Mikhael Subotzky
Since graduating from art school a year ago, Mikhael Subotzky has taken his native South Africa and the international art world by storm. The twenty-five-year-old has exhibited across his native country, in the Netherlands and Italy, and has even been invited to join Magnum Photo Agency — one of the youngest photographers to be inducted into the venerable photo institution’s ranks. So what’s all the hype about? Subotzky is the real deal, part of the next generation of South African artists who are picking up where their apartheid predecessors left off, tackling the issues of a modern country in transition. From prison conditions to strongholds of racism, Subotzky treats South Africa as the work in progress that it is and somehow helps others find beauty in its imperfections.
Tagged: portraits, realism, South Africa, South African photographers
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YOU'RE SAYING (3)
Hugh Snelgrove said | 17 January, 2008
the photo’s are very raw and powerful!
THough if i could mention one thing from my personal experience doing a photo project in S.Africa is that although the justaposition of these photo’s would seem to suggest a clear divide between black and white south africans-it forgets to include the fact that although racism is still prevalent, increasingly its between blacks on blacks-Frustrated South Africans having to deal with illegal immigration from other African nations such as zimbabwe etc. From my experience i saw that there was more a feeling of a class war amongst people of all races opposed to just simply their skin color (although equally relevent)
thanks for taking the time to document these important issues!
morganna magee said | 7 February, 2008
God this work is so insightfull and moving without relying on cliches. I can’t believe he is only 25, I feel so inadeqaute now. Thanks for bringing him to my attention Zolton
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Huna said | 15 January, 2008
I find something about his photos really unsettling. Its great, he really has captured how people feel about Apartheid.