“Where did we come from? What are we here for? And where do we go once we die?” Roger Ballen wants to “challenge your perception and set up a process of self-examination leading to a more inquisitive state of self-consciousness” with his exhibition at Museum Tinguely

 

Dark, unsettling, disturbing, yet relatable and with a certain beauty to it: with his work, Roger Ballen creates a world of its own with, aiming to trigger spaces of the unknown subconscious in the viewer by using the media of installation, photography and film.

 

 

 

In addition to black and white photographs from the series Asylum of the Birds and Roger’s Rats, the exhibition’s key piece is a shack in the middle of the space. Visitors can physically experience what the photographs show – this way, the two-dimensional world form the images becomes three dimensional, accessible and real. You can still visit the exhibition until October 29th.

 

 

Roger Ballen was born in the US but has been living in Johannesburg, South Africa for the past four decades. The African countryside with it’s small towns have highly influenced his work. In his own words, he describes his style as “documentary fiction”.

 

 

 

Sculptures, installations, drawings and films coexist with his photographs, assembling his unique world. Collaborating with Die Antwoord in 2012 for the film I Think U Freeky, he  left a mark on pop culture, giving an example for the possibilities which open up when creatives from different fields come together and merge their artistic vision.

 

 

Here you can get your copy of our 3rd print magazine, which includes an exclusive interview with Roger Ballen. In this conversation, he speaks about his working process, the art market and why he believes the words “art” and “photography” have lost their meaning. Additionally, this issue features conversations with Oliviero Toscani, Jessica Walsh, Malika Favre and more.

 

Image Credits:

© Roger Ballen