What is the state and who represents it? This is the main topic in Der Eid |The Oath, Jörg Gläscher’s comprehensive visual investigation from eleven countries on four continents.
Publisher: Hartmann Books 2021
“I swear.” In almost every country, public servants are sworn in using this expression. It remains an ongoing task to uphold this sworn allegiance to uphold the Constitution and to check to what extent citizens can rely on the legal framework established that way. The free press and the arts serve as the fourth estate that helps to accomplish this task.
But what exactly is “the state”? A possible answer would be to say that it’s the citizens. Another one would be to point to public servants. If one takes “the state” as a form of organization it turns into a theoretical construct. In democracies, the separation of powers forms one of their central tenets. Legislative, executive, and judicial branches are strictly separated. They have to act independently from each other. That way, they ensure a balanced power structure, in which the three branches hold each other in check. How can one make a picture of this abstract democratic concept? Is there a way to visualize the separation of powers? Jörg Gläscher’s long-term project “The Oath” demonstrates in an impressive fashion that photography is capable of doing just that.
His photographs of and about mayors, judges, police officers, and citizens provides a reality check of the state of this world’s democracies that are finding themselves under increasing pressure.
Publisher’s Info
Book Specs: Der Eid | The Oath by Jörg Gläscher published by Hartmann Books 2021 | Text by Sonja Zekri | Design: Florian Lamm, Berlin | 24 × 30 cm | 208 pages, 115 illustrations | Hardcover with foil-stamping | ISBN 978-3-96070-076-0. Available here.
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Jörg Gläscher is a german photographer, working in the field of documentary photography and photojournalism. His is working on long term photographic project on social and political issues.
By that, he covered topics as the aftermath in Bosnia Herzegovina (Antifragil), the change of the german military forces (death comes later, maybe), the lutheran faith in europe (Lutherland) and the essential of violent division in democratic governments worldwide (state of state).
His work is widely published and exhibited and through his editorial assignments and personal projects he published 5 books.
Artist: https://glaescher.de/home
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