CONSTRUCT

Exhibition at the Durban Art Gallery takes artists beyond the documentary photograph.

CONSTRUCT: Beyond the Documentary Photograph is currently running at the Durban Art Gallery and features the work of Roger Ballen, Zander Blom, Lien Botha, Jacques Coetzer, Abrie Fourie, Nomusa Makhubu, Zwelethu Mthethwa, Barbra Wildenboer, Dale Yudelman and Bernie Searle.

South Africa has a long and rich history in documentary photography. Many of its practitioners are internationally known. Historically the medium of photography provided a representational document with the fixed referent of reality. For this exhibition the curators wanted to uncover photographers working in and through the medium in an innovative way.

Each artist featured contributes a unique visual vocabulary. They challenge the traditional stereotype of photography by pushing the shifting boundaries of the medium. Works selected for this exhibition needed to enquire into notions of construction, deconstruction and/or reconstruction.

The way in which the photographers use the medium was the primary curatorial focus. An installation that unlocked the potential dialogues between the different works was also imperative.

CONSTRUCT was curated by Heidi Erdmann and co-curated by Jacob Lebeko. It runs at the Durban Art Gallery until January 31. More information from Jenny Stretton on 031 3112262.