior to her premature death, aged 29, in 1949 from ‘the hardships she had endured during the years as a guerrilla fighter’.
We were told that around 70 ladies currently work in the Institute and were able to see a number of ladies at work.
Their work was exquisite so it was no surprise to learn that they have produced many internationally award winning pieces. Not surprisingly, many of the works have a revolutionary theme and/or depict beautiful Korean maidens (perhaps in the image or memory of Kim Jong-suk?).
In addition to these works the gentler side of the artists is displayed in less politically motivated work.
As well as being able to visit the workshops we were also able to see a significant collection of finished works in an onsite shop.
A lot of very beautiful work on display here and I am certainly glad a stop here was included on our tour.
This blog entry is one of a group (loop) of entries on my trip to Pyongyang. I suggest you continue with my next entry – Grand People’s Study House (Part 1) – or to start the loop at the beginning go to – Pyongyang – A Capital City Unlike any Other
The Rambling Wombat 