'South African Photographs', David Goldblatt

openDemocracy, 15 April 2007

Subjects:

A land, a people and a society through the lens of David Goldblatt.

From 1952 David Goldblatt's pictures have documented the multiple realities of South African life, from its people to its cities and landscapes.

Beyond the immediate present there lies a deep awareness - transferred from photographer to viewer - of the history, social structures and balance of power of this unique country.

David Goldblatt won the "Hasselblad Award", the most important international prize for photography, in 2006.

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For the openDemocracy slideshow of David Goldblatt's "South African photographs" exhibition click here.

The exhibition is currently showing at the Fotomuseum Winterthur in Zurich.

From the series 'The Transported of KwaNdebele – A South African Odyssey', 1989 Travellers from KwaNdebele buying weekly season tickets at ehe PUTCO bus depot in Marabastad, Pretoria, 1983. Gelatin-silver print, 50,8 x 61 cm. © David Goldblatt

From the series 'The Transported of KwaNdebele – A South African Odyssey', 1989 GOING HOME: Some on this bus will reach home at between 9:30 and 10 p.m and rise again the next morning at between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m., 1984. Note in 2006: The cycle still continues. Gelatin-silver print, 50,8 x 61 cm. © David Goldblatt

From the series 'South Africa: The Structure of Things Then', 1998 Speculative development by a property developer in putatively ‘authentic Cape Dutch' style, Agatha, Tzaneen, Transvaal, 10 April 1989. Gelatin-silver print, 40,5 x 50,8 cm. © David Goldblatt

From the series 'Intersections – Municipal Officials' Martin Klaase, mayor of the Kamiesberg Local Municipality in the council chamber at Garies, Northern Cape, 28 June 2004. Digital print on cotton rag paper in pigment inks, 42 x 60 cm. © David Goldblatt

This article is copyright openDemocracy and openDemocracy.

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Comments

tr8130285

18 April 2007 - 3:18pm

I think Goldbatt is a good photographer, but an extremely cruel and heartless person..... suppose thats what makes a good photographer.

tr8130285

18 April 2007 - 3:21pm

but nothing more than just that

zenout

28 October 2007 - 4:48pm

Golblatt is cruel?...may be Life is cruel, for these are Photographs of reality. One you don't like, apparently! Truth is mostly uncomfortable, but we have to face it . you should look at pictures from Hiroshima!... most cruel. Yet the decision of one country. and most uncomfortable to watch. It was probably worst to endure!

rg616 (not verified)

3 June 2009 - 3:53pm

Agreed; you could only understand these images if you understand the culture, context and time they were taken in. I think images in magazines like national geographic completely hide the truth of the africa and disguise it in this rural anchient bushman culture, simply to feed the ego s of the western middle class so that they believe they are still be the most superior. Goldblatt is not cruel, he is truthfull.