African photographs

Award winning South African photographer Pieter Hugo, with his fascination of those who occupy the social margins and peripheries, brings us Permanent Error. An investigation of Ghana’s digital dumping ground, a barren stretch of toxic wasteland known as Agbogbloshie, reveals the resilience of its workers who return our gaze with a quiet strength, much like the docility of its cattle inhabitants. The subjects tenacity is juxtaposed against the backdrop of a smoke filled space of obsolete destruction and contamination resulting from the global shipping of millions of tonnes of digital refuse. Atop mountains of flaming motherboards, the subjects maintain a posture of confidence and dignity which make for a series of starkly powerful images.

A special edition of Permanent Error accompanies our current exhibition, Thirteen Works, which showcases a selection of Hugo’s oeuvre, on show until August 21st, 2016.