Chapter III – Corporate Walls

NEW YORK, World Economic Forum WEF, February 2002

At first, it was unclear whether the World Economic Forum would even take place in 2002. In 2001, the protesters were held up and, on their way to Davos, turned back in Landquart. They had to return to Zurich where they started a massive riot. An analysis of security issues, outlining new strategies in dealing with the anti–globalization movement, was commissioned from a renowned Swiss consulting firm.

Shortly after 9/11, Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum, announced that the WEF 2002 would take place in New York as a sign of solidarity with the city’s plight. A rather hysteric atmosphere was to be expected since this was the first large–scale event with the participation of international leaders after 9/11. Astonishingly, quite the contrary was the case.

The congress took place at the Waldorf Astoria on Park Avenue, near Grand Central Station. Beyond one or two blocks off the Waldorf Astoria, hardly any security measures were evident. Only a small area was cordoned off. There was a large number of policemen on the street, yet they did not show off a provocative display of weapons. In fact, they looked more like traffic police. The skyscrapers surrounding the Waldorf (Zone A) were a high–security zone impossible to enter for outsiders. They were literally turned into the walls of a fortress, which made a further expansion of the prohibited area unnecessary. Images taken from above were consequently impossible, since they were not deemed desirable by the organizers of the event (WEF, NYPD, and the “global players” residing in the surrounding skyscrapers: UBS, CSFB, Citibank, etc.). Instead, the series Corporate Guards came about. It contains images of the points of entrance to the security structure. From the outside, I took pictures of corporate lobbies replete with the security personnel hired for the occasion.

In order to gain access to Zone B surrounding the hotel I needed a permit. With a considerable amount of diplomatic maneuvering, persistence, and ultimately good luck, I was the only photographer permitted access to Zone B with a participant’s badge, which was not charged with the electronic access code. This did not matter, since I did not want to enter the hotel. In the zone surrounding the hotel, however, I was considered a participant. This illustrates to what degree images are a question of organization these days. The “decisive moment” often takes place ahead of the actual event.