David Goldblatt is an exemplary documentary photographer, whose work is a life long observation of the social and political developments within South African society. Goldblatt has evolved in
his vision as much as the society he has documented, by putting his finger on the pulse of change and its vulnerability. He has been concerned to explore the relationship between individual
subjects and the structures within which they live. His interest in the violent history of his country, and his awareness of the symbolic significance of architecture form an extraordinary
statement both personal and socio-political. Photography, in the words of David Goldblatt, reveals "something of the subtlety and ambiguity of our shifting and frequently contradictory
perceptions of reality." His acute historical and political perception provides a sense of the texture of daily life, and in important piece of missing information regarding life under
apartheid in South Africa.
This book is the first chance to see how his new colour work relates to his earlier black and white photography, and to understand the natural progression to be found in his work.
