© Dieter Hacker ; photo © ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, photo: Felix Grünschloss
- Artist/s
- Dieter Hacker
- Title
- Alle Macht den Amateuren
- Year
- 1978
- Category
- Installation
- Material / Technique
- installation; approx. 10.000 color and b/w photographs, 11 wooden shelves (photographs, acrylic glas, wood)
- Dimensions / Duration
- installation dimensions variable
- Collection
- ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe
- Description
- "A lot of people take pictures. But we don't see their photos in museums and galleries, their photos are not printed in professional magazines, and news agencies don't distribute people's photos around the world. What some professionals photograph becomes public and gains power, what millions of amateurs photograph remains a secret. What is seen in masses and discovered individually remains hidden from social perception and criticism. The real world exhibition of photography would show all the pictures stored in drawers, boxes and albums.
The professional is always the the one preserving the social status quo, the amateur the latent threat, which must be defused by abundant consumer offers.
The professional is always at your service. But not at everyone’s service. A characteristic product of our company itself, he puts his capabilities at the disposal of the part of the society that sets the standards. That's where he finds the money and the recognition.
The amateur loves his job. This relationship to his work has many consequences for him. Because our society does not reward what we love, but what we do for its continued existence.“
– Dieter Hacker, 1978