SHADOW CHAMBER

ENGLISH TEXT- NEW IN PAPERBACK

Introduction by Robert A Sobieszek
Roger Ballen (b.1950) is best known for his award-winning photographs of people on the fringes of South African society as depicted in Outland, also published by Phaidon
Shadow Chamber debuts his most recent body of work
Ballen’s striking, ambiguous and often disturbing images blur the boundaries between documentary photography and other art forms
Collaborating with his subjects, Ballen has secured his position as a highly collected artist, creating an extraordinary world that is part dream, part nightmare

Robert A Sobieszek (1943–2005) was Curator of Photography at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He organized over 50 exhibitions and authored 10 books, including Robert Smithson: Photo Works and The Camera I: Photographic Self-Portraits from the Audrey and Sydney Irmas Collection.
Roger Ballen (b. 1950) has lived and worked in Johannesburg, South Africa for almost 30 years. Born in New York, he worked as a geologist and mining consultant before starting his photographic career by documenting the small villages of rural South Africa and their isolated inhabitants. His images are both powerful social statements and disturbing psychological studies. Ballen’s previous book Outland, also published by Phaidon, was named Best Photographic book of the Year at PhotoEspaña 2001, Madrid, Spain.