There’s not much we know about this country, and no surprises why – North Korea is one of the most closed-off dictatorships in the world. Photographer Stephan Gladieu travelled there five times to take a series of portraits. Duly authorised to enter this nation of absolute control, accompanied everywhere he went, he recreated a framework for freedom with his mobile photography studio, playing with backgrounds and the codes of propaganda. In front of the camera, the North Koreans look at us, just as we observe them. But what do they see in us and what do we really perceive of them?

Through these carefully staged encounters, the exhibition reflects on the complex relationship between image, identity, and political representation. Gladieu’s portraits move beyond documentary photography, revealing the tension between individuality and the collective narratives imposed by the state. Each photograph becomes a space of quiet exchange, inviting viewers to question the assumptions they bring to these unfamiliar faces and the realities they represent.

By confronting stereotypes and challenging conventional ways of seeing, the exhibition offers a rare glimpse into a society that remains largely inaccessible to the outside world. Rather than claiming to reveal the "truth" about North Korea, Gladieu’s work encourages reflection on the limits of perception itself, highlighting photography’s ability to open dialogue while acknowledging the distance that continues to separate observer and subject.