Yale University Press David Goldblatt: No Ulterior Motive

Renowned South African photographer David Goldblatt (1930–2018) devoted his life to documenting his country and its people. Known for his nuanced portrayals of life under apartheid, Goldblatt covered a wide range of subjects, all of them intimately connected to South African history and politics. The catalogue, which follows MAPFRE’s well-known design format, includes in-depth essays by Judy Ditner and Leslie Wilson and an extensive plate section that illustrates all of the objects in the exhibition. From vintage handprints of the artist’s black-and-white work, taken between the 1950s and the 1990s, to his post-apartheid, large-format, colour work, these photographs are grouped under headers such as “Assembly”, “Disbelief”, “Dialogues”, and “Extraction” to draw out the artist’s core interests in working-class people, the landscape, and the built environment (ranging from humble homes to state monuments). An additional section featuring objects from Goldblatt’s personal archive―prints, negatives, transparencies, correspondence, and more, now held at Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library―is also included. Art Institute of Chicago (23 November, 2023 – 24 March, 2024) MAPFRE (29 May, 2024 – 1 September, 2024) Yale University Art Gallery (21 February, 2025 – 22 June, 2025)