Roger Ballen

Roger Ballen born in 1950 in New York
Lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Son of a photograph editor at Magnum, Ballén has worked as a geologist and mine consultant before launching his own photographic career, documenting small towns in rural Africa and their isolated inhabitants. Their images are, at the same time, powerful social allegations and disturbing psychological studies. Ballen’s work“Outland” was considered one of the most extraordinary photographical documents at the end of the XX century. It was awarded Best Photographic Book of the Year at PhotoEspaña 2001 in Madrid. His distinguished photographic style has evolved using simply a square format and a black and white color scheme. His first works have a clear influence of documental photography, but during the 90’s, he developed a style that he described as “fiction documental”.
- 2020
- The World according to Roger Ballen Halle Saint Pierre, Paris, France
- In Retrospect Florida Museum of Photography, Florida, United States
- 2019
- Childhood (1974-2018) Galerie Karsten Greve, Paris, France
- Outland Box Galerie, Brussels, Belgium
- Asylum of the Birds . Oh Rats - Die Antwoord Stieglitz19, Antwerp, Belgium
- the body, the mind, the space Fondazione Sozzani, Milano, Italia
- The Theatre of Apparitions Galeria Fotografija, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- 2018
- Unleashed Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastrich, Netherlands
- Ballenesque Galeria Senda, Barcelona, Spain
- There Is No Outside SPAO Centre, Ottawa, Canada
- Introduction ARTCO Galerie, Aachen, Deutschland
- Ballenesque - Roger Ballen: a Retrospective Fahey/Klein Gallery, Los Angeles, United States
- Birds & Apparitions M97 Gallery, Shanghai, China
- 2017
- Ballenesque - a Retrospective Galerie Alex Daniels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Roger Ballen Galerie Karsten Greve, St. Moritz, Switzerland
- Ballenesque Willas Contemporary, Oslo, Norway
- Ballenesque - a Retrospective Kunstsammlung Jena, Jena, Deutschland
- Asylum of the Birds La Fototeca, Guatemala City, Guatemala
- Retrospective Museum of Modern Art, Istanbul, Turkey
- Introspective Cámara Oscura, Madrid, España
- Unleashed Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, Paris, France
- The Theatre of Apparitions Aura Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
- The Theatre of Apparitions Photoink, New Delhi, India
- The Theatre of Apparitions Hamiltons, London, United Kingdom
- The Theatre of Apparitions Aura Gallery, Beijing, China
- 2016
- The Theatre of Apparitions Zemacj Contempary Art, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Rome Ballen Times MACRO Roma, Roma, Italia
- The Theatre of Apparitions Gallery Barbado, Lisboa, Portugal
- In retrospect Southeast Museum, Daytona Beach, United States
- In retrospect Snap Orlando, Orlando, United States
- Roger Ballen's Theatre of the Mind Izzy Gallery, Toronto, Canada
- Fotografie und Film 1969-2015 Von der Heydt-Kunsthalle, Wuppertal, Deutschland
- The House Project Galleria Massimo Minini, Brescia, Italia
- Broken Home Carpentier Galerie, Berlin, Deutschland
- Roger Ballen's Theatre of the Mind SCA Galery, Sydney, Australia
- The House Project Gallery Momo, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Works 1995-2015 Photoink, New Delhi, India
- 2015
- Shadow Land Pori Art Museum, Finland
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, Brazil
- Asylum of the Birds Aura Gallery, Beijing, China
- Asylum of the Birds Galerie Karsten Greve, Köln, Deutschland
- Outland Previously Unseen Galeria Senda, Barcelona, España
- Asylum of the Birds La Fabrica, Madrid, España
- Theater der Absurdität Museum Villa Stuck, München, Deutschland
- 2014
- Circa Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Festival de la Luz, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Fotografiska, Stockholm, Sweden
- Kunst und Kulturzentrum Monschau, Aachen, Deutschland
- Moscow Media Centre, Moscow, Russia
- Museu Oscar Niemeyer, Brazil
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Roma, Italia
- 2013
- Belfast Photo Festival, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Galerie Clairefontaine, Luxembourg
- Johannesburg Art Fair, South Africa
- Maison De L'Image Documentaire, The CèTávoiR Association, Paris, France
- Museum of Old and New, Hobart, Australia
- Retrospective Kunsthallen Nikolaj, Copenhagens, Denmark
- Photoink, New Delhi, India
- Pingao International Photography Festival, China
- Palm Springs Art Museum, California, USA
- Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington DC, USA
- Westlicht, Schauplatz fur Fotografie, Vienna, Austria
- 2012
- Erdmann Contemporary & the Photographers Gallery za, Cape Town, South Africa
- Guate Festival, Guatemala de la Asunción, Guatemala
- Kleinschmidt Fine Photographs, Wiesbaden, Deutschland
- Kunstalle, Vienna, Austria
- Manchester Art Museum, United Kingdom
- Marta Herford Museum, Herford, Deutschland
- Musee de l'Elysee, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janiero, Brazil
- Northwest University Museum, Potchestroom, South Africa
- Novosibirsk Art Museum, Russia
- Rosphoto, St. Pieterburg, Russia
- Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Israel
- 2011
- Fahey/Klein Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Fondazione Terre Medicee, Seravezza, Italy
- Galerie Alex Daniels – Reflex Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Galleri Tom Christoffersen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal, Canada
- Mc Dermott Gallery, Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Museum Het Domein, Sittard, The Netherlands
- Omsk Museum, Russia
- Sammlung Prinzhorn, Heidelberg, Deutschland
- 2010
- Bozar, Brussels, Belgium
- Centro de Arte La Regenta, Las Palmas, España
- Comune di Arco/Galleria Civica, Italia
- Festival of Photography of Savignano, Italia
- Galeria Max Estrella, España
- Galeria Senda, Barcelona, España
- Galerie Kamel Mennour, Paris, France
- Galerie Sabine Knust, Munich, Deutschland
- Gallery Photographer RU, Moscow, Russia
- George Eastman House, Rochester, USA
- Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
- Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta, USA
- Lismore Regional Gallery, Australia
- Photonet Galerie, Wiesbaden, Deutschland
- Rooke Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Sammlungsleiter Fotomuseum, Munich, Deutschland
- Stenersen Museum, Oslo, Norway
- Sydney Biennale, Australia
- Ubuntu, Berlin, Deutschland
- Ubuntu, Salzburg, Austria
- University of the Orange Free State, South Africa
- 2009
- Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
- Still Aura Gallery, Shanghai, China
- Boarding House Galeria Fotografija, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Boarding House Gagosian Gallery, New York, USA
- Boarding House Hamiltons, London, United Kingdom
- Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, Canada
- 2008
- AEREA / Christian Larsen, Stockholm, Sweden
- BWA Gallery, Katowice, Poland
- Omaggio a Federico Vender at Palazzo dei Panni of Arco Trento Su Palatu, Sardinia, Italia
- 2007
- Clint Roenisch Gallery, Toronto, Canada
- Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta, USA
- Trafo Gallery, Oslo, Norway
- YOURS Gallery, Warsaw, Poland
- 2006
- Museum voor Fotografie, Antwerp, Belgium
- Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, Deutschland
- Sasol Art Museum, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Berlin Biennial, Berlin, Deutschland
- Galerie Kamel Mennour, Paris, France
- Guido Costa Projects, Torino, Italia
- 2005
- Gagosian Gallery, New York, USA
- Museum voor Fotografie, Antwerp, Belgium
- Reflex Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Frans Hals Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- 2004
- State Museum of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Roger Ballen Photographs, Berkeley Art Museum, University of California, California, USA
- Le Chateau d'eau à Toulouse, France
- Dieci Comme Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
- 2003
- Galleria Carla Sozzani, Italia
- Galerie Mennour, Paris, France
- 2002
- OUTLAND, Galleria D'arte Moderna Bologna, Italia
- Musée Nicephore Niepce, Chalon-sur-Saone, France
- Museo Nazionalle Italy, Brescia, Italia
- Nuku Gallery, Oulu, Finland
- Museum for Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA, USA
- Gallery of Photography, Dublin, Ireland
- OUTLAND, Gagosian Gallery, New York, USA
- 2001
- Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Wurttembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart, Deutschland
- Hasselbald Center, Goteborg, Sweden
- PhotoEspaña, Madrid, España
- Michael Hoppen Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- Printemps de Septembre, Toulouse, France
- 2000
- Royal Theatre of Namur, Belgium
- Month of Photography, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Noordelicht, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Sani Festival, Greece
- Museum of Photography, Athens, Greece
- 1999
- Fait & Cause, Paris, France
- Melkweg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Month of Photography, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Month of Photography, Cape Town, South Africa
- 1998
- Kunstal Museum, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Lumo ’98, Finland
- Kunsthaus, Zürich, Switzerland
- 1996
- Eindhoven Photographic Festival, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Tarranto Gallery, New York, USA
- 1995
- Arles Photographic Festival, Arles, France
- Royal Festival Hall/Hayward Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- 2020
- J20 Zemack Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv, Israel
- [An-]sichten - Das Künstlerische im Dokumentarischen Art Foyer Dz Bank, Frankfurt, Deutschland
- 2019
- ...des photographes ...des artistes et le cardigan pression agnès b., Paris, France
- NO JOKE works Stieglitz19, Antwerp, Belgium
- double trouble double grins is it so with twins Lothringer 13, München, Deutschland
- Fotografi a Roma Museo di Roma, Roma, Italia
- All the world's a stage Galerie Alex Daniels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Faces Cámara Oscura, Madrid, España
- 2018
- Auction Preview Exhibition SF Camerawork, San Francisco, United States
- Is it my body? Galleria Francesca Minini, Milano, Italia
- Yipee! Twenty! Kleinschmidt, Wiesbaden, Deutschland
- Inside out - Fotografíese und Psychologie Art Foyer Dz Bank, Frankfurt, Deutschland
- satisfy me Kunstsaele Berlin, Berlin, Deutschland
- Strange Beauty Beck & Eggeling, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
- 2017
- On aime l'art...!! Collection Lambert, Avignon, France
- NO JOKE foam Fotografiemuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Fotografische Inkunabeln aus der Sammlung Kahmen I Raketenstation Hombroich, Neuss, Deutschland
- NO JOKE Diesel Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- multiple choice Calerie Clairefontaine, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
- Animalia Leica Galerie Wien, Viena, Austria
- Curtain Call Still Gallery, Sydney, Australia
- Talks 2017 Photo London, London, United Kingdom
- Ah-Choo - Bless you Europe! Kleinschmidt, Wiesbaden, Deutschland
- Photography Galleri Tom Christoffersen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2016
- Group Show David Zwirner, New York, United States
- In posa Galleria del Cembalo, Roma, Italia
- Vivre!! Musée de l'immigration, Paris, France
- Shadowlands Etherton Gallery, Tucson, United States
- Handmade III Anzenberger Gallery, Wien, Austria
- 5th Singapore International Photography Festival Singapore, Singapore
- NO JOKE V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Utopies, espoirs, colères Centre photo de Lecture, Lectoure, France
- The expert eye Musée Nicéphore, Chalon-sur-Saon, France
- LOOK AGAIN WILLAS contemporary, Oslo, Norway
- Head On Photography Festival 2016 Sydney, Australia
- 2015
- Masks Galerie Rudolphe Janssen, Brüssels, Belgium
- Shooting Stars Erdmann Contemporary, Capetown, South Africa
- Visual Leader 2015 Haus der Photographie, Hamburg, Deutschland
- What Still Sticks? Cohen Gallery, Los Angeles, United States
- We Want More: Image Making and Music in the 21st Century Photographer's Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- 2014
- The 12th Stop Samara Art Museum, Russia
- XII edizione di FOTOGRAFIA - Festival Internazionale di Roma MACRO Roma, Roma, Italia
- Avers et revers sensible Espace Topographie de l'art, Paris, France
- Black Forest Candela Gallery, Richmond, United States
- Photography Louisiana Museum, Humblebaek, Denmark
- The New York Times Magazine Photographs Aperture Gallery, New York, United States
- Brighton Photo Fringe 2014 Photo Fringe, Brighton, United Kingdom
- 5th Daegu Photo Biennale 2014 - Photographic Narrative Daegu Photo Biennale, Daegu, South Korea
- XVII Encuentros Abiertos, Festival de la Luz 2014 Fundación Luz Austral, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Metamorphosis - Mirror OCT Contemporary Art Terminal, Shangai, China
- The New York Times Magazine Photographs MoCA Jacksonville, Jacksonville, United States
- Beauty of Darkness II Galerie Alex Daniels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Einblicke in die Sammlung Wemhöner Osram-Höfe, Berlin, Deutschland
- Highligths 2013 Cohen Gallery, Los Angeles, United States
- 2013
- Photomeetings Luxembourg 2013 Photomeetings Luxembourg, Luxembourg
- Nacogdoches SFA Galleries, Texas, United States
- Identity Robert Koch Gallery, San Francisco, United States
- 2012
- Manomenter Moscow, Russia
- Art of Others, Outsiders, Self Taught and Navive Artists Haifa Museum, Haifa, Israel
- The Art of Photography Show, San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, California, USA
- Domestic Disorder in Contemporary Art, Musexpo, Gouggainville, France
- Play, Turnhout, Antwerp, Belgium
- The Rise and Fall of Apartheid, International Centre of Photography, New York, USA
- Seeing Eye, Brundyn and Gonsalves, Cape Town, South Africa
- Tender and Cruel, Tim Mellville Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
- Traumwelten – In the Court of the King of Dreams, Kunsthalle HGN, Duderstadt, Deutschland
- Twins, Center for Photography, Woodstock, New York, USA
- 2011
- High Speed Insanity, Blomquist, Oslo, Norway
- National Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru, India
- Real, Fotogalerie Wien, Vienna, Austria
- Museu de Arte Contemporanea de Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- The Kasper Collection of Drawings and Photographs, The Morgan Library & Museum, New York, USA
- 2010
- Out of control, BIP 2010, 7th International Biennial of Photography and Visual Arts, Liege, Belgium
- PEEKABOO!, Helsinki Art Museum Tennis Palace, Finland
- 7th Lane, Ellen-K Fine Art Photography, Norway
- Skotia Gallery First Biennial Photography Invitational, Santa Fe, USA
- Zacheta National Gallery, Warsaw, Poland
- 2008
- Untitled (Vicarious), Gagosian Gallery, New York, USA
- After Nature, New Museum, New York, USA
- New York Photo Festival, New York, USA
- Cautionary Tales, Albuquerque, USA
- 2005
- Roger Ballen, Alec South, Vera Lutter, Gagosian Gallery Chelsea, New York, USA
- Snaps, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 2004
- Dog Days of Summer, University of California Riverside/California Museum of Photography, USA
- Making Faces, Musée de l'Elysée, Paris, France
- 2002
- Citigroup Photography Prize, London, United Kingdom
- Dislocation, Sala Rekalde, Bilbao, United Kingdom
- Dislocation, Centro Cultural de Maia O’Porto, Portugal
- New Documentary Photography, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom
- National Portrait Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- 2001
- La Natura della Natura Morta, Italia
- Recent Acquisitions, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Hall of Mirrors, Museet for Fotokunst, Odense, Denmark
- 2000
- Portraits of Africa, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Deutschland
- 1999
- National Portrait Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- New Natural History, National Museum of Photography of Film & Television, Bradford, United Kingdom
- 1998
- Comment Jouer Enfermement, Maison Européene de la Photographie, Paris, France
- 1997
- Double Vie, Double Vue, Fondation Cartier pour l’art Contemporaine, Paris, France
- South African National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
- 2010
- Lucie Award, Finalist for Solo Exhibition of the year, George Eastman House, New York, USA
- 2009
- Honourable mention - Best Photographic Book of the Year for Boarding House, PhotoEspaña 2009, Madrid, España
- 2006
- Art Directors Club Award Photography
- 2004
- Top 10 Exhibition 2004, Matthew Higgs, Artforum, December
- Honorable Mention, UNICEF Photo of the Year
- Photographer of the Year 2002, Rencontres d’Arles, July
- 2002
- Top 10 Exhibition 2002, Vince Aletti, Artforum, December
- Photographer of the Year 2002, Rencontres d’Arles, July, France
- 2001
- Photo-eye, Best Documentary Title, Best Photography Books of 2001
- Special mention : UNICEF Photo of the Year 2001
- Best Photographic Book of the Year, PhotoEspaña 2001, Madrid, España
- 2000
- Sani Festival, Best Solo Exhibition, February Thessaloniki, Greece
- Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Berkeley Art Museum, California, USA
- Biblioteque Nationale, Paris, France
- Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Alabama, USA
- Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
- Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
- Durban Art Gallery, Durban, South Africa
- Fotomuseum, Munchen, Deutschland
- Hasselblad, Goteborg, Sweden
- High Museum of Art, Atlanta, USA
- Johannesburg Art Museum, South Africa
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art, USA
- Louisiana Museum, Denmark
- Maison Europeene de la Photographie, Paris, France
- Musée de la Photographie á Charleroi, Belguim
- Museet for Fotokunst, Denmark
- Museo nazionale Della Fotographia, Brescia, Italia
- Museum Folkwang, Essen, Deutschland
- Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, USA
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA
- Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA
- National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
- National Museum of Film and Photography, Bradford, United Kingdom
- Spencer Art Museum, Kansas, USA
- Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- State Museum of Russia, Moscow, Russia
- Tate Britain, London, United Kingdom
- Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom
- Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, USA



