Photographer Roger Ballen has become the first artist in his medium to create a comprehensive visual interpretation of Dante Alighieri's legendary work "Inferno," bringing a groundbreaking photographic perspective to the classic 14th-century text. The ambitious project, set for publication by Postcart in November 2025, represents a unique milestone in the artistic interpretation of one of literature's most influential works.
Dante's "Inferno," written at the dawn of the 14th century, has captivated and inspired artists and poets for over seven hundred years. Throughout history, numerous distinguished artists have created visual interpretations of Dante's verses, including renowned masters such as Botticelli, Blake, Flaxman, Doré, Dalí, Guttuso, and Rauschenberg. However, despite this rich tradition of artistic interpretation spanning centuries, no photographer had ever undertaken the challenge of translating Dante's powerful imagery into photographic form until now.
Ballen has embarked on this extraordinary artistic adventure at the peak of his distinguished career, which has evolved dramatically from his early documentary-style photographs of the 1980s to his current work creating what he calls his "Theater of Apparitions." This innovative approach represents a psychological theater composed of haunting visions featuring animals, humans, and spirits, demonstrating his unique artistic vision and technical mastery.
The comprehensive publication will feature sixty-eight photographs by Roger Ballen, carefully crafted to represent all thirty-four cantos of Dante Alighieri's masterpiece. The book will present the classic text in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's acclaimed 1867 English translation, pairing the timeless verses with Ballen's contemporary photographic interpretations. The project has been edited by Didi Bozzini, who has also contributed a preface to provide context for this unprecedented artistic collaboration between classical literature and modern photography.
