Ballen, Roger

American, b. 1950

BiographySouth African-based artist Roger Ballen began his photographic career making documentary work, but later developed a signature style which leans heavily into realms of fiction and fantasy. The work makes use of frequently marginalized people, animals both living and not, art brut paintings and found objects. He states: “My images are layered in meanings most of which are visual in nature but comprehensible to the subconscious mind. On many occasions, there are opposing meanings that pervade the imagery which make it particularly difficult to simply define meaning other than to use such words as ‘Ballenesque’ or perhaps enigmatic.”

Roger Ballen’s work is held in collections internationally including Biblioteque Nationale, Paris; Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht, Netherlands; Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA; George Eastman House, Rochester, New York, USA; Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California, USA; Hasselblad, Goteborg, Sweden; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, USA; and many more. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including Lifetime Achievement Award, Bokeh SA Awards 2019; Honorary Doctor of Art and Design, Kingston University, United Kingdom 2018; The Asia Pacific Brands Foundation Legendary Award, 2017; Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin, Edition 46, Artist of the Year, published on 14 November 2014; and many more.