Figures & Fictions - Contemporary South African Photography @ The V&A
I visited this fantastic exhibition on the weekend - a really engaging exhibition of contemporary South African photography. There is a lot of focus on South African photography at the moment, with a number of exhibitions and programs over the last year. This one, although short, really doesn’t let you down. Packing about 15 different photographers in they all tell a different and nuanced story - curated to offer quick and different perspectives it keeps you hooked and interested the whole way round.
Many themes are covered, and as perhaps one would expect race is a big element, however contemporary perspectives on gender, sexuality, and cultural expression are also prominent and striking.
The way I found myself looking at the thing as whole, and I believe was the way it was intended to be, was to view it as catalogue of contemporary identities in a dynamic, rich and troubled culture. While most of the photographers are born out of the photojournalism discipline - compelled to document the troubles of apartheid and race divisions - what was clear is despite the violent nature of this past, many are trying to capture and celebrate the diverse individuals that make up the fabric of the country today. There are so many stories captured in these photo’s - both in the subjects and from the selection of photographers on display here - that as a brief window into a contemporary South Africa it paints a picture of a country proud of having endured, embracing honesty, and brimming with creativity.
Fictions & Figures is well worth a visit. Personal highlights - Pieter Hugo, Greame Williams, Notsikelelo Veleko, and Santu Mofokeng…. oh and David Goldblatt is always amazing.
