Lebohang Kganye's 'The Work of Shadows' exhibition at La Patinoire Royale Bach explores family and apartheid history

South African artist Lebohang Kganye presents 'The Work of Shadows' at La Patinoire Royale Bach gallery in Brussels through July 10, 2025. The exhibition features photographic works exploring family history and apartheid's legacy through innovative forms. Kganye, born in 1990 in Katlehong, South Africa, describes photography as language central to her practice. Works include life-size cardboard cutouts depicting genealogical scenes from 2018's 'Mohlokomedi wa Tora,' fabric patchwork portraits of family members from 2022-23's 'Mosebetsi wa Dirithi,' lightboxes with lighthouse keeper narratives, and a 22-panel installation with drawings transforming into documentary video. The exhibition draws comparisons to photographer David Goldblatt, whose 2018 retrospective at Centre Pompidou in Paris documented South Africa's apartheid era with accompanying texts. Kganye trained at Market Photo Workshop, founded by Goldblatt in 1989 to provide photography education during apartheid. She previously represented South Africa at the 59th Venice Biennale. The exhibition's scenography features a fragmented, staccato progression through the gallery nave.