India Bureau

2017

Default

100 x 100 cm
39 x 39.37 in

Year

2017

Reference

b13961c3

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About the work

The project Bureaucratics consists of a book and an exhibition with 70 photographs. It is a comparative photographic study of the culture, rituals and symbols of state civil administrations and the civil servants who work in them. Selected on the basis of political, historical and cultural elements, Banning chose eight countries on five continents: Bolivia, China, France, India, Liberia, Russia, the United States, and Yemen. In each country, Banning visited the offices of a vast range of members of the Executive in different services and at different levels. The visits were unannounced and the accompanying writer, Will Tinnemans, kept the employees from tidying up or clearing the office by interviewing them.

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About the Artist

Jan Banning

1954 , Netherlands

Jan Banning was born in the Netherlands to parents from the Dutch East Indies. He studied social and economic history. The influence of these elements can be seen both in his choice of subjects and his overall artistic approach. The subjects Banning investigates generally have a dominant social content such as the consequences of war, (governmental) power, justice and injustice. For his projects he collaborates with various research institutes, including the Max Planck Institute, and travels all over the world. His ability to convey intimacy results in exceptional portraits. Whilst “the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam is proud to have his series Traces of War and Comfort Women in its collection” (Wim Pijbes, General Director Rijksmuseum, 2008-2016), Bannings work has also been acquired by foreign museums such as the High Museum of Art, Atlanta and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Other works from the Artist

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Jan Banning

Bolivia Bureau

100 x 100cm

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About the Gallery

Galerie Fontana

Address

Amsterdam, Lauriergracht 11

Galerie Fontana reflects on the state of contemporary art today. The gallery seeks to show how the world appears and actually is, despite its, sometimes, sharp edges and dystopian character. When Fontana started in 2011 the focus was on photography, but today it embraces all art media. The key ingredient determining the choice is a strong personal connection...