Ballen is a supreme formalist, and like many formalists who insert human beings into their systems, the result is often described as dehumanising. Roger ballen has used the power of photography to instruct, to shock, and. The world according to roger ballen roger ballen photography. American photographer roger ballen has been living and photographing in south africa since the late 1970s. His oeuvre, which spans five decades, began with the documentary. He was kind enough to agree to an extensive interview last month, and is also allowing us to publish images from two forthcoming books. Working as a geologist, ballen began to photograph the homes and white residents of rural south africa before developing his more theatrical and expressive style in the late1990s. Platteland by roger ballen, 9780312141875, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. New book is a road map through the life of photographer.
Ten questions for photographer roger ballen photography. Roger ballen interview a photo editora photo editor. Roger ballen in conversation with robert cook roger ballen. American photographer roger ballen searches for his images on the fringes of society. O n tuesday, roger ballen, who was in britain for the opening of a retrospective show of his work at manchester gallery, gave a talk at rudolf steiner house in london. His photographs have caused international controversy and debate ever since his book, platteland, was published in the 1990s. Roger ballen has used the power of photography to instruct, to shock, and to discomfit with an. Platteland, by photographer roger ballen, was born of the profound irony that despite the political privilege apartheid had bestowed on whites, in the physical heart of the land there is. Roger ballen was born in new york in 1950, and has lived in johannesburg, south africa, for nearly thirty years.
Roger ballen the world according to roger ballen book. Images from rural south africa 9781874959175 by ballen, roger and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. German magazine spiegel has an excellent interview with photographer roger ballen, a blackandwhite film photographer for nearly 50 years who believes that hes part of the last generation. Images from rural south africa, 1994, outland 2000, shadow chamber 2005, and boarding house 2009. This is the edition by quartet books limited, london 1995 first published by. Roger ballen was born in new york in 1950 but for over 30 years he has lived and worked in south africa. Roger ballen author visit amazons roger ballen page. It includes a list of ballen s books, most important films on roger ballen. Published to coincide with roger ballen s first major french exhibition, opening on 7th september 2019 at the halle saint pierre, paris. Photo poche has published a book on the life work of roger ballen. Roger ballen photography in the st paul street gallery of the auckland university of technology new zealand.
His breakthrough book platteland meaning flatland in. The world according to roger ballen, coauthored with colin rhodes, looks at ballen s career in the wider cultural context beyond photography, including his. The gallery will offer a limited number of books by briggs and witkin who will attend the reception and be available to sign books. Roger ballen s outsider portraits in pictures welcome to the outland video sun 5 apr 2015 11. His strange and extreme works are often created to confront the audience and challenge them to join the artist on a journey into their own psyche as ballen discovers the deeper recesses of his own mind. Textured with time, these photographs reveal the essence of these places. This image, taken of twins dresie and casie in 1993, was included in his book platteland. Roger ballens lens a dark mirror the saturday paper. An artist reception and book signing will be held at 710pm, saturday, september 10 at the gallery. His work as a geologist took him out into the countryside and led him to take up his camera and. Four books on roger ballen when i had first seen roger ballen s work in the 2001 phaidon publication outland, i found the work to be cruel. Available for sale from david krut projects, roger ballen, the world according to roger ballen book 2019, hardback, signed by the artist, 30.
These are the most recent addition to the photographers everexpanding universe. When roger ballen graduated from high school in 1968, his parents gave him a nikon ftn camera. Roger ballen photographer roger ballen photography. Photographer roger ballens journey into the depths of the. Platteland is an altogether extraordinary book, the most impressive sequence of portraits ive seen in years.
For more than 30 years, the photographer roger ballen has been shooting portraits of the impoverished white population of rural south africa, of day labourers, security guards and workers who eek out a wretched existence in the socalled platteland. See more ideas about photography, black and white photography and beyond the mask. Ballen regularly shows his work in galleries around the world, and his photographs are included in the collections of the. In and out of the abyss mary ann lynch roger ballen. Roger ballen is often described as one of the most prolific photographic artists of the 21st century with his works spanning over 40 years. Born in new york, he worked as a geologist and mining consultant before starting his photographic career. We work with the worlds most influential artists, chefs, writers and thinkers to produce innovative books on art, photography, design, architecture, fashion, food and travel, and illustrated books. Discover book depositorys huge selection of roger ballen books online. His strange and extreme works are often created to confront the audience and challenge them to join the artist on a journey into their own psyche as ballen. Roger ballen proudly shows me photos that he took two weeks ago on his smartphone. Platteland was born of the profound irony that despite the political privilege apartheid had bestowed on whites. Roger ballen born 1950 is an american artist living in johannesburg, south africa, and working in its surrounds since the 1970s.
Roger ballen has produced a number of notable books including dorps, images from rural south africa 1994, outland 2000. His portraits of the poor in rural south africa did not just describe them impassively but recruited them into playing often disturbing roles within ballen. From 1982 to 1986, roger ballen, an american, travelled widely throughout south africa, visiting its scattered towns and villages. Best known for his probing, often challenging images that exist in a. Robert cook introduces the 2009 exhibition brutal, tender, human, animal. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. It is a profound honour to be included in this series. Platteland, images from rural south africa by ballen, roger and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Roger ballen photographed subjects in the south african countryside, searching for aesthetic symbols to convey a sense of the place and the people. Roger ballen is one of the most important and original art photographers working today. Since dorps was first published in 1986, roger ballen has produced a number of notable books, including platteland. The world according to roger ballen, coauthored with colin rhodes, looks at ballen s career in the wider cultural context beyond photography, including his connections with and collections of art brut view more.
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