Surrealist portrait of Joburg by a reporter-turned-artist, a key actor on the international scene.
Born in New York, Roger Ballen has been living in Johannesburg since the 70s. His style evolved from photojournalism towards a pictorial artistic vision that is close to art brut and that focuses on the reflection of our fears, the frozen and dislocated monstrous. This spooky world of the archeology of mutants led him to Die Antwoord, to be the director of photography for their videos I Fink U Freeky and Wat Pomp. Roger Ballen’s book, Die Antword I Fink U Freeky, recounts this unlikely partnership rich in reciprocal influences and will be released by Prestel Verlag. Echoing the theme of Johannesburg as a city in mutation, Roger Ballen presents a selection from his entire body of work.• www.rogerballen.com