Interviewed by legendary French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard and Anne-Marie Miéville for the documentary Marcel, a factory worker and amateur photographer compared his day job and his hobby and described developing his prints in the Swiss countryside as “the production line of happiness”. It’s a phrase that resonates with photographer Christopher Williams so strongly that he chose it as the title of a retrospective looking back at his 35-year career currently being held at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
Williams, presently professor of photography at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, is concerned with the process of image production as well as subject matter and purpose. The production line quote speaks to the American’s interest in photography as a tool in post-war consumerism, both as a medium and as an object to be consumed itself. The exhibition is also an installation, and as with all his shows, Williams has carefully considered the modes of display with the curators, recreating or harvesting past walls from this and other galleries and institutions to preserve the link between photograph and architectural environment. The event includes a screening programme of his rarely-seen Super-8 works. Christopher Williams: The Production Line of Happiness concludes on 2 November.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS (American, born 1956)
Kodak Three Point Reflection Guide © 1968,
Eastman Kodak Company, 1968 (Meiko laughing)
Vancouver, B.C.
April 6, 2005
2005
Chromogenic color print
Paper: 20 x 24″ (50.8 x 61 cm); framed: 34 x 37 3/4″ (86.4 x 95.9 cm) Glenstone
Installation view
Courtesy, MoMA New York
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS (American, born 1956)
Cutaway model Nikon EM. Shutter:
Electronically governed Seiko metal blade shutter vertical travel with speeds
from 1/1000 to 1 second with a manual speed of 1/90th.
Meter: Center-weighted Silicon Photo Diode,
ASA 25-1600
EV2-18 (with ASA film and 1.8 lens)
Aperture Priority automatic exposure
Lens Mount: Nikon F mount, AI coupling
(and later) only
Flash: Synchronization at 1/90 via hot shoe
Flash automation with Nikon SB-E or SB-10 flash units
Focusing: K type focusing screen, not user interchangeable,
with 3mm diagonal split image rangefinder
Batteries: Two PX-76 or equivalent
Dimensions: 5.3 × 3.38 × 2.13 in.
(135 × 86 × 54 mm), 16.2 oz (460g)
Photography by the Douglas M. Parker Studio, Glendale, California
September 9, 2007–September 13, 2007
2008
Chromogenic color print
Paper: 20 x 24″ (50.8 x 61 cm), framed: 29 15/16 x 37 3/16″ (76 x 94.5 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Acquired through the generosity of Helen Kornblum in honor of Roxana Marcoci
and Committee on Photography Fund
Installation view
Courtesy, MoMA New York
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS (American, born 1956)
TecTake Luxus Strandkorb grau/weiß Model no.: 400636
Material: wood/plastic
Dimensions (height/width/depth): 154 cm × 116 cm × 77 cm
Weight: 49 kg
Manufactured by Ningbo Jin Mao Import & Export Co., Ltd, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
for TecTake GmbH, Igersheim, Germany
Model: Zimra Geurts, Playboy Netherlands Playmate of the Year 2012
Studio Rhein Verlag, Düsseldorf
February 1, 2013
(Zimra stretching)
2013
Gelatin silver print
Paper: 19 7/8 × 23 3/4″ (50.5 × 60.3 cm); framed: 37 3/8 × 33 7/8″ (94.9 × 86 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Committee on Photography Fund
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS (American, born 1956)
Untitled (Study in Yellow and Green/East Berlin)
Studio Thomas Borho, Oberkasseler Str. 39, Düsseldorf, Germany July 7, 2012
2012
Pigmented inkjet print
Paper: 16 x 20″ (40.6 x 50.8 cm); framed: 30 1/4 x 33 1/2″ (76.8 x 85.1 cm)
Katherine and Keith L. Sachs
Installation view
Courtesy, MoMA New York
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS (American, born 1956)
Mustafa Kinte (Gambia)
Camera: Makina 67 506347
Plaubel Feinmechanik und Optik GmbH Borsigallee 37
60388 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Shirt: Van Laack Shirt Kent 64
41061 Mönchengladbach, Germany Dirk Schaper Studio, Berlin
July 20, 2007
2008
Gelatin silver print
Paper: 20 x 16″ (50.8 x 40.6 cm); framed: 33 3/4 x 29 1/4″ (85.7 x 74.3 cm)
The Art Institute of Chicago, restricted gift of Artworkers Retirement Society, 2013.1097
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS (American, born 1956)
Model: 1964 Renault Dauphine-Four, R-1095
Body Type & Seating: 4-dr-sedan–4 to 5 persons
Engine Type: 14/52 Weight: 1397 lbs.
Price: $1,495.00 USD (original)
ENGINE DATA:
Base Four: inline, overhead-valve four-cylinder
Cast iron block and aluminum head.
W/removable cylinder sleeves.
Displacement : 51.5 cu. in. (845 oc.)
Bore and Stroke: 2.23 × 3.14 in. (58 × 80 mm)
Compression ratio: 7.25:1 Brake Horsepower: 32 (SAE) at 4200 rpm
Torque: 50 lbs. at 2000 rpm. Three main bearings. Solid valve lifters.
Single downdraft carburetor
CHASSIS DATA:
Wheelbase 89 in. Overall length, 155 in. Height: 57 in.
Width: 60 in. Front thread: 49 in. Rear thread: 48 in.
Standard Tires: 5.50 × 15 TECHNICAL:
Layout: rear engine, rear drive.
Transmission: four speed manual
Steering: rack and pinion. Suspension (front): independent coil springs.
Suspension (back): independent with swing axles and coil springs.
Brakes: front/rear disc. Body construction: steel unibody.
PRODUCTION DATA:
Sales 18,432 sold in U.S. in 1964 (all types)
Manufacturer: Régie Nationale des Usines Renault; Billancourt, France
Distributor: Renault Inc., New York, N.Y., U.S.A.
Serial number: R-10950059799
Engine Number: Type 670-05 # 191563
California License Plate number: UOU 087
Vehicle ID number: 0059799 (For R.R.V.)
Los Angeles, California
January 15, 2000 (No. 6)
2000
Gelatin silver print
Paper: 11 x 14″ (28 x 35.6 cm); framed: 26 × 30″ (66 × 76.2 cm)
The Art Institute of Chicago, Emilie L. Wild Fund, 2004.21
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS (American, born 1956)
Fachhochschule Aachen
Fachbereich Gestaltung
Studiengang: Visuelle Kommunikation Fotolabor für Studenten
Boxgraben 100, Aachen November 8, 2010
2010
Pigmented inkjet print
Paper: 24 x 20″ (61 x 50.8 cm); framed: 38 1/4 x 33″ (97.2 x 83.8 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Committee on Photography Fund
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS (American, born 1956)
RITTERSPORT
Von oben nach unten/from top to bottom
100g Tafeln/100 g Bars
Offizieller Produktname/Official Product Name/Ean Code Bar/
UPC Code for Case/Bars per Case
Voll Nuss/ WholeHazelnuts/4000417019004/
050255013005/10
Joghurt/Yogurt/4004170270 09/ 0525502700/12
Voll Erdnuss/4000417266202/…/10
Weisse Voll Nuss/ White Whole Hazelnuts/4000417013002/ 050255013003/10 Marzipan/Marzipan/40041725005/050255025006/12
Cappucino/Cappuccino/40004172300 03/0550255230042/12
Fotostudio Axel Gnad, Düsseldorf
October 21, 2008 (No. 1)
2009
Pigmented inkjet print
Paper: 20 x 24″ (50.8 x 61 cm); framed: 33 5/8 x 37 1/8″ (85.4 x 94.3 cm)
Collection of Liz and Eric Lefkofsky
