Photographs 1975-2012. The extensive exhibition features 6 series comprising a total of 124 works, beginning with the most recent photographs from the ongoing series East of Eden to diCorcia's earliest works. In his photos, seemingly realistic images that are taken with an ostensibly documentary eye are undermined by their highly elaborate orchestration.
curator Katharina Dohm
Beginning June 20, 2013, the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt is hosting the first European
retrospective of the oeuvre of US photographer Philip-Lorca diCorcia. Born in 1951, diCorcia is
one of the most important and influential contemporary photographers. His images oscillate
between everyday elements and arrangements that are staged down to the smallest detail. In his
works, seemingly realistic images that are taken with an ostensibly documentary eye are
undermined by their highly elaborate orchestration. One of the primary issues that diCorcia
addresses is the question of whether it is possible to depict reality, and this is what links his
photographs, most of which he creates as series. For Hustlers (1990–1992), for example, he took
pictures of male prostitutes in meticulously staged settings, while in what is probably most famous
series, Heads (2000–2001), he captured an instant in the everyday life of unsuspecting passers-
by. Alongside the series Streetwork (1993–1999), Lucky 13 (2004) and A Storybook Life (1975–
1999), the exhibition at the Schirn, which was organized in close collaboration with the artist, will
also present works from his new and ongoing East of Eden project for the first time.
Max Hollein, director of the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt: “Philip-Lorca diCorcia is one of the
absolute stars on the American photography scene. We are proud to be able to present his works
to a German public for the first time in this scope and intensity. DiCorcia’s images stand out due to
their iconographic visual quality, which lends the medium of photography its very own relevance.”
“Philip-Lorca diCorcia’s photographs alternate between snapshots and compositions with virtually
baroque theatrics,” remarks Katharina Dohm, curator of the exhibition. “He communicates a
fundamental picture of the human figure that becomes a direct experience for the viewer. The
assembly of works at the Schirn provides the unique opportunity of immersing oneself in the
mysterious worlds of this important contemporary artist and becoming familiar with his eye for
social realities.”
Philip-Lorca diCorcia was born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1951. He studied at the School of the
Museum of Fine Arts in Boston from 1972 to 1975 before receiving his Master of Fine Arts in
photography from Yale University in 1979. The photographer is considered to be one of the most
important American artists of his generation. In 1993, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New
York mounted the first solo exhibition of diCorcia’s works. This was followed by mostly solo shows
focusing on individual series, including important exhibitions at the Institute for Contemporary Art in
Boston in 2007 and at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2008. In Europe, only samples
from diCorcia’s series had been presented up to that point in solo or group shows.
The extensive exhibition features 6 series comprising a total of 124 works, beginning with the most
recent photographs from the ongoing series East of Eden to diCorcia’s earliest works from 1975.
The exhibition Philip-Lorca diCorcia, which was developed by the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, will
subsequently be presented at the De Pont museum voor hedendaagse kunst in Tilburg, the
Netherlands (October 5, 2013–January 19, 2014).
CATALOGUE: Philip-Lorca diCorcia. Edited by Katharina Dohm and Max Hollein. Foreword by
Max Hollein and Hendrick Driessen, introduction by Katharina Dohm, essay by Geoff Dyer, as well
as Christoph Ribbat in conversation with the artist. English/German, 208 pages, 124 illustrations,
29 × 21 cm, graphic design: box studios, New York; Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld 2013, ISBN 978-3-
86678-835-0, price: €29.80 (museum edition), ca. €40.00 (trade edition).
SPONSORED BY: BNY Mellon and the museum cooperation pool of the City of Frankfurt. MEDA PARTNER: Interview Magazine Germany.
Image: Wellfleet, 1993 © Courtesy of the artist und David Zwirner, New York/London
Press Contact:
Axel Braun (Director Press/PR), Markus Farr (Press Spokesman), Simone Krämer (Press Aide), Lara Schuh (Trainee) tel: (+49-69) 299882-148, fax: (+49-69) 299882-240, email: presse@schirn.de
Preview for the press: Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 11:00 a.m.
Opening: June 19, 2013, 7:00 p.m.
Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt
Römerberg, D-60311 Frankfurt
Hours: Tuesday, Friday–Sunday 10am–7pm, Wednesday–Thursday 10am–10pm
Admission: €8.00, reduced €6.00, family ticket €16.00; combination ticket with the
exhibition Glam €15.00, reduced €11.00; children under the age of eight admitted free of charge.
GUIDED TOURS FOR THE PUBLIC: Wed 7:00 p.m., Thu 8:00 p.m., Sat 3:00 p.m., Sun 5:00 p.m.