The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) has announced major donations from the Roger Ballen Foundation and the Eiger Foundation to Zeitz MOCAA’s endowment to establish and support a Centre for Photography at the museum.
The donations to the museum’s permanent collection include one signed edition of all work produced by Roger Ballen from 1968 – 1982, and one signed edition of all works produced from now until the artist’s death. The gifts are the largest financial donations received by the museum from a Foundation and the investment of the donations will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the museum and will also ensure a committed focus on photography as part of Zeitz MOCAA’s mission.
In recognition of this enormous support the Centre for Photography has been named the Roger Ballen Foundation Centre for Photography. In honour of the major support by Eiger Foundation, the Curator of Photography is named the Eiger Foundation Curator of Photography and one gallery in the Roger Ballen Foundation Centre for Photography is named the Eiger Foundation Gallery.
The Roger Ballen Foundation Centre for Photography is one of six centres within Zeitz MOCAA,
including the Costume Institute, and Centres for Art Education, for the Moving Image, for Performative Practice, and for Curatorial Excellence.
Azu Nwagbogu
The Foundation’s mission is to collect, preserve, research, and exhibit cutting edge contemporary photography, and artworks that use photography, from Africa and its Diaspora, to develop supporting educational and enrichment programs for all, to encourage intercultural understanding and guarantee access for all. The Centre will also exhibit temporary exhibitions of photographers from all over the world to expose local audiences and practitioners to the rich legacy of photography globally.
Azu Nwagbogu, the Founder and Director of Lagos Photo Festival, has been appointed as the Curator at Large of Photography at the Roger Ballen Foundation Centre for Photography. Gcotyelwa Mashiqa has been appointed as the AKO Foundation Assistant Curator of Photography.
More information can be found here.
Zeitz MOCAA is due to open to the public on 22 September 2017.
