The Uncanny Lens / La Lente Inquietante is an exhibition aimed at showcasing the photographic works of two renowned artistic figures, Joel-Peter Witkin and Roger Ballen. Both artists are known for their distinctive and unconventional approaches to black-and-white photography, the human condition, the human psyche and the grotesque. The proposed exhibition seeks to encourage an […]
Les Douches la galerie : Roger Ballen : Enigma, The Eye of Photography
The best way to describe what is strange in my work is the word enigma. In short, I do not have a lucid explanation for this part of my work. Many of the elements in my photographs are beyond my conscious mind; it might be years before I come to a conclusion about them. These […]
Roger Ballen Takes Us Into ‘The Void’, Feature Shoot
As part of Call of the Void, an exhibition at Museum Tinguely in Basel, Ballen presents photographs from two bodies of work, Asylum of the Birds and Roger’s Rats. The images include drawings, people, animals, and objects, arranged to create a single, cohesive whole. Ballen’s work is exhibited next to Mengele—Dance of Death by Jean […]
Photographers on Photographers: Suzanne T. White in Conversation with Roger Ballen, Lens/cratch, 1 August 2023
The concept of the ‘void’ has captivated me since my early 20’s. It is an existentialist idea that ignites questions such as: What is my purpose? Where am I going? What am I doing? Does my work have meaning? Absurdity is another crucial aspect of my work. I’ve been involved in ‘Theater of the Absurd’ […]
Roger Ballen’s wildlife art, The Independant 27 July 2023
Often depicted as an integral feature of the continent, African wildlife, from iconic big beasts to its vast array of species, continues to attract millions of foreign travelers every year. A new art exhibition in the heart of Johannesburg is questioning the relationship between humans and animals on the continent, which spans centuries and is […]
Renowned artist confronts destruction of African wildlife in latest art show, METRO 10 June 2023
Ballen argues through his provocative art installations and multimedia artworks that humans remain at the forefront of the destruction of African wildlife.
Roger Ballen: Call of the Void / Museum Tinguely, Basel, Vernissage TV 21 April 2023
Roger Ballen’s solo exhibition “Call of the Void” is the eighth in a series of exhibitions at Museum Tinguely in Basel that respond to Jean Tinguely’s work “Mengele – Dance of Death”. Ballen’s show consists of two parts: The center of the exhibition space is dominated by a shack, a poor dwelling for people on […]
Boys Will Be Boys: A Celebration of Growing Up Male, Elephant Magazine
Boys Will Be Boys: A Celebration of Growing Up Male Full of roaring exuberant fellowship, a new book presents images of boys at play around the world.
The Rise of AI Art: An African Perspective, Forbes Africa
“There’s no doubt that the whole visual world is totally oversaturated with imagery. I know a lot of people who do AI art. I see it on Instagram or Facebook and some of the images have stuck in my head,” says Roger Ballen, an American artist who lives in Johannesburg, South Africa. “So, I think […]
Darkness to burn: The spectral force of Ballen in Joburg, Mail & Guardian
The world-renowned photographer’s new retrospective show at the Standard Bank Gallery, In Roger Ballen’s Johannesburg, curated by Dr Same Mdluli, is an astonishing trip through some of his best work since 1994, when he began to make images in the metropolis.