Library Talks | ‘Life Itself’: Photography and South Africa with Simon Clarke

Simon Clarke’s new book ‘Life Itself: Photography and South Africa’ charts the photographic history of the country from colonialism to democracy, from the early European photographers to work today by young South Africans. ‘Life Itself’ explores how people, events and places have been depicted in photographic images over the decades.

Featuring images from the heyday of Drum magazine and Black emergence to Peter Magubane’s Soweto uprising pictures, David Goldblatt’s In Boksburg to the photographers’ collective Afrapix and the struggles for freedom, the book concludes with post-apartheid documentary and art photography in the work of Andrew Tshabangu, Lindokuhle Sobekwa and others.

Simon is a photographer, writer and anthropologist. He grew up in St Ives and is now based a few miles away in Nancledra. He has lived in Africa, lecturing in fine art at Kenyatta University, Nairobi. His recent research in Africa has involved fieldwork in South Africa for ‘Life Itself’.

Tickets are allocated by a ballot system. Please email enquiries@morrablibrary.org.uk or call 01736 364474 to be entered into the ballot for a ticket. The ballot closes on Wednesday 7th May.

Entry to this event is free but donations are welcomed to help support The Morrab Library (suggested £5).