Allan Sekula (American, b. 1951) Conclusion of Search for the Disable and Drifting Sailboat 'Happy Ending', 1993 Digital pigment print tryptic, printed 2003 65-1/2 x 33 inches (166.4 x 83.8 cm) (image) LITERATURE: Allan Sekula, Fish Story, Richter Verlag, 2002, p. 63. This lot is accompanied by an additional plaque that states quotes and backstory on the ship. Allan Sekula’s Fish Story (1989–1995) challenges romanticized portrayals of the sea, revealing it as a central yet overlooked space in global capitalism. Through photography and essays, he documents industrial ports, container ships, and shipbreaking yards, exposing the hidden labor and exploitation behind global trade. While the internet enables instant communication, material goods still cross oceans on vast container ships, handled by underpaid, often invisible workers. Sekula reinvents the photo essay, rejecting sentimental narratives in favor of a critical, multi-layered approach. His triptych of a container ship crew rescuing a drifting sailboat evokes maritime paintings yet subverts their heroism, highlighting contemporary labor. As climate change, supply chain crises, and migrant crossings turn the sea into a battleground of economic and humanitarian struggles, Fish Story remains as urgent as ever. HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice