The world according to roger Ballen

It’s the margins of society and the darker side of the human spirit that have always fascinated the world-famous photographer and artist Roger Ballen (an American who lives and works in the South African city of Johannesburg). Ballen came to international notice in 1994 with his black-and-white photo series Platteland. The images showed the grim reality of life for poor white South Africans, a group living in wretched conditions despite all their privileges during the Apartheid era.  In the course of his career, Ballen has turned to making installations, in which he mingles the macabre reality with stage sets and props. People, dolls, rats and reptiles feature against a background of drawings of primitive figures. This distinctive ‘Ballenesque style’ enables him to create his own universe and has made Ballen a cult figure, especially among the young. This retrospective invites you to explore the psyche of Roger Ballen and leaves you wondering just what is real.