Roger Ballen’s confronting photography holds an intensity that betrays deep stories lurking below the surface, subjects with a story to tell and scenes with intricate subtexts. He works in a style that allows and celebrates the untouched, raw details of real life – from the dirtied shirts of the twins (below) to the haunting, grimy backdrops he selected for later images. South African born and based, Ballen has often taken subjects from the remote villages of his native Johannesburg -faces with a unique naivety, coupled with a world-weariness from arduous physical labour and the harsh existence of the Transvaal.

This series in A#3 comes courtesy of Fifty One Fine Art Photography, who’s selection spans Ballen’s work from 1983 up until 2002. The evolution of his work is evident even in the few images shown here, with a move from pure photojournalism to a more conceptual style, with constructed pieces that capture powerful animalistic symbology, such as the ape skull below.

All images by Roger Ballen.