September 3rd saw the official opening of the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography, with a landmark debut exhibition exploring AI and the future of the image. The Centre is the latest initiative of the Inside Out Foundation, a non-profit organisation established to support cultural and educational projects in South Africa. It stands alongside its partner institution, the Inside Out Centre for the Arts, with which it shares a mission to spark public engagement through the image.
Located in Forest Town, Johannesburg and founded by Hamiltons-represented artist Roger Ballen, the centre consists of three halls and an extensive photographic book store and was designed by award-winning architect Joe van Rooyen. The RBCP describes itself as "one of the few institutions on the continent dedicated entirely to photography " which will "offer space for reflection, experimentation, and critical engagement — from the archival to the avant-garde."
According to Ballen himself, “It’s always been my goal to create a dedicated space for photography in South Africa. I founded the Roger Ballen Foundation almost 20 years ago to support local photographers, but the missing piece was always a venue. With this Centre, I hope to provide a platform for powerful photographic voices, both African and international, and to engage the public in a deeper reflection on image-making today.”
The first show in the Centre is PSYCHOPOMP! — a provocative new exhibition curated by Berlin-based artist and theorist Boris Eldagsen, realised with the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), that explores the evolving role of AI-generated images as a mirror to the unconscious mind.
Opening Hours: Monday–Friday: 10.00–16.00; Saturday: 09.00–12.00
2 Duncombe Rd,
Forest Town,
Johannesburg,
2193,
South Africa