Asylum of the Birds

The black-and-white images were photographed within the confines of a house in a Johannesburg suburb, the location of which remains a mystery. The inhabitants of the house, both people and animals, and most notably, the ever-present birds, are the cast who perform within a sculptural and decorated theatrical interior that Roger Ballen creates and orchestrates.

The resulting images exist in a space between painting, drawing, installation and photography. They are timeless, psychologically powerful and masterfully composed. In a world in which photographers seek to avoid definition, Roger Ballen’s photographs defy classification and genres: his world stands out as one of a kind.

‘At first the images seem dense, incomprehensible, but automatically your brain sets to work picking them apart … compelling’ – Amateur Photographer