Santu Mofokeng in conversation with Achille Mbembe

“Before I came into photography I was going to go into pharmacy. When I came into photography what I did was to learn the chemistry, to learn the optics, because in terms of technique I try to make it like a science. … It is very difficult to place one meaning to a photograph. And it’s not only the photograph, it’s also the writing, the text, the context, and of course the intentions. The meaning shifts”. (Santu Mofokeng, in a recent interview)

Santu Mofokeng, one of the most creative photographers living and working in South Africa today, will talk about his latest work in conversation with Achille Mbembe. The discussion will range across Mofokeng’s inquiries into spirituality, his explorations of human and natural landscape, his meditations on “existential madness”, and his portrayal of the joys and absurdities of living in post-Apartheid South Africa.  

Santu Mofokeng will participate in the German contribution to the 55^th Venice Biennale 2013.  Dr. Susan Gaensheimer, Director of the MMK Museum fűr Moderne Kunst Frankfurt am Main and curator of the German Pavilion at the 55^th Venice Biennale in 2013 has recently announced her plans to continue a ‘transnational’ theme for next year’s project. Santu Mofokeng has been named as one of four international artists who have been invited to participate from four different countries, alongside artists Romuald Karmakar, Dayanita Singh and Ai Weiwei.

Thursday, March 7th 6:00-7:30pm
WISER Seminar Room, 6th Floor, Richard Ward Building,
East Campus, Wits University

Refreshments will be served

Please RSVP to Najibha.Deshmukh@wits.ac.za