Roger Ballen – Major New Photography Centre Opens in Johannesburg

Johannesburg cements its place on the global art map this September 3rd, with the unveiling of the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography with a groundbreaking debut exhibition exploring AI and the future of the image.

A bold new chapter for photography in Africa begins this September with the opening of the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography in Forest Town, Johannesburg. Founded by internationally acclaimed photographer Roger Ballen, and designed by award-winning architect Joe van Rooyen, the space is one of the few institutions on the continent dedicated entirely to photography. Across three halls, and including an extensive photographic bookstore, the new Centre offers space for reflection, experimentation, and critical engagement — from the archival to the avant-garde.

“It’s always been my goal to create a dedicated space for photography in South Africa. I founded the Roger Ballen Foundation almost 20 years ago to support local photographers, but the missing piece was always a venue. With this Centre, I hope to provide a platform for powerful photographic voices, both African and international, and to engage the public in a deeper reflection on image-making today.”

— Roger Ballen

The Centre launches with PSYCHOPOMP! — a provocative new exhibition curated by Berlin-based artist and theorist Boris Eldagsen, realised with the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), that explores the evolving role of AI-generated images as a mirror to the unconscious mind.

In support of the exhibition’s timely themes, Inge Herbert, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, notes:
“We believe in the power of creativity, innovation, and the free exchange of ideas. At a time when AI technologies are rapidly transforming how images are created, shared, and understood, it is vital to foster education that equips audiences and artists alike to navigate this new landscape.
By encouraging freedom of expression and critical engagement, we can help build a vibrant, sustainable creative ecosystem in which African voices contribute meaningfully to the global conversation on art and photography.”

Public Opening: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Opening Hours: Monday–Friday: 10.00–16.00; Saturday: 09.00–12.00

A New Centre for a Changing Medium
The Roger Ballen Centre for Photography is the latest initiative of the Inside Out Foundation, a non-profit organisation established to support cultural and educational projects in South Africa. It stands alongside its partner institution, the Inside Out Centre for the Arts, with which it shares a mission to spark public engagement through the image. While the Inside Out Centre continues to host multidisciplinary exhibitions like End of The Game, along with music, poetry, lectures and film, the new Photography Centre offers a dedicated space focused solely on photography — expanding the Foundation’s vision with an emphasis on both local and international image-making.

“Art is not just a form of expression — it’s a mirror to the times. This Centre exists to ask questions, raise standards, and grow new audiences for photography and the visual arts in South Africa and beyond.”

— Roger Ballen