Tamar Garb: Beyond the Binary

A thematic reassessment of the work of two influential South African photographers

This is the second publication in the Walther Collection book series at Steidl, focusing on a dialogue between two of the most important South African photographers of the 20th century: David Goldblatt (1930–2018) and Santu Mofokeng (1956–2020). Goldblatt documented the ways in which architecture reflects the ideology and legacy of Apartheid. His investigations explore both actual structures and how mental constructs reveal how ideology has shaped the landscape. Mofokeng’s photo essays shed light on everyday life in South Africa. Deeply personal, they record communities, religious rituals and landscapes imbued not only with historical significance but also spiritual meaning, memory and trauma. By delineating 15 viewpoints around the themes of “Earthscapes,” “Edifices” and “Sociality,” editor Tamar Garb decontextualizes the work and creates a platform for comparing and rethinking the artists’ practices.