Inside Out Center for the Arts Opens in Johannesburg March 28

The Inside Out Center for the Arts, an initiative of the Roger Ballen Foundation (founded in 2008), will open on March 28 after years of planning. Located near the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Museum and the Joburg Contemporary Art Foundation (JCAF), the building was designed by JVR Architects and includes administrative offices, Ballen's archive, a printing press, and exhibition spaces. The concrete structure features a corrugated fence and a suspended cylinder evoking a ship, a lighthouse, and a film canister. The center will host exhibitions tied to African cultural and socio-political issues, combining aesthetics, concept, education, and dream-like qualities. The inaugural show, "End of the Game," addresses the origins of African safaris from 1860 to 1935, questioning the destruction of nature and humanity's relationship with animals. Ballen, a New York-born photographer based in South Africa for over 30 years, is known for his black-and-white Rolleiflex work exploring the human psyche. His work is held by Tate Britain, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Maison Européenne de la Photographie. The center will also offer seminars, roundtables, masterclasses, book presentations, and a special high school program.