Lindokuhle Sobekwa’s compelling documentary photography focuses on the lives of marginalised communities in South Africa. Shortlisted for this year’s Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize for his book I carry Her photo with Me, Sobekwa will be giving an artist talk that considers his journey as a photographer, his commitment to storytelling, and the impact of his work on both local and global audiences, exploring themes of migration, community and belonging.
Tickets available here
Wednesday 14 May
14:00 – 15:15
The Photographers’ Gallery
16-18 Ramillies St
London
W1F 7LW
About I carry Her photo with Me
Lindokuhle Sobekwa began this project after finding a family portrait with his sister Ziyanda’s face cut out. He describes her as a secretive, rebellious, and rough presence, and recalls the dark day when she chased him and he was hit by a car: she disappeared hours later and returned only a decade later, ill. By this time Sobekwa had become a photographer and realized the family had no picture of her: ‘One day I saw this beautiful light coming in through the window shining on her face. I lifted up the camera to catch the moment and she shot me an evil look and said: “Stop! If you take that picture I’m going to kill you!” So I lowered my camera. I still wish I had taken the shot.’ Ziyanda died soon after.
Employing a scrapbook aesthetic with handwritten notes, I carry Her photo with Me is a means for Sobekwa to engage both with the memory of his sister and the wider implications of such disappearances – a troubling part of South Africa’s history. The book complements his wider work on fragmentation, poverty, and the long-reaching ramifications of apartheid and colonialism across all levels of South African society.
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