Donald N. Clark: Art and Politics in North Korea
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A longtime observer of North Korea and an expert on its turbulent modern history, Donald N. Clark contrasts the country's officially-sanctioned "socialist realist" architecture with a native tradition of art that is much more emotional and human. Based on his years of research, Clark brings insights into the values of North Korea's people that add complexity to the shopworn conceit of the “hermit nation.”
Donald N. Clark is Murchison Professor of History at Trinity University in San Antonio. He is a specialist in Korean affairs, drawing on experience that began with his childhood in Seoul, growing up the son of Presbyterian missionaries, and continued during a stint in the Peace Corps in the 1960s. Clark received his graduate training at Harvard University, where he received his Ph.D. in 1978, the year he joined the Trinity faculty. During his career he has spent much time in Korea as a Fulbright scholar and consultant on many projects, including advisory work in North Korea with an NGO that specializes in public health. His most recent book is Korea in World History, published this year.