Abstract
In South Africa under apartheid, portrait images displayed in private homes emphasised the dignity of their subjects and the stability of family life during a period of indignity and social upheaval. But when interviewing families about them, one often encounters sensitivity issues of the sort too often passed over by scholars and curators who valorise studio practices without consulting the actual subjects of the images. These include a range of anxieties about repackaging for display in new contexts and for broader audiences, as well as basic copyright and authorship concerns in common with other African and 'family' photographies. The particular anxieties themselves speak to the local histories of how these self-images were used and lived. This essay argues for a closer consideration and a new ethics for looking at and writing about these pictures. It is based on research since 2010 on family collections of photographs in South Africa's Black urban neighbourhoods.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.