Biography

Roger Ballen

South Africa

|

Photography

Roger Ballen

* 1950, New York, USA.

Lives and works in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.

Roger Ballen has lived and worked in Johannesburg, South Africa for almost 30 years. During this period from 1982 to 2008 he has produced eight books and his style has evolved from photo-journalism to a unique artistic vision. The subject of animals has been an essential theme to Ballen’s work since he started photography over 40 years ago. His next book (to be published in 2013) will be on birds photographed in a strange surrealistic place.

Ballen’s work has been shown in important institutions throughout the world and is represented in many Museum Collections such as Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France; the Tate, London, England and Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA.


Series:

2011. Asylum
2009. Boarding House
2005. Shadow Chamber
2001. Outland
1996. Platteland
1986. Dorps
1979. Boyhood


Solo exhibitions:

  • 2013Ÿ. Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. Washington DC. USA.
  • 2013. deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. Lincoln. Massachusetts. USA.
  • 2012. Kunsthalle Vienna. Vienna. Austria.
  • 2012. Manchester Art Museum. Manchaster. United Kingdom.
  • 2012. Marta Herford Museum. Herford. Germany.
  • 2012. Museum of Modern Art. Rio de Janerio. Brazil.
  • 2012. Rosphoto. St. Petersburg. Russia.
  • 2012. Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Tel Aviv. Israel.
  • 2011. Fahey/Klein Gallery. Los Angeles. California. USA.
  • 2011. Fondazione Terre Medicee. Seravezza. Italy.
  • 2011. Galerie Alex Daniels – Reflex Amsterdam. Amsterdam. Netherlands.
  • 2011. Galleri Tom Christoffersen. Copenhagen. Denmark.
  • 2011. Mannheim Ludwigshafen Heidelberg. Germany.
  • 2011. Mc Dermott Gallery. Siem Reap. Cambodia.
  • 2011. Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal. Montreal. Canada.
  • 2011. Museum Het Domein. Sittard. Netherlands.
  • 2010. Bozar. Brussels. Belgium.
  • 2010. Centro de Arte La Regenta. Las Palmas. Spain.
  • 2010. Comune di Arco/Galleria Civica. Como. Italy.
  • 2010. Festival of Photography of Savignano. Italy
  • 2010. Foundazione Terre Medicee. Seravezza. Italy.
  • 2010. Galeria Max Estrella. Madrid. Spain.
  • 2010. Galeria Senda. Barcelona. Spain.
  • 2010. Galerie Kamel Mennour. Paris. France.
  • 2010. Galerie Sabine Knust. Munich. Germany.
  • 2010. Gallery Photographer RU. Moscow. Russia.
  • 2010. George Eastman House. Rochester. USA.
  • 2010. Iziko South African National Gallery. Cape Town. South Africa.
  • 2010. Jackson Fine Art. Atlanta. USA.
  • 2010. Lismore Regional Gallery. Vienna. Australia.
  • 2010. Photonet Galerie. Wiesbaden. Germany.
  • 2010. Rooke Gallery. Johannesburg. South Africa.
  • 2010. Sammlungsleiter Fotomuseum. Munich. Germany.
  • 2010. Stenersen Museum. Oslo. Norway.
  • 2010. Sydney Biennale. Sydney. Australia.
  • 2010. Ubuntu. Berlin. Germany.
  • 2010. Ubuntu. Salzburg. Austria.
  • 2010. University of the Orange Free State. Bloemfontein. South Africa.
  • 2009Ÿ. Auckland University of Technology. Auckland. New Zealand.
  • 2009Ÿ. Aura Gallery. Shanghai. China.
  • 2009Ÿ. City Museum of Ljubljana. Ljubljana. Slovenia.
  • 2009Ÿ. Gagosian Gallery. New York. USA.
  • 2009Ÿ. Galerie Wolfsen. Aalborg. Denmark.
  • 2009Ÿ. Galerija Fotografija. Ljubljana. Slovenia.
  • 2009Ÿ. Hamiltons. London. United Kingdom.
  • 2009Ÿ. Massimo Minini. Brescia. Italy.
  • 2009Ÿ. Johnen Gallery. Berlin. Germany.
  • 2009Ÿ. National Library of Australia. Canberra. Australia.
  • 2009Ÿ. Ontario College of Art and Design. Toronto. Canada.
  • 2009Ÿ. Triennale. Milan. Italy.
  • 2009Ÿ. University of Johannesburg. Johannesburg. South Africa.
  • 2009Ÿ. University of Pretoria. Pretoria. South Africa.
  • 2008. AEREA / Christian Larsen. Stockholm. Sweden.
  • 2008. BWA Gallery. Katowice. Poland.
  • 2008. Galeria van Guardia. Bilbao. Spain.
  • 2008. Hertzelia Artists Host Centre. Tel Aviv. Israel.
  • 2008. Omaggio a Federico Vender at Palazzo dei Panni of Arco Trento. Trento. Italy.
  • 2008. Su Palatu. Sardinia. Italy.
  • 2007. Aura Gallery. Hong Kong. China.
  • 2007. Art Gallery of Western Australia. Perth. Australia.
  • 2007. Clint Roenisch Gallery. Toronto. Canada.
  • 2007. Deichtorhallen. Hamburg. Germany.
  • 2007. Galerie Photonet. Wiesbaden. Germany.
  • 2007. Jackson Fine Art. Atlanta. USA.
  • 2007. Johannesburg Art Gallery. Johannesburg. South Africa.
  • 2007. Robert Klein Gallery. Boston. USA.
  • 2007. Trafo Gallery. Oslo. Norway.
  • 2007. YOURS Gallery. Warsaw. Poland.
  • 2006Ÿ. Atlanta College of Arts. Atlanta. USA.
  • 2006. Berlin Biennial. Berlin. Germany.
  • 2006. Biblioteque Nationale. Paris. France.
  • 2006. Deichtorhallen. Hamburg. Germany.
  • 2006. Everard Read. Johannesburg. South Africa.
  • 2006. Galerie Johnen + Schöttle. Cologne. France.
  • 2006. Galerie Kamel Mennour. Paris. France.
  • 2006. Guido Costa Projects. Torino. Italy.
  • 2006. Jackson Fine Art. Atlanta. USA.
  • 2006. Museum voor Fotografie. Antwerp. Belgium.
  • 2006. Oliewenhuis Art Museum. Bloemfontein. South Africa.
  • 2006. Photographer’s Gallery. Cape Town. South Africa.
  • 2006. Sasol Art Museum. Stellenbosch. South Africa.
  • 2006. Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery. Reno. USA.
  • 2006. Stills Gallery. Sydney. Australia.
  • 2005Ÿ. Aura Gallery. Shanghai. China.
  • 2005Ÿ. Durban Art Gallery. Durban. South Africa.
  • 2005Ÿ. Frans Hals Museum. Haarlem. Netherlands.
  • 2005Ÿ. Gagosian Gallery. New York. USA.
  • 2005Ÿ. Reflex New Art Gallery. Amsterdam. Netherlands.
  • 2004Ÿ. Berkeley Art Museum. California. USA.
  • 2004Ÿ. Dieci Comme ltd. Tokyo. Japan.
  • 2004Ÿ. Le Chateau d'eau. Toulouse. France.
  • 2004Ÿ. State Museum. St. Petersburg. Russia.
  • 2003Ÿ. Galleria Carla Sozzani. Milan. Italy.
  • 2003Ÿ. Galerie Kamel Mennour. Paris. France.
  • 2002Ÿ. Centro Cultural de Maia. O’Porto. Spain.
  • 2002Ÿ. Gagosian Gallery. Los Angeles. USA.
  • 2002Ÿ. Gagosian Gallery. New York. USA.
  • 2002Ÿ. Galleria D'arte Moderna Bologna. Bologna. Italy.
  • 2002Ÿ. Gallery of Photography. Dublin. Ireland.
  • 2002Ÿ. Musee Nicephore Niepce. Chalon-sur-Saone. France.
  • 2002Ÿ. Museet for Fotokunst. Odense. Denmark.
  • 2002Ÿ. Museo Nazionalle Italy. Brescia. Italy.
  • 2002Ÿ. Museum of Contemporary Art. San Diego. USA.
  • 2002Ÿ. Nuku Gallery. Oulu. Finland.
  • 2002Ÿ. Sala Rekalde. Bilbao. Spain.
  • 2001Ÿ. Association for Visual Arts. Cape Town. South Africa.
  • 2001. Encontros da imagem. Braga. Portugal.
  • 2001. Fotoforum. Frankfurt. Germany.
  • 2001. Goodman Gallery. Johannesburg. South Africa.
  • 2001. Hasselblad Center. Sweden.
  • 2001. International Photo Festival Herten. Germany.
  • 2001. Kicken Gallery. Berlin. Germany.
  • 2001. Krefelder Kunstmuseen. Krefeld. Germany.
  • 2001. Mateo Inurria. Cordoba. Spain.
  • 2001. PhotoEspana. Madrid. Spain.
  • 2001. Printemps de Septembre a Toulouse. Toulouse. France.
  • 2001. Rupertinum. Salzburg. Austria.
  • 2001. Shine Gallery. London. UK.
  • 2001. Wurttembergischer Kunstverein. Stuttgart. Germany.
  • 2000Ÿ. Month of Photography. Thessaloniki. Greece.
  • 2000. Museum of Photography. Athens. Greece.
  • 2000. Noordelicht. Amsterdam. Netherlands.
  • 2000. Royal Theatre of Namur. Belgium.
  • 2000. Sani Festival. Greece.
  • 1999Ÿ. Fait & Cause. Paris. France.
  • 1999Ÿ. Melkweg. Amsterdam. Netherlands.
  • 1999. Month of Photography. Bratislava. Slovakia.
  • 1999. Month of Photography. Cape Town. South Africa.
  • 1998Ÿ. Kunstal Museum. Rotterdam. Netherlands.
  • 1998Ÿ. Kunsthaus. Zürich. Germany.
  • 1998. Lumo ’98. Finland.
  • 1996. Eindhoven Photographic Festival. Netherlands.
  • 1996. Royal Festival Hall/Hayward Gallery. London. United Kingdom.
  • 1996. Tarranto Gallery. New York. USA.
  • 1995. Arles Photographic Festival. Arles. France.
  • 1994. Afrikaner Museum. Johannesburg. South Africa.
  • 1994. Michaelis Collection. Cape Town. South Africa.
  • 1986. Goodman Gallery. Johannesburg. South Africa.
  • 1986. Pretoria Art Museum. Pretoria. South Africa.
  • 1986. Shell Gallery. Cape Town. South Africa.
  • 1982. Market Theatre. Johannesburg. South Africa.
  • 1981. Colorado Centre for Photography. Denver. Colorado. USA.


Group exhibitions

  • 2011. Fotogalerie Wien. Wien. Austria.
  • 2011. The Kasper Collection of Drawings and Photographs. The Morgan Library & Museum. New York. USA.
  • 2010. Museu de Arte Contemporanea de Niteroi. Rio de Janerio. Brazil.
  • 2010. National Gallery of Modern Art. Bengaluru. India.
  • 2010. Out of control. BIP 2010 7th International Biennial of Photography and Visual Arts. Liege. France.
  • 2010. PEEKABOO!. Helsinki Art Museum Tennis Palace. Helsinki. Finland.
  • 2010. 7th Lane. Ellen-K Fine Art Photography. Norway.
  • 2010. Skotia Gallery First Biennial Photography Invitational. Santa Fe. USA.
  • 2010. Zacheta National Gallery. Warsaw. Poland.
  • 2008. Untitled (Vicarious). Gagosian Gallery. New York. USA.
  • 2008. After Nature. New Museum. New York. USA.
  • 2008. New York Photo Festival. New York. USA.
  • 2008. Cautionary Tales. Albuquerque. USA.
  • 2005. Snaps. Goodman Gallery. Johannesburg. South Africa.
  • 2004. Making Faces. Musée de l’Elysée. France.
  • 2002. Citigroup Photography Prize. London. United Kingdom.
  • 2002. Dislocation. Sala Rekalde. Bilbao. Spain.
  • 2002. Dislocation. Centro Cultural de Maia O’Porto. Spain
  • 2002. New documentary photography Victoria and Albert Museum. London. United Kingdom.
  • 2002. National Portrait Gallery. London. United Kingdom.
  • 2002-2001. La Natura Della Natura Morta. Italy.
  • 2001. Hall of Mirrors. Museet for Fotokunst. Odense. Denmark.
  • 2001. Recent Acquisitions. Stedelijk Museum. Amsterdam. Netherlands.
  • 2000. Portraits of Africa. Haus der Kulturen der Welt. Berlin. Germany.
  • 1999. New Natural History. National Museum of Photography of Film & Television. Bradford. United Kingdom.
  • 1999. National Portrait Gallery. London. United Kingdom.
  • 1998. Comment Jouer Enfermement. Maison Européene de la Photographie. Paris. France.
  • 1997. South African National Gallery. Cape Town. South Africa.
  • 1997. Double Vie, Double Vue. Fondation Cartier pour l’art Contemporain. Paris France.


In Collection:

Art Gallery of Western Australia. Perth. Australia.
Berkeley Art Museum. California. USA.
Biblioteque Nationale. Paris. France.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Alabama. USA.
Brooklyn Museum. New York. USA.
Centre Georges Pompidou. Paris. France.
Durban Art Gallery. Durban. South Africa.
Fotomuseum. Munchen. Germany.
Hasselblad. Goteborg. Sweden.
High Museum of Art. Atlanta. USA.
Johannesburg Art Museum. South Africa.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art. USA.
Louisiana Museum. Denmark.
Maison Europeene de la Photographie. Paris. France.
Musée de la Photographie á Charleroi. Belgium.
Museet for Fotokunst. Denmark.
Museo nazionale Della Fotographia. Brescia. Italy.
Museum Folkwang. Essen. Germany.
Museum of Contemporary Art. San Diego. USA.
Museum of Fine Arts. Houston. USA.
Museum of Modern Art. New York. USA.
National Gallery. Cape Town. South Africa.
National Museum of Film and Photography. Bradford. United Kingdom.
Spencer Art Museum. Kansas. USA.
Stedelijk. Museum. Amsterdam. Netherlands.
State Museum of Russia. Moscow. Russia.
Tate Britain. London. United Kingdom.
Victoria and Albert Museum. London. United Kingdom.
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. Hartford. USA.


Catalogues:

  • 2002. La Natura Della Natura Morta – Fotographia. Galleria d’Arte Moderna. Bologna. Italy.
  • 2002. Dislocación – Imagen & Identidad. Sudafrica. Spain.
  • 2002. National Portrait Gallery. John Kobal. Photographic Portrait Award 2002 Ten years: a celebration 1993 – 2002.
  • 2000. Africa Inside. Noorderlicht. Netherlands.
  • 2000. A Thousand Hounds. Raymond Merritt & Miles Barth.
  • 1999. National Museum of Photography of Film & Television. New Natural History. United Kingdom.
  • 1999. Introduction to that Africa. Lionel Murcott. Mesiac Fotografie.
  • 1998. Shadows. Lumo ’98. Finland.
  • 1998. South African National Gallery. Contemporary South African Photography. Cape Town. South Africa.
  • 1997. Double Vie, Double Vue, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain.


Books:

  • 2009. Boarding House. Introduction by David Travis. Phaidon Press. London. United Kingdom.
  • 2005. Shadow Chamber. Introduction by Robert A Sobieszek. Phaidon Press. London. United Kingdom.
  • 2001. Outland. Introduction by Peter Weiermair. Phaidon Press. London. United Kingdom.
  • 1997. Cette Afrique lá. Introduction by Lionel Murcott. Photo Pouche series. Editions Nathan Paris. Paris. France.
  • 1996. Platteland, Images of a Rural South Africa. Introduction by Roger Ballen. William Waterman Publications 1994. Quartet Books. London 1994. St Martins Press. New York. USA.
  • 1986. Dorps, Small Towns of South Africa. Introduction by Roger Ballen. Clifton Publications. South Africa.
  • 1979. Boyhood. Introduction by Roger Ballen. Chelsea House Publishers. New York, London. UK. USA.

 
Films:

  • 2005. Memento Mori. Saskia Vredeveld. The Netherlands Film Fund.
  • 2002. Selfportrait. Roger Ballen. Netherlands Broadcasting Cooperation.
  • 1995. South Bank Show. ITV Television. Platteland, Images from Rural South Africa.  
  • 1986. Dorps, Small Towns of South Africa. Film documentary on Roger Ballen’s book. South African Broadcasting Corporation.


Awards:

  • 2010. Lucie Award. Finalist for Solo Exhibition of the year. George Eastman House.
  • 2009. PhotoEspana. Madrid Spain. Honourable mention - Best Photographic Book of the Year for Boarding House.
  • 2004. Top 10 Exhibition 2004. Matthew Higgs. Artforum.
  • 2004. Honourable Mention. UNICEF Photo of the Year.
  • 2002. Top 10 Exhibition 2002. Vince Aletti. Artforum.
  • 2002. Photographer of the Year 2002. Rencontres d’Arles.
  • 2001. Photo-eye. Best Documentary Title. Best Photography Books of 2001.
  • 2001. Special mention. UNICEF Photo of the Year 2001.
  • 2001. PhotoEspana 2001. Madrid Spain. Best Photographic Book of the Year.
  • 2000. Sani Festival. Thessaloniki Greece. Best Solo Exhibition.