Thames & Hudson is set to publish "Roger Ballen: Spirits and Spaces," the first comprehensive monograph showcasing the renowned photographer's groundbreaking venture into color photography. The book represents a significant milestone for Ballen, who has spent five decades inviting viewers to explore the human condition through his exhibitions, installations, and over 20 published works.
This new collection marks a dramatic departure from Ballen's exclusively black-and-white portfolio while maintaining the haunting, absurd psychological atmosphere that defines his distinctive "Ballenesque" style. The transition to color photography began in 2016 when Ballen received a Leica SL camera as a gift, inspiring him to explore new creative possibilities. In his essay for the book, Ballen reflects on this artistic evolution, stating, "As I had delved deeper into color photography, I had begun to appreciate how it adds a distinct ethereality and complexity to my work, enriching the psychological spaces within my images."
The shift to color photography prompted Ballen to re-examine fundamental aspects of his artistic approach, including his images' relationships to light, depth, texture, and form. The much-anticipated monograph features nearly 100 photographs that capture Ballen's bizarre world, where animals and Art Brut-like drawings dominate the composition while humanity appears only as obscure figures or fragmented body parts.
"Roger Ballen: Spirits and Spaces" is thoughtfully organized into six distinct sections, each accompanied by a brief preface written by Ballen himself to frame the particular grouping. The section titles—Childhood, Spectre, Animus, Shadow, Libido, and Chaos—reference Jungian archetypes of the subconscious, inviting viewers to deepen their engagement with the multiple layers present within each image. This structure encourages readers to explore their own psychological depths as they navigate Ballen's visual narrative.
The new color images featured in the monograph were created in collaboration with Ballen's artistic director, Marguerite Rossouw. These photographs were produced in a deliberately claustrophobic space constructed of worn, wallpapered wooden panels with minimalistic lighting. Within this dense, oppressive environment, Ballen creates what many might consider an unexplainable world where absurdity, chaos, comedy, and tragedy coexist in apparent harmony.
Throughout his work, Ballen masterfully combines symbolism and metaphor with shape and form to provide reference points that draw viewers into their own subconscious and memory banks. This technique has been a hallmark of his artistic approach for decades, allowing audiences to connect with deeper psychological themes through visual storytelling.
The monograph will be published with an introduction by Colin Rhodes and is scheduled for release on September 30, 2025. The hardcover edition will contain 91 photographs across 144 pages, measuring 11.4 x 12.1 inches. The book will be available with ISBN-10: 0500028923 and ISBN-13: 9780500028926, priced at £60, $40, and EUR 49 respectively.
