Roger Ballen is regarded as one of the world’s foremost practitioner’s of black and white photography. He has been shooting in monochrome for nearly half a century, from his renowned documentary images of South African villagers to his recent extraordinary explorations of the psyche and its aesthetic. Ballen’s work has been exhibited across the globe, and is widely collected by the world’s important art institutions, from MoMa in New York, to the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris to the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.

On November 12, Reflex Gallery in Amsterdam presents a rare opportunity to view a selection of Ballen’s work from over the past 20 years. The exhibition will showcase iconic images from his acclaimed books, Shadow Chamber, Outland, and Boarding House, as well as important photographs that have never been shown before. In their rich complexity and visual daring, the 25 works on display challenge the viewer’s perception of photography and its relation to art – and to life.

These multi-layered photographs illuminate Ballen’s fascination with the animal kingdom and our complicated relationship to animals and birds. He invites us to reconsider that dynamic: Are these playful scenes, or is there a note of menace? Who is in control – us or them?

“I feel an affinity with animals,” Ballen says. “There is something mysterious and beautiful about them that is hard to put your finger on. They don’t give their secrets away.”

In these works Ballen consistently insists on obscuring human identity. All we are given are masked figures, or disembodied hands and feet. It is unsettling and ambiguous. The addition of drawing and collage present yet more layers for us to decipher. Ballen leaves it to the viewer to make his mind up.

“I want, consciously, or unconsciously, to get to the meaning of life.”

Animal Abstraction, a collection of images from the exhibition as well as other important photographs, is published by Reflex Gallery in conjunction with the show. Roger Ballen will be signing copies of the book at the opening. A portfolio in a limited edition with an original print matching the show will be presented at the opening.

visit the website:
Reflex Gallery