South African Photographer at Jewish Museum, NYC

South African Photographs: David Goldblatt

May 02, 2010 - September 19, 2010

...he produced images of great beauty and the most profound humanity.

The Wall Street Journal

David Goldblatt (b. 1930) is one of South Africa’s most highly regarded photographers. As both citizen and photographer, he was witness to apartheid’s infiltration into every aspect of South African life. The exhibition includes 150 black and white photographs by Goldblatt that focus on South Africa’s human landscape in the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.

Very precise captions written by the artist accompany each photo in order to convey context and critical information about the image. His photos do not look at the large events or the public face of violence; rather they focus on the world of ordinary people and the minutiae of everyday life, illuminating the depth of injustice and the character of the people who imposed it and who struggled against it. Goldblatt’s Jewish identity is germane to his work.

The anti-Semitism that he frequently experienced made him especially sensitive to the deep humiliation and discrimination suffered by blacks under apartheid, informing his artistic vision as well as his attitude toward his country. Special Offer 1/2 off the South African Photographs audio guide on Thursday evenings. Listen to artist David Goldblatt and Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer discuss his photographs. In Conversation: David Goldblatt and Joseph Lelyveld (5/4/2010) David Goldblatt and Joseph Lelyveld listen/download (90mb)

The Jewish Museum

1109 5th Ave at 92nd St

New York NY

http://www.thejewishmuseum.org/exhibitions/goldblatt