Roger Ballen is one of the most influential and important photographic artists of the 21st century. His works confront the viewer and challenge him to accompany him on a journey through strange and extreme places.
Roger Ballen was born in New York in 1950, but for over 30 years he has lived and worked in South Africa. Early in his career, his work as a geologist took him into the African interior with his camera. At first, he photographed the empty streets in the glare of the midday sun, but after knocking on people’s doors, he discovered a world inside their homes that would have a profound effect on his work. These interiors, with their distinct collections of objects and their occupants, took his research down a path from social criticism to the creation of metaphors for the human psyche. Today, his research is recognized within the field of “documentary fiction”.
Along this path, by integrating drawing into his photographic and video works, the artist not only made a lasting contribution to the field of art, but also made a powerful commentary on the human condition and its creative potential. His work has been exhibited in the largest museums in the world, and includes collections such as the Getty Museum (LA), MOMA (NY), Maison Eurpeene de la Photographie (Paris), Tate Britain (London), among others.