Staatsgeschenke / State Presents

Concept

-2010-

The photographic series Staatsgeschenke depicts a selection of official international state presents given to German chancellors over the last 60 years. These objects are now stored in showcases in a storage room in the chancellor’s office. For example, George W. Bush sent Chancellor Angela Merkel a selection of DVDs and CDs. And Vladimir Putin gave Chancellor Gerhard Schroder a luxurious set of chalices during the latter’s visit to Russia in 2003. Jankowski’s photographs naturally provoke a variety of interpretations: the gifts serve as symbols for the nature of the diplomatic relations between the two countries and the political representatives at a given time.

Photographs

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State present from Putin to Schroeder, 2003

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State present from Nasser to Merkel, 2006
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State present from Johnson to Erhard, 1963
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State present from Solomenzew to Schmidt, 1982
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State present from Hassan II to Erhard, 1965
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State present from Bigny and Mono to Kiesinger, 1967
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State present from Mandela to Kohl, 1996
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State present from Washington to Schmidt, 1977
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State present from Bush to Merkel, 2006
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State present from Kuwait 

22 photographs, fine art inkjet on baryt paper, each 24 x 30 cm, edition of 5, II