Karl Gernot Kuehn's 1997 book analyzes GDR photography under political pressure

In 1997, University of California Press published Karl Gernot Kuehn's book, 'Caught. The Art of Photography in the German Democratic Republic,' which explores 45 years of photography in East Germany. Kuehn charts the transition from early socialist ideals to the regime's downfall, emphasizing a growing focus on individual expression. Initially, photographers backed the state, but disillusionment set in as it became increasingly oppressive. Works like Evelyn Richter's 'On the Linotype' illustrate the tensions of the early 1960s in portraying industrial labor. The analysis also includes Arno Fischer, Richter's peer at Leipzig's Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst. The 1970s and 1980s introduced themes such as feminism and generational strife, with contributions from Wolfgang Gregor, Karin Wieckhorst, and Renate Zeun. Kuehn sometimes emphasizes political divergence over a thorough narrative, missing aspects like the Bitterfeld Path, a 1959 decree promoting exchanges between workers and artists. The book wraps up by discussing the post-reunification endeavors of former GDR photographers, revealing connections to Stasi. Judith Schwentner provided a review for ARTMargins Online in 1999.