'It was mainly through photography that I came to understand that I have a sense of belonging here, an intimacy with the place that I doubt I could have anywhere else. It was often uncomfortable, but it was undeniable. My viscera and involvement are here.'
Born on the outskirts of Johannesburg in 1930, David Goldblatt is one of the most celebrated South African artists of the 20th century. Documenting one of the most tumultuous and divisive societies in history, Goldblatt never aligned himself with any political party or social movement. Instead, he drew attention to the harsh realities of life in an apartheid state. From working-class Afrikaners to the effects of the Bantustans on the black majority, Goldblatt has interacted with all spheres of South African society. Earning the trust of his subject to capture the in-between, mundane moments that make up everyday life, Goldblatt has been deemed the 'father of South African documentary photography' (Tamar Garb, Figures and Fictions, Contemporary South African Photography, 2011, p. 117).
From an early age, Goldblatt took an interest in photography, experimenting with his father's old cameras. Inspired by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa and Bill Brandt, photography became not only a hobby for Goldblatt, but an obsession. Goldblatt’s photographic explorations soon revealed that despite not supporting the apartheid system, there was no way to live in South Africa and be separate from it. This concept remained central to Goldblatt’s work thrughout the entirety of his career.