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The clash between America's idealized self-image—the American Dream—and its current reality was explored in the 1969 Magnum Photos book America in Crisis. Revisiting the project, the 2022 exhibition at Saatchi Gallery continues to examine the same tensions today. The work highlights how many social, political, and cultural issues from the past persist, challenging the myth of American exceptionalism through both eras.
In close collaboration with curators Sophie Wright, Gregory Harris, and Tara Pixley, we developed the concept for the exhibition. In this, the key goal was to juxtapose America in 1969 and today, mixing historical and contemporary images. Featuring over 120 works by 40 Magnum photographers, it explores issues like racial inequality, gun control, the digital revolution, and the climate crisis, showing how America’s current struggles are deeply rooted in its past.
The graphic layer is a contemporary interpretation of the original book and exhibition. The bold and outspoken typography within the title of the 1969-book became the connecting agent of all exhibition elements and was reinterpreted for the overarching exhibitions visual identity.
The original 1969 exhibition also featured “The Picture Bandit”, an interactive installation critiquing media-driven image consumption. The 2022 exhibition continues this theme with an immersive installation. Visitors trigger curated image selections, prompting reflection on modern image consumption and how we interpret images amidst the overwhelming visual content in daily life.
“Honest & thought-provoking imagery from those who are actually embedded in the stories.”
– Port Magazine
“This absorbing exhibition leaves you stupefied by the crisis that’s beginning.”
– The Guardian
