FROM an understanding and very critical point of view, Chasing Shadows is an intimidating and chilling mirror of society.
Most of the faces and places seem to speak to the depths of your conscience.
Black-and-white images sometimes have a warm homely feel, but with world-renowned artist and master of black-and-white photography Santu Mofokeng's collection the icy contrast and composition are effective.
Landscapes of caves and large open spaces, intimate forest shots and dark indoor profiles, industrial and community make for a breathtaking look into the past and concerning prediction into the future.
Spirituality and environment are the two major elements in the work of legendary Mofokeng.
Speaking during a panel discussion on his solo exhibition, the passionate and free-spirited artist spoke of landscapes, environment, history, spirituality and what photography means to him.
Chasing Shadows , is a collection of 30 years of photographic essays by Mofokeng on exhibition at the Wits Art Museum in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, until October 14.
A selection of more than 200 images, texts and documents have been compiled in a book sharing the same title.
"Some of these images look like calender pictures, Mofokeng said. You look at them and say they are beautiful, but it would be different if you lived in those places.
"Beauty for me is not objective."
He challenged big-time investors who polluted the environment to make money and then abandoned the land -another subject he is concerned about.
"What happens when a landscape is poisoned? Who lives there after profits and money have run out?"
He insists that "climate change" has become fashionable and misinterpreted.
"Climate change is actually something that speaks to the anxiety of what would happen if the climate did change. I can take a few pictures on that anxiety but how do I photograph climate change?" asked Mofokeng.
As he emotionally shared his experiences and stories, Mofokeng said things began to make sense to him during the compilation of these pictures.
"Looking at my previous work and the latest I realised I was working in circles. At various moments my perspective shifts and I would like to reflect that in my work."
In his views and interests in African photography, Mofokeng believes the term is an oxymoron.
"What is African?"
His career began as a street photographer taking pictures of people and their events. But when he learnt to work in a darkroom he had to review his career.
"People referred to me as a cameraman. I was serious and I wanted to be considered a photographer," he explains.
"Seeing my name next to a picture I knew I had become a professional photographer."
The preference for his career was plainly fixed on the mechanism of the camera.
"The simple photographic language is load, shoot and you have picture ... at least nobody dies." he said jokingly.
Mofokeng also said he was a writer.
"I spend more time speaking to myself, so I write. I am not a very social person. Sometimes I write about things I cannot photograph," he says.
It turns out he can also photograph in colour but chooses black-and-white because it is affordable and he has total control of the images.
Mofokeng believes the idea of a "decisive moment" is idiotic and he is drawn into ambiguousness.
"I photograph when I like what I see. My interest is in the ambiguity, the notion of allowing an individual to decide what they see in an image."
Mofokeng adds that the trick is to play with optical illusions.-monnakgotlam@sowetan.co.za
A master of chilling visions
FROM an understanding and very critical point of view, Chasing Shadows is an intimidating and chilling mirror of society.
Most of the faces and places seem to speak to the depths of your conscience.
Black-and-white images sometimes have a warm homely feel, but with world-renowned artist and master of black-and-white photography Santu Mofokeng's collection the icy contrast and composition are effective.
Landscapes of caves and large open spaces, intimate forest shots and dark indoor profiles, industrial and community make for a breathtaking look into the past and concerning prediction into the future.
Spirituality and environment are the two major elements in the work of legendary Mofokeng.
Speaking during a panel discussion on his solo exhibition, the passionate and free-spirited artist spoke of landscapes, environment, history, spirituality and what photography means to him.
Chasing Shadows , is a collection of 30 years of photographic essays by Mofokeng on exhibition at the Wits Art Museum in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, until October 14.
A selection of more than 200 images, texts and documents have been compiled in a book sharing the same title.
"Some of these images look like calender pictures, Mofokeng said. You look at them and say they are beautiful, but it would be different if you lived in those places.
"Beauty for me is not objective."
He challenged big-time investors who polluted the environment to make money and then abandoned the land -another subject he is concerned about.
"What happens when a landscape is poisoned? Who lives there after profits and money have run out?"
He insists that "climate change" has become fashionable and misinterpreted.
"Climate change is actually something that speaks to the anxiety of what would happen if the climate did change. I can take a few pictures on that anxiety but how do I photograph climate change?" asked Mofokeng.
As he emotionally shared his experiences and stories, Mofokeng said things began to make sense to him during the compilation of these pictures.
"Looking at my previous work and the latest I realised I was working in circles. At various moments my perspective shifts and I would like to reflect that in my work."
In his views and interests in African photography, Mofokeng believes the term is an oxymoron.
"What is African?"
His career began as a street photographer taking pictures of people and their events. But when he learnt to work in a darkroom he had to review his career.
"People referred to me as a cameraman. I was serious and I wanted to be considered a photographer," he explains.
"Seeing my name next to a picture I knew I had become a professional photographer."
The preference for his career was plainly fixed on the mechanism of the camera.
"The simple photographic language is load, shoot and you have picture ... at least nobody dies." he said jokingly.
Mofokeng also said he was a writer.
"I spend more time speaking to myself, so I write. I am not a very social person. Sometimes I write about things I cannot photograph," he says.
It turns out he can also photograph in colour but chooses black-and-white because it is affordable and he has total control of the images.
Mofokeng believes the idea of a "decisive moment" is idiotic and he is drawn into ambiguousness.
"I photograph when I like what I see. My interest is in the ambiguity, the notion of allowing an individual to decide what they see in an image."
Mofokeng adds that the trick is to play with optical illusions.-monnakgotlam@sowetan.co.za
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