Koen Wessing's Chile, September 1973 documents the immediate aftermath of the military coup that deposed Chilean President Salvador Allende. Wessing’s work captures the intensity of political violence in the streets of Santiago, making it a defining document of the period. At the time, Wessing, a Dutch photographer with a growing reputation in social documentary photography, took considerable risks to capture these events, ensuring that the world saw the reality of General Augusto Pinochet’s rise to power.
The coup marked a turning point in Chilean history, violently disrupting a period of social and political change driven by leftist movements and cultural democratization efforts. The repression that followed, characterized by mass arrests, executions, and censorship, is illustrated in Wessing’s photographs. His images convey the fear and defiance of civilians, the cold detachment of armed soldiers, and the unsettling emptiness of a city under military rule.
The project, devoid of captions or textual explanations, relies entirely on the raw power of imagery, presenting visual narratives that encourage viewers to construct meaning based on their own perspectives. Visually, Chile, September 1973 is defined by its stark black-and-white compositions, where contrast plays a crucial role in heightening visual tension. The quest for decisive moments creates a dynamic sequence, capturing key instances of violence, control, and silent resistance. One photograph shows civilians forced to erase pro-Allende slogans at gunpoint, while another portrays a lone figure walking past soldiers aiming rifles at an unseen target.
Technically, Wessing’s approach was both methodical and instinctive, driven by a deep understanding of the power of photographic storytelling. With limited film available, each shot was carefully chosen, emphasizing the urgency and weight of the situation.
First issued as a textless booklet by De Bezige Bij in October 1973, Chile, September 1973 has been repeatedly revisited—reprinted in Errata Editions’ Books on Books series (2010) and shown in major exhibitions, including Imágenes Indelebles / Indelible Images at Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral, Santiago (2011) and the retrospective Koen Wessing: The Indelible Image at Jeu de Paume–Château de Tours (2018–19). Selections have also been presented at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and the Nederlands Fotomuseum (which holds Wessing’s archive).
