Andreas Gursky's Amazon Photo Predicted Trump Presidency, Says Jerry Saltz
Art critic Jerry Saltz argues that Andreas Gursky's photograph 'Amazon' (2016) prefigured Donald Trump's election victory. In a Vulture article, Saltz describes the image as an 'algorithm made flesh,' depicting a vast Amazon warehouse in Seattle where goods are organized not by category but by algorithm. He notes a 'Donald Trump for President' mug visible in the lower part of the image, which he interprets as a prediction of Trump's voter base. Saltz contrasts this with Gursky's earlier work '99 Cent II' (2001), which he says foreshadowed the 9/11 attacks by portraying a shallow consumer society. The article was published in December 2016 on Artribune.
Key facts
- Jerry Saltz wrote about Gursky's 'Amazon' on Vulture.
- The photograph was taken one month before the 2016 US election.
- The image shows the interior of an Amazon warehouse in Seattle.
- A 'Donald Trump for President' mug appears in the lower part of the photo.
- Saltz says the algorithm-based arrangement of goods reveals Trump voters' identity.
- Gursky's '99 Cent II' (2001) is said to have predicted 9/11.
- Saltz compares 'Amazon' to land art by Robert Smithson and Ed Ruscha's buildings.
- The article was published on Artribune in December 2016.
Entities
Artists
- Andreas Gursky
- Jerry Saltz
- Robert Smithson
- Ed Ruscha
Institutions
- Vulture
- Artribune
- Amazon
Locations
- Seattle
- United States