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…in this City
An exhibition by Tierney Fellowship recipient, Mack Magagane
2013
… in this city is a progression of Magagane’s previous series Light Hours which
explored urban spaces in the city of Johannesburg from the perspective of inner city
rooftops, seen at night. In his new body of work his encounters take a more intimate
perspective, of the momentary aspects of ordinary life in Johannesburg. It is here that
Magagane captures the brief encounters, transitory instants, fragments of narratives.
It is in this city that Magagane was born and continues to live. Seeing a man on the corner
selling newspapers every morning, clutter of signage in every possible space, late night
workers and vagabonds alike become the familiar in his everyday life while traversing the city.
Magagane juxtaposes this familiarity with the strange, the unfamiliar and mysterious through
his photographic imagery.
As Magagane states about this body of work; “I have constantly asked myself whether
Johannesburg is like any other city, or a unique city of its own. What really makes
Johannesburg? Is it the dark emptiness when night hits? Or the sudden energy when the sun
begins to rise? Johannesburg’s day-to-day life can be interpreted in so many ways for me.
When I started photographing I looked at familiar things: everyday imagery. But when
extracted from their usual surroundings, I discovered these vignettes trigger an image of
Johannesburg not usually seen or imagined…This new work seeks to give my viewers the
possibility of something beyond the image”.
About Mack Magagane
Mack Magagane’s works explores urban spaces in the city of Johannesburg and
provides a glimpse into an almost fairy-tale urban landscape with sort of a theatrical
narration, where night does not necessarily translates into darkness. Born in 1990 in
Soweto, Magagane joined the Photo Workshop in 2009 completing the Advanced
Programme in Photography and has recently returned from the Photoquai Festival in
Paris where his body of work, I'll be gone soon 2011, was featured. Additionally,
Magagane is the 2011/12 Tierney Fellowship recipients at the Market Photo
Workshop.
About the Tierney Fellowship
The Tierney Fellowship was created in 2003 by The Tierney Family Foundation to support emerging artists in the field of photography. The primary goal of the Fellowship is to find aspiring artists who will be tomorrow's leaders and to assist them in overcoming challenges that photographers face at the start of their careers.
Tracy Edser, the first recipient of The Tierney Fellowship at the Market Photo Workshop, exhibited her body of work in a solo exhibition, Amelioration. Mikhael Subotzky mentored Edser. Simangele Kalisa, the second recipient, exhibited her body of work at a Joint Tierney Exhibition at the Substation Gallery, Wits University, with fellows Monique Pelser and Ariane Questiaux. Jo Ractliffe mentored Kalisa. Thabiso Sekgala(1981-2014), the third recipient, exhibited a body of work entitled Homeland at The Photo Workshop Gallery in April 2011. Mikhael Subotzky also mentored Sekgala. Mack Magagane, the fourth recipient, exhibited his work called ...in this city, a reflection of Johannesburg city by night. The exhibition opened in April 2013 at The Photo Workshop Gallery. Jo Ractliffe also mentored Mack Magagane. Lebohang Kganye, the fifth recipient, exhibited her work Ke lefa laka, a research into her family history using family photographs, testimonies from family members as well as personal narratives. Nontobeko Ntombela and Mary Sibande mentored Kganye. Sipho Gongxeka The sixth recipient, Sipho Gongxeka, was mentored by the renowned South African photographer Pieter Hugo. Sipho’s exhibition, Skeem’ Saka, opened at The Photo Workshop Gallery in July 2014. Skeem’ Saka aims to create a dialogue with the audience on issues relating to masculinity; how men view themselves and the perception society has on the male figure.