Allan Sekula

I've just spent a bit of time doing a Google image search for Allan Sekula and have come across his work Photography against the grain. Again, I am unable to actually purchase a copy of this book but was lucky enough to find a copy available to view online, available here.

I haven't read through the essays, I didn't feel it relevant at this present time, but I did have a look through his works Aerospace Folktakes and School is a Factory. Both these works have sequences of photographs with accompanying text. What I like about Aerospace Folktales were the fact that the adjoining commentary was short and to the point. They seem to be making a small but relevant point as to why the photograph is included or what relevance the subject has. The photographs are accompanied by a commentary as two interviews with the engineer and the wife. The engineer spoke of work, the economy and how it affects ability to get work, whereas the wife spoke of the work and economy and how it affected her family. The commentary focuses on skills as an art form. It would be interesting to see this exhibition as it was. The introduction states that the original version included "142 prints and titles grouped into subordinate narrative sequences." The sound track that accompanied the prints "consisted of four conversations" that played for seventy-five minutes continuously in a small room next to the main exhibition and the commentary was displayed at the end of the exhibition.

Looking to my own project, I would have far too much text to be able to display it all alongside the photographs. It would need to be alongside to correspond with the photographs of that particular day. I'm not sure how the best way to exhibit this would be in that scenario. Hence why a book might've been better in the long run or an online blog as suggested by my tutor. I will definitely have to have a good think about it. 

School is a Factory is also a works based around photographs with accompanying text. The photographs appear to show people at work or in training and the text then confirms who the subjects are and what they are doing. The text also gives some context surrounding the subjects, like the reasons these people undertake this type of training and if and where the training will lead them when they are fully qualified. Here the text is informative and gives background information to, not only the subjects in the photographs but also to the norm for the types of training being undertaken and where the subject may or may not go following their training. The text accompanies it's image yet really informs you of the political view Sekula wants to get across. But all the images are of real events. They are real people in real jobs/training. And we get a good visual that what we are seeing actually took place. 

References:
Sekula, A., (1984), Photography against the grain: Essays and photo works 1973 - 1983 [Online], Available at: https://ia600303.us.archive.org/18/items/AllanSekulaPhotographyAgainstTheGrainEssaysAndPhotoWorks1973-1983/Allan%20Sekula%20-%20Photography%20Against%20the%20Grain%20Essays%20and%20Photo%20Works%201973%E2%80%931983.pdf, [Accessed May 10th 2017]
Sekula, A., (1978-80), School is a Factory [Online], Available at: https://monoskop.org/images/4/4d/Sekula_Allan_School_is_a_Factory_1978-80.pdf, [Accessed May 10th 2017]