WARNING… some images maybe disturbing.

Roger Ballen is best recognized for his photography, although his artistic output goes much beyond that. He is a fantastic filmmaker and installation designer. Still, photography is his real passion.

Saw exhibition of Ballen’s twice when shown at the Museum of Old and New Art - 7 DECEMBER 2013–28 JULY 2014. Visited MONA fifteen plus times since they’ve opened and this exhibition was one of my favorite shows. Also, The Museum of Everything was also very memorable.

Roger Ballen is what you'd call a 'wound opener'.

To mark the publication of his long-awaited new monograph Asylum of the Birds, photographer Roger Ballen, with director Ben Crossman, has produced this psychologically powerful, unforgettable film that follows Roger into a world synonymous with his photographs, as never before seen on film.

My purpose in taking photographs over the past forty years has ultimately been about defining myself. It has been fundamentally a psychological and existential journey.

His images have a very powerful visual undercurrent of psychological darkness through chaotic layers of objects, figures, and the constant presence of birds.

Written and Supervised by Roger Ballen
Directed/Filmed/Edited: Ben Jay Crossman
Artistic Director: Marguerite Rossouw
Sound Recording: Wilma Bees Sound Design/
Final Mix: Darryl Torr & Stefan Durant from Open Room Production

A special thanks for the inhabitants of the Asylum of the Birds House

In the video below Roger Ballen discusses the series Asylum of the Birds, in this interview from Paris Photo 2014. Interview of Roger Ballen for the 2013 FNB Johannesburg Art Fair.

Again WARNING… some images in this video maybe disturbing.

More information about the book: http://www.asylumofthebirds.com/

“I’ve been doing photography, one way or another, since the late 1960s. My mother worked at Magnum and started one of the first photo galleries in the United States. So, I got to know some of the most famous photographers as a young boy, from Cartier-Bresson, Bruce Davidson, Elliot Erwitt and many others. I’ve been involved in this quite intricately. It’s been a passion and obsession for me since my teens. It’s been a part of my life. It’s been hard work, dedication, and frustration, like anything else.”

Source: Incredible Life and Works of Roger Ballen

You’ve got to be committed and work hard. You’ve got to feel passionate. You can’t expect instant success; it’s a lifelong process. It’s not likely to happen for you overnight.

Roger Ballen Foundation <<<

Roger Ballen’s WEBSITE <<< and >>> see more Videos and Films

Video Source YouTube: https://youtu.be/Mv-E6S51VCo and https://youtu.be/2umQ7BSCZzQ

'I FINK U FREEKY' by DIE ANTWOORD (Official)

Listen and follow on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2XbSvcs

Directed by: Roger Ballen & NINJA

Director of Photography: Melle Van Essen

Source: https://youtu.be/8Uee_mcxvrw?si=lPAXlOeNU2KHHdNc