Sekula beyond Sekula: Film by Susan Schuppli

Susan Schuppli
Trace Evidence, 2016. 52 minutes.

Trace Evidence is a film about the dispersion of nuclear material on a molecular level that remains long after it was secreted into the environment. It focuses on three specific events: the unearthing of nuclear reactors in Oklo, Gabon in 1972; the discovery of Chernobyl’s airborne contaminates in Sweden 1986; and the journey of the radioactive element Caesium-137 from Fukushima-Daiichi across the Pacific ocean to Vancouver. Trace Evidence is broken into three chapters – geological, meteorological and hydrological – and has a soundscape created by Philippe Ciompi The film overlays a combination of audio samples and interview clips from various experts discussing the condition, atop of footage gathered from these various sites. Schuppli interrogates the contemporary understanding of nuclear catastrophe and works to establish a cause and effect relationship between these events and environmental degradation, a correlation necessary for environmental justice to be attained.

Sekula beyond Sekula is a program of artists? films dedicated to the outstanding figure of Allan Sekula and his relation to the sea. It aims at bringing to light the extreme relevance of Sekula?s legacy by exploring how his interests and language have been transmitted, appropriated and further expanded by several generations of visual artists.

Sekula beyond Sekula presents an extensive series of recent films made by contemporary artists whose overall practice was informed by Allan Sekula?s thinking or who made particular works that meet, overlap, complicate and updates Sekula?s concerns and gaze.

Responding to the oceanic focus of the exhibition Allan Sekula: OKEANOS the film selection explores artistic approaches to the oceans and to the notion of liquidity. It presents a series of works that depict and critically analyse economical, social and geopolitical contexts that take place at the sea or that use water in a metaphorical, symbolical means to discuss neo-liberal economics, international trade and financial schemes within the context of late capitalism.