Images as Witnesses: Investigative Aesthetics in Forensic Architecture and Contemporary Art

Investigative strategies have become a defining method in politically engaged contemporary art. When addressing state crimes, systemic violence, or institutional injustice, artists increasingly adopt research-driven approaches that draw on legal, journalistic, and forensic practices. This methodological shift brings with it a distinct visual language—one that aims not only to represent but to substantiate, to make truth both visible and verifiable.

In “Bilder als Zeugen” (Images as Witnesses), Maria Sitte analyzes this development through the work of Forensic Architecture, a research collective known for its spatial investigations into human rights violations. Focusing on three films that reconstruct acts of racist police violence, the book explores how concepts such as credibility, traceability, and conviction are translated into visual form. These films do not simply document—they argue, and they make claims.

Sitte’s study moves beyond a single case to map a broader terrain of investigative aesthetics. In dialogue with works by Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Susan Schuppli, and Mario Pfeifer, she identifies contrasting approaches to visual testimony, each navigating the complex terrain between documentation, activism, and artistic form.

Rather than idealizing forensic images as neutral evidence, the book offers a critical perspective on their construction and reception. It situates the works within institutional, aesthetic, and political contexts, examining how meaning is shaped not only by what is shown but by how—and where—it is shown.

Sittes book, published in German, contributes to visual culture studies, art theory, and media forensics by offering a differentiated analysis of how visual practices operate as tools of witnessing. It highlights both the potential and the tensions inherent in turning images into sites of political engagement.