Allan Sekula
Biography
Born in 1951 in Erie (Pennsylvania, USA) and died in Los Angeles (California, USA) in 2013.
American artist, writer and filmmaker, Allan Sekula is a leading exemplar of socially probing art, photographic and cultural practice. Starting his career with actions and performance art during the era of protests against the U.S. war in S.E. Asia, his work then turned in the early 70's, towards a practice of social documentary while always questioning the limits of photography's capacity for clear and reliable communication.
In his quest for a critical realism, Sekula sought to shed light on the profound ambiguity of current realities of social life, precariously balanced between objective conditions, hegemonic ideologies, and private fantasies. He focused mainly on showing the “performed” everyday life of all kinds of workers, spending his last years depicting the maritime culture of shipping and port labor as a forgotten space of late-capitalism.
Allan Sekula's work has been exhibited at Tapies Foundation (Barcelona), Beirut Art Center, MoMa (New York), Documenta Kassel, Whitney Biennial (New York), Sao Paulo Biennial, Taipei Biennial, Centre Pompidou (Paris), Whitney Museum (New York), Hirschhorn Museum (Washington DC), New Museum of Contemporary Art (New York), Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto), Winnipeg Art Gallery (Vancouver), The Barbican Centre (London), La Virreina - Centre de la Imatge (Barcelona), MACBA (Barcelona), Generali Foundation (Vienna), Foto Institute (Rotterdam), Akbank Sanat (Istanbul).
His work is part of prestigious collections as Centre Georges Pompidou (Paris), Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, CNAP - Centre National des Art Plastiques (Paris), FNAC – Fonds National d'Art Contemporain (Paris), IAC – Institut d'Art Contemporain (Villeurbane), MACBA (Barcelona), Museo de Arte Reina Sofia (Madrid), BPS22 - Collections de la Province du Hainaut (Charleroi), FRAC Grand Large - Hauts-de-France / Normandie Caen / Franche-Comté / Bretagne / Normandie Rouen, Fonds d'art contemporain - Paris Collections, MoMa (New York), Whitney Museum (New York), Tate Modern (London), Museum of Contemporary Art (Los Angeles), Stedelijk Museum, M HKA (Antwerp), Zacheta National Gallery of Art (Warsaw), Johann Jacobs Museum (Zürich), Generali Foundation (Vienna), TBA21 collection - Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary (Vienna), SFMOMA (San Francisco), Fotomuseum Winterthur, Wroclaw Contemporary Museum, MUSAC - Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León, Museum Folkwang (Essen), Ludwig Museum (Budapest), MCASD - Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, among others.
Selected works
Allan Sekula
Stodola music club. Warsaw, August 2009 , 2009
chromogenic print mounted on dibon, wooden frame, plexiglas
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
N° Inv. SEKU11110
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Allan Sekula
Blacksmith's work. Ochojno, Poland, July 2009 , 2009
archival inkjet print mounted on dibon, wooden frame, plexiglas
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
N° Inv. SEKU11098
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Allan Sekula
Blacksmith (hammering sickle). Ochojno, Poland, July 2009 , 2009
archival inkjet print mounted on dibon, wooden frame, plexiglas
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
N° Inv. SEKU11097
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Allan Sekula
Replica of door to blacksmith's shed, in situ (original in collection of Warsaw Ethnographic Museum). Ochojno, Poland, July 2009 , 2009
archival inkjet print mounted on Dibon, wooden frame, plexiglas
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
N° Inv. SEKU11096
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Allan Sekula
Eyes closed assembly line , 2008
cibachrome transparency in light box
99 x 145 x 12,7 cm (38.98 x 57.09 x 4.72 in)
unique artwork
N° Inv. SEKU19145
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Allan Sekula
Factory occupation. Chicago, December 2008 , 2008
chromogenic print, mounted on dibon, wooden frame, plexiglas
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
N° Inv. SEKU11111
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Allan Sekula
Travailler plus pour gagner plus , 2008
chromogenic print mounted on aluminum frame wood, Plexiglas
125 cm (49.21 in)
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
N° Inv. SEKU08037
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Allan Sekula
Detail from Stanislaw Batowski Pulaski at Savannah, 1932. Polish Museum of America, Chicago, August 2007 , 2007-2009
chromogenic print, mounted on Dibon, wooden frame, under plexiglas
122 x 122 cm (48.03 x 48.03 in)
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
N° Inv. SEKU11108
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Allan Sekula
Mother and child, , 2007-2009
Chromogenic print, mounted on Dibon, wooden Nielsen frame, under plexiglas
122 x 122 cm
Edition of 5
N° Inv. SEKU11094
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Allan Sekula
Radio Maryja. Poland, July 2009 , 2007 - 2009
Chromogenic print, mounted on Dibon, wooden Nielsen frame, under plexiglas
76 x 76 cm
Edition of 5
N° Inv. SEKU11109
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Allan Sekula
Disposal Pit, Lendo , 2002
cibachrome print mounted on aluminium, wooden frame, plexiglas
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
Collections : Musac, Leon, Spain ; Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary, Vienna, Austria ; private collection, USA
N° Inv. SEKU08040
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Allan Sekula
The road to Saché , 19999
cibachrome print mounted on aluminium, wooden frame, plexiglas
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
N° Inv. SEKU08010
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Allan Sekula
Goldsmiths, Istanbul , 1999
chromogenic print mounted on aluminum, wooden frame, plexiglas
28.7 x 103.9 in.
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
N° Inv. SEKU08043
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Allan Sekula
Portrait of Kaela Economou beaten by the Seattle Police, 2 December 1999 , 1999
cibachrome print mounted on aluminium, wooden frame, plexiglas
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
Collection: Mc Evoy Foundation, San Francisco, USA
N° Inv. SEKU08034
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Allan Sekula
Fisherman's hut, Saché , 1999
cibachrome print, mounted on aluminium, wooden frame, under plexiglas
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
N° Inv. SEKU08009
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Allan Sekula
Koreatown, Los Angeles , 1992
cibachrome print mounted on aluminium, wooden frame, plexiglas
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
Collection: Helga de Alvear foundation, Madrid, Spain / Private collection, USA
N° Inv. SEKU08008
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Allan Sekula
Cliffhanger (San Pedro, July 1975) , 1975
ensemble of 6 archival pigment prints, text, passe partout, wooden frame, plexiglas
25 cm (9.84 in)
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
Collection: Ludwig Museum, Cologne
N° Inv. SEKU77002
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Allan Sekula
Attempt to correlate social class with elevation above main harbor channel (San Pedro, July 1975) , 1975
ensemble of 6 archival pigment prints, passe partout, wooden frame, plexiglas
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
Collection: Kadist foundation, San Francisco / Private collection, USA
N° Inv. SEKU12123
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Allan Sekula
Red Squad (San Diego, 20 January 1973) , 1973
2 chromogenic prints on aluminium, wooden frames
Edition of 5 + 1 EA
N° Inv. SEKU08020
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Allan Sekula
Untitled Slide Sequence , 1972 / 2011
25 black and white photographs, wooden frames, plexiglas
51,9 cm (20.08 in)
Edition of 5 + 2 EA
Collection: Tate Modern, London, UK / MoMA, New York, USA; Instituto Cultural Inhotim, Brumadinho, Brazil; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands / MACSD, San Diego, USA / Ludwig museum, Cologne, Germany
N° Inv. SEKU11121
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Gallery exhibitions
Museum exhibitions
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA
Fundacio Antoni Tapies, Barcelona
Fundacio Antoni Tapies, Barcelona
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Fish Story Allan Sekula, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA, 2023
Fish Story Allan Sekula, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA, 2023
Fish Story Allan Sekula, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA, 2023
Fish Story Allan Sekula, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA, 2023
Fish Story Allan Sekula, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA, 2023
Fish Story Allan Sekula, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA, 2023
Allan Sekula. Collective Sisyphus, Fundacio Antoni Tapies, Barcelona, Spain, 2017
Allan Sekula. Collective Sisyphus, Fundacio Antoni Tapies, Barcelona, Spain, 2017
Allan Sekula: Photography at work, Beirut Art Center, Beirut, Lebanon, Turkey, 2017
Allan Sekula: Photography at work, Beirut Art Center, Beirut, Lebanon, Turkey, 2017
Allan Sekula: Aerospace Folktales and Other Stories, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, USA, 2017
Allan Sekula: Aerospace Folktales and Other Stories, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, USA, 2017
Soulèvements, Jeu de Paume, Paris, France, 2016
Scenes for a New Heritage: Contemporary Art from the Collection, MoMA, New York, Usa, 2015
Scenes for a New Heritage: Contemporary Art from the Collection, MoMA, New York, Usa, 2015
Lewis and Clark College, Reinventing Documentary: The Art of Allan Sekula, Hoffman Gallery, Portland, USA, 2015
Lewis and Clark College, Reinventing Documentary: The Art of Allan Sekula, Hoffman Gallery, Portland, USA, 2015
Centre Georges-Pompidou, Paris, France, 2014
Salon der Angst, Kunsthalle, Wien, Austria, 2013
Meditations on a Triptych, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2013
19 New Acquisitions in Photography, MOMA, New York, USA, 2013
19 New Acquisitions in Photography, MOMA, New York, USA, 2013
Allan Sekula: Disassembled Movies 1972 - 2012, cur. Ali Akay & Marie Muracciole, Akbank Art Center, Ali Akay, Istanbul, 2012
Allan Sekula: Disassembled Movies 1972 - 2012, cur. Ali Akay & Marie Muracciole, Akbank Art Center, Ali Akay, Istanbul, 2012
Critical Episodes (1957-2011), MACBA, Barcelona, Spain, 2012
Critical Episodes (1957-2011), MACBA, Barcelona, Spain, 2012
Critical Episodes (1957-2011), MACBA, Barcelona, Spain, 2012
Allan Sekula: The Dockers Museum, La Criée, Centre d'Art Contemporain, Rennes, France, 2012
This ain't China / Act VIII : Nether Land, cur. Monika Szewczyk, Dutch Culture center, Shanghai, China, 2011
Angry, Young and Radical, Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2011
Retrospective of Allan Sekula's films, Loop Festival, Centre de l'image, Palau de la Virreina, Barcelona, 2011
Retrospective of Allan Sekula's films, Loop Festival, Centre de l'image, Palau de la Virreina, Barcelona, 2011
Polonia and Other Fables, Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Germany, 2010
Polonia and Other Fables, Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Germany, 2010
Polonia and Other Fables, Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Germany, 2010
Act VIII : Nether Land, Dutch Culture center, Shanghai, 2010
Ship of Fools, Extra Muros : Allan Sekula, M_HKA, Antwerpen, Belgium, 2010
Ship of Fools, Extra Muros : Allan Sekula, M_HKA, Antwerpen, Belgium, 2010
Sao Paulo Biennial, Brazil, 2010
Sao Paulo Biennial, Brazil, 2010
Allan Sekula: Polonia and Other Fables, Zacheta Gallery, Warsaw, Poland, 2009
Allan Sekula: Polonia and Other Fables, Zacheta Gallery, Warsaw, Poland, 2009
Allan Sekula: Polonia and Other Fables, Renaissance Society, University of Chicago, USA, 2008
Documenta XII, Kassel, Germany, 2007
Documenta XII, Kassel, Germany, 2007
Performance under Working Conditions, Generali Foundation, Vienna, Austria, 2003
Performance under Working Conditions, Generali Foundation, Vienna, Austria, 2003
Performance under Working Conditions, Generali Foundation, Vienna, Austria, 2003
Documenta 11, Kassel, Germany, 2002
Documenta 11, Kassel, Germany, 2002
Videos
BOOK LAUNCH
Launch of Allan Sekula, Art Isn't Fair: Further Essays on the Traffic in Photographs and Related Media
EXHIBITION
Sally Stein on Allan Sekula's exhibition at Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, 2019
FOCUS WORK
Allan Sekula, Untitled Slide Sequence - par Pascal Beausse (VOSTeng)
INTERVIEW
"What Follows" Interview Series: Allan Sekula Clip
Press
MPR News
From sea to scene: Allan Sekula's 'Fish Story' at the Walker
2023
Artforum
The sea, the sea, Allan Sekula's Fish Story
2023
Art Basel
Remembering the ocean with Allan Sekula
2023
Art Forum
Allan Sekula
2021
Art Agenda
Allan Sekula
2017
L'Orient le Jour
Allan Sekula
2017
Colombus Dispatch
Allan Sekula
2017
Artforum
Allan Sekula
2017
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Publications
Art Isn't Fair
Publisher: MACK Books
2020
Photography Against the Grain
Publisher: MACK books
2019
Collective Sisyphus
Publisher: Fundacio Antoni Tàpies
2019
"Disassembled" Images: Allan Seckula and Contemporary Art
Publisher: Leuven University Press
2019
Fish Story Allan Sekula
Publisher: MACK book
2018
Écrits sur la photographie
Publisher: Beaux-Arts de Paris
2013
Disassembled Movies 1972-2012
Publisher: Akbank Art Center
2012
Polonia and Other Fables
Publisher: The Renaissance Society at The University of Chicago, Zacheta National Gallery of Art
2009
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