Occupy Facebook
When I went down to Zuccotti Park for the first time to cover the "Occupy Wall Street" movement, I noticed something: I missed the point in time where we all turned into reporters. Bizarre scenes played out in front of me - tourists with their camera phones standing in the middle of the street like Zombies, and middle aged women climbing on top of mailboxes in order to get the perfect shot.
I decided to work on the other side this time and face questions
from fellow photographers like: "What are you - taking pictures of
people taking pictures?" Yes indeed. And I think the result shows a new
side of the whole idea behind the movement and explains slogans like
#OWS or @occupy.
I wanted to document that unrecognized yet omnipresent aspect of
this political movement and hopefully spark some controversy among
supporters and opponents. Here is a short artist statement to accompany
the essay:
"The Occupy Wall Street movement will be the most documented public
event in the history of mankind. It has been covered from every side,
angle, Canon and camera phone. From hipster to hillbilly, there are as
many photographers as there are protesters. Society's need to make their
personal lives public has come to the edge of a parody. Most don't need
to know or care what the 'cause' is as long as they can 'tweet' they
were there. 'Let's go see the circus!'. If you can't figure it out, at
least you can take a picture home with you."
Photographed by Reto Sterchi in October/November 2011 in New York City
Published in 100eyes Magazine in December 2011
