Allan Sekula. Performance Under Working Conditions

The art works and writings of Allan Sekula (1951 Erie, PA, US–2013 Los Angeles, CA, US) are widely discussed in the field of contemporary art and photography. In his combination of photography and text, he explores the issue of documentary forms, which particularly now is of great relevance. In addition, his works make controversial contributions to current debates on economic, social, and cultural globalization. Only when these two aspects are viewed together do the themes dealt with by Allan Sekula fully disclose themselves.

This publication, produced for a retrospective of Allan Sekula at the Generali Foundation in Vienna (16 May–17 August 2003), gives an overview ranging from the early performances and actions carried out in the context of the anti-Vietnam War movement, to works focusing on working worlds, to his most recent works dealing with international shipping. Particular attention is paid to an aspect of Sekula’s oeuvre that is often underestimated: his interest in the theatrical, which acts as a counterbalance to the documentary side of his work and brings in other elements of humor and subtle irony. Many of Sekula’s texts are presented here for the first time in German translation.