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Morning Blues, from the series "Men Only"

A work made of gelatin silver print.
© Sabelo Mlangeni

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  • A work made of gelatin silver print.

Date:

2009

Artist:

Sabelo Mlangeni
South African, 1980

About this artwork

Born in rural South Africa and trained at Johannesburg’s Market Photo Workshop—a combined school, gallery, and project space that has been pivotal to photographic education in South Africa—Sabelo Mlangeni explores personal dignity in environments that often erase it. This intimate image is set in an all-male hostel occupied by taxi drivers, security guards, and other ubiquitous yet largely invisible members of society, including those seeking work. After taking two years to gain residents’ trust, Mlangeni lived for weeks in the hostel. The lingering effects of apartheid—South Africa’s former system of legalized segregation—limit the racial makeup and economic prospects of residents and foster assumptions about their purported violence and illegal activities. Looking past these stereotypes led Mlangeni to photograph fragments of life that “capture the normality that exists in an abnormal, unnatural situation.”

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Photography and Media

Artist

Sabelo Mlangeni

Title

Morning Blues, from the series "Men Only"

Place

Africa (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 2009

Medium

Gelatin silver print

Dimensions

Image: 34.5 × 23 cm (13 5/8 × 9 1/16 in.); Paper: 37.6 × 25.8 cm (14 13/16 × 10 3/16 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by an anonymous donor

Reference Number

2016.30

Copyright

© Sabelo Mlangeni

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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