Paper trail

A Dutch photographer spent five years capturing life in government offices, across eight countries on five continents. There are glimpses from Siberia, Patna, parts of the US. In Liberia, there was such poverty, employees had to bring in their own desks. There's a lot hidden in each frame, Jan Banning says

- Madhusree Ghosh

an Banning, 71, has a new photobook out, his 16th, titled Bureaucratics Revisited.

The Dutch photographer's previous works have ranged, in theme, from war crimes, sex crimes and the aftermaths of genocide to effects of World War 2. This one picks up where his sixth book, Bureaucratics (2008; co-authored with journalist and writer Will Tinnemans), left off, capturing stirring portraits of bureaucracy in eight countries across five continents: Bolivia, China, France, India, Liberia, Russia, the US and Yemen.

The book and its sequel offer a dramatic take on how governments present themselves to citizens. Shot over five years, from 2003 to 2007, his subjects range from chief secretaries in ornate offices to lowly clerks with just a makeshift desk to their names.

“My experience in India is something I will never forget,” he says.

Excerpts from an interview.

Why revisit Bureaucratics?

Civil service offices are places where the government presents itself to its citizens, using symbols and paraphernalia to showcase their power. At the same time, these offices are a kind of communal living space for those who spend a significant portion of their time there —whether working or not. This reflects in some of the personalised backdrops.