Goldblatt, David. David Goldblatt 55.

Phaidon, 2001. Photographs of South Africa with intro and explanatory texts by Lesley Lawson. Wraps, as issued (not issued in hardcover). Stamped "non-mint copy" on title page but no obvious defects other than very slight rubbing on rear cover. Summary:

David Goldblatt (Phaidon 55s) is an accessible, pocket-sized monograph written by Leslie Lawson and published by Phaidon Press in 2001. Part of Phaidon's celebrated "55" series, which honors the world's most influential photographers, this 128-page volume serves as an excellent entry point into the life and work of the legendary South African photographer.

Key Themes & Highlights

• Chronological Retrospective: True to the series format, the book presents 55 of Goldblatt's most significant photographs arranged in chronological order, spanning from his early work in the 1960s up to his contemporary projects. This structure allows readers to track his conceptual development, aesthetic evolution, and increasing political focus.

• The Nuance of Apartheid South Africa: The selected photographs provide a thorough visual investigation into South African society during and after the apartheid regime. The volume showcases Goldblatt's distinct ability to capture the subtle, systemic complexities and everyday structures of racial division without resorting to sensationalist photojournalism.

• Critical Essays and Commentaries: The monograph is anchored by a 4,000-word introductory essay by Lawson, a writer, photographer, and filmmaker specializing in South African social issues. Additionally, each of the 55 featured plates is paired with an insightful commentary that contextualizes the image, providing the historical and personal background behind the shot.

• Biographical Profile: The book includes a concise biography of Goldblatt, offering readers crucial context regarding his upbringing as the child of Lithuanian-Jewish immigrants in a gold-mining town, his self-taught roots, and his eventual rise to international renown.

David Goldblatt (1930–2018) was a preeminent South African photographer whose career spanned more than six decades, best known for his unflinching yet deeply nuanced documentation of his country before, during, and after apartheid. Born to Jewish immigrant parents in the gold-mining town of Randfontein, Goldblatt eschewed the sensationalism of typical news photography, choosing instead to capture the quiet, insidious ways racial segregation and ideology became etched into South Africa’s people, landscapes, and everyday architecture. Through landmark projects like Some Afrikaners Photographed and The Structure of Things Then, he examined the complex moral landscape of the white middle class and the systemic oppression of the Black majority with immense precision and restraint. Beyond his own camera work, Goldblatt was a passionate advocate for future artists, founding Johannesburg's Market Photo Workshop in 1989, which served as a crucial, accessible training ground for generations of socially conscious photographers. His profound contribution to visual culture was recognized globally, culminating in the prestigious Hasselblad Award in 2006.