Exploring the Mundanity and Absurdity of Corporate Offices Through Lars Tunbjörk’s Photography

Lars Tunbjörk’s iconic photobook, Office / LA Office, recently reissued in an expanded edition by Loose Joints, offers a darkly humorous and critical look at corporate office life. Capturing offices in Stockholm, Tokyo, New York, and Los Angeles, Tunbjörk documents the dreariness, chaos, and stress of modern work environments in the 2000s. His images highlight drab officewear, uncomfortable furniture, tangled technology, and the countless empty chairs that reflect the psychological toll of so-called 'bullshit jobs,' a concept elaborated by anthropologist David Graeber in the book’s essay. Two decades later, these photographs resonate even more profoundly post-COVID, as remote and hybrid work have transformed office spaces into almost historical artifacts. The physicality and absurdity of office life—the strict architecture, clumsy bodies, and endless paperwork—remain visible in Tunbjörk’s work, contrasting sharply with today’s digitalized and ergonomically optimized workplaces. By presenting ordinary offices as alien yet familiar, Tunbjörk invites viewers to reflect on the meaning, futility, and subtle humor in everyday work. Office / LA Office stands as a timeless critique of corporate culture and a visual exploration of human labor in the modern age.