The Curious World of Roger Ballen

As a photographer uncovering the ‘dark side’ of human life and society, Roger Ballen (born 1950, New York) is undoubtedly one of the most important artists of his genre. Since moving to South Africa in the 1970s, he has addressed the themes of discrimination and poverty, both before and after the abolition of apartheid. Over time, however, his creative approach has undergone a unique evolution from his early documentary-style images to photographic compositions employing a range of directorial techniques. More recently, he collaborated with rap group Die Antwoord, a leading force in the ‘Zef’ counterculture that has sprung from South Africa’s poor white population, to make the I Fink U Freeky music video. Viewed more than 50 million times on YouTube, the video’s distinctive style mocking mainstream values and conceptions of beauty resonated globally. Ballen’s much anticipated first Japanese solo exhibition offers a retrospective of his work to date but also premieres new video footage from his seminal Outland series, and will see the unveiling of a new edition of one of his photographic collections with 45 additional new pieces