“Jo Ractliffe’s documentation of apartheid was distinct”

“I’m interested in the idea of the photograph as a complex yet open-ended space where meanings aren’t fixed but fluid. Questioning the constructs of photographic representation is a concern that underpins every aspect of my practice, whether I am responding in the moment or reflecting on something years later. Photographs are contradictory objects. They provide multiple versions of ‘reality.’ It’s important we challenge how we perceive and receive images. Also, the value of a work does not necessarily depend on its relevance in the moment. Sometimes the process of looking back through pictures and unravelling historical complexity affords us a deeper understanding of things now.” – Jo Ractliffe