Articles

This interview accompanies the release of the photobook Farewell Cape Town by Sophie Bouillon and Benjamin Hoffman. Hoffman lived and photographed in Cape Town for several months, capturing the city's intense contrasts and exploring the relationship between people and their environment through black and white images taken with a smartphone. Bouillon reflects on her personal connection to South Africa, blending autobiographical writing with voices from local inhabitants to portray the complexity and diversity of Cape Town's society. The book combines intimate photography with evocative text to present a nuanced perspective on the city's past and present. Read Article

This article presents a selection of five photography books that explore intimate and collective memories as well as rituals from past and present times. The books include 'Farewell Cape Town,' which features black-and-white photographs capturing the socio-political landscape of Cape Town, and 'Jamais je ne t’oublierai' by Carolle Benitah, which uses family photographs to reflect on the concept of the family myth. Other featured works include 'Maroc, Un temps suspendu,' evoking an evocative portrait of Morocco, 'Elegy for the Mundane,' a poetic visual journey by Gaël Bonnefon, and Simon Vansteenwinckel’s 'Platteland,' depicting surreal, underground scenes in black and white. Read Article

This photo gallery showcases early images by renowned photographer Thomas Hoepker, featuring a diverse array of subjects from the 1950s to 1970s. Highlights include lifeguards on a Sydney beach, Muhammad Ali being fitted for a suit in London, a clown at a Nevada lunch counter, and street scenes from Italy and the US. The collection offers a glimpse into historical moments and everyday life across various locations, captured with Hoepker's keen eye for detail and humanity. Read Article

In 1963, photojournalist Thomas Hoepker traveled across the USA for three months, documenting the country for the German magazine Kristall. Nearly sixty years later, in 2020, he retraced the same route, capturing contemporary images with modern Leica equipment. Both series are featured in the new book "The Way it was. Road Trips USA" and displayed at the Ernst Leitz Museum. Hoepker's work reveals the evolving American landscape and society, juxtaposing his early black-and-white photographs with later color images that reflect a more personal and reflective perspective. Read Article

Thomas Hoepker’s photographs from a 1963 road trip across America offer a poignant social commentary on a divided nation. His black and white images capture the lives of ordinary Americans, highlighting the fragility of the American dream by focusing on marginalized communities. Decades later, Hoepker undertook another road trip in 2020 despite his Alzheimer's diagnosis, producing color photographs that retain his characteristic humor and social critique. His work contrasts the varying realities across the country, from conservative small towns to vibrant urban coasts. Read Article

Thomas Hoepker's book, "The Way It Was: Road Trips USA," juxtaposes his black-and-white photographs from a 1963 road trip across the United States with color images taken during a return trip in 2020. The work explores the passage of time, American culture, and societal changes through intimate and unromanticized visuals. Hoepker's photography captures the complex realities of America, balancing themes of hope, loss, and critique. The book includes a thoughtful preface by Freddy Langer, reflecting on the meaning of a road trip as a search for insight and memory. Read Article

In 1991, Sebastião Salgado, a Brazilian documentary photographer, traveled to Kuwait to document the devastating oil fires set during the Gulf War. After Iraqi forces were driven out, retreating troops ignited 600-700 oil wells, causing massive fires and toxic clouds. Salgado's black and white photographs capture the extreme, hazardous conditions faced by firefighters in sweltering heat and smoke. This series, published by Taschen as 'Kuwait. A Desert on Fire,' spans 208 pages and illustrates both the environmental impact and human bravery involved in extinguishing the blaze over nearly 11 months. Read Article

This interview with Sebastião Salgado, conducted by Marc Glassman for POV Magazine, explores the photographer's career and philosophy. Salgado, originally an economist, discusses how his background shaped his work, emphasizing the need to understand social and economic contexts to better document societies. He reflects on his early years, his focus on dignity in portraying workers and communities, and his use of photography as a tool for social critique rather than activism. The discussion also covers his major projects like 'Other Americas' and 'Workers,' his transition to digital photography, and his continued commitment to silver nitrate printing techniques. Read Article

Zanele Muholi’s photo series Somnyama Ngonyama challenges viewers to rethink identity and surroundings through powerful self-portraits. Using everyday objects as props, the series explores the fluidity of self and the impact of perspective, especially in times of upheaval. Muholi’s images disrupt conventional consumption of portraits by placing themselves both as subject and author, inviting reflection on transformation and ethics of representation. The exhibition runs at Tate Modern until January 2025 and is supported by various international institutions and foundations. Read Article

The Tate Modern hosted the first major UK mid-career survey of South African visual activist Zanele Muholi, whose photography and film work documents and celebrates Black LGBTQIA+ lives. Muholi’s art challenges historical narratives and highlights the realities of hate crimes against queer communities in South Africa. Through intimate portraits and personal engagement, Muholi empowers those often marginalized, using visual activism as a tool for social justice. The exhibition includes key series like Only Half the Picture and Being, which explore survivor stories and intimate moments within the Black queer community. Muholi's work advocates equality and visibility amid ongoing discrimination. Read Article

Zanele Muholi’s exhibition at Tate Modern, reopened after the pandemic closure with new additions, presents a powerful exploration of Black queer life in South Africa through striking photographs and bronze sculptures. Muholi’s photographic work, especially the portrait series such as Faces and Phases and Somnyama Ngonyama, reveal intimate, defiant, and vulnerable moments with technical mastery and emotional depth. Though the bronze sculptures are bold, they are less impactful compared to the photographs. The show ultimately stands as one of the most significant contemporary self-portrait exercises, rich in cultural and political context. Read Article

Zanele Muholi is a visual activist from South Africa who uses photography and video to document black LGBTQIA+ communities, with a focus on portraiture. Their work highlights issues of identity, racism, and visibility, aiming to provide representation and empowerment for marginalized groups. Key projects include 'Somnyama Ngonyama,' which reflects on ancestry and personal pain, and 'Faces and Phases,' a series of black-and-white portraits of lesbian, bisexual, trans, and gender-nonconforming individuals. Muholi's photography challenges dominant narratives and fosters a sense of community and belonging through visual storytelling. Read Article