Roger Ballen: Seven Questions (1)

Q: Although your attention to the raw beauty of found textures, wire, and marks of surfaces and backdrops have always been present in your work, the recent work and especially "The Boarding House" brings the drawing and sculptural feel forward in the photographs. Does this shift have any consequences in the documentary or other aspects of how you think about and respond to these pictures?

A: The drawing and painting in my most recent photographs add another level of depth to my images. In many cases it is very difficult for the viewer to discern the meaning of these images and how they were created. These images exist in a place that is difficult to fathom; is it a 'real' place or solely a product of my imagination. My best images are those that are almost impossible to explain with words; contradictions of meaning pervade.

[The photograph on the right is from Roger's photobook, "Boyhood", published in 1979. For examples of the photographs from "The Boarding House" please visit www.rogerballen.com or the website for Jackson Fine Art in Atlanta, Georgia where Roger's most recent work is currently on exhibition].