A panorama of the career of South African photographer David Goldblatt, elucidating his artistic commitments, networks, and influence David Goldblatt: No Ulterior Motive coincides with a major traveling retrospective of the renowned South African photographers work. From vintage handprints of the artists black-and-white photography, taken between the 1950s and the 1990s, to his post-apartheid, large-format, color work, photographs in the volume are approached thematicallyunder headers such as Assembly, Disbelief, Dialogues, and Extractionto draw out the artists core interests in working-class people, the landscape, and the built environment. Objects from Goldblatts (19302018) personal archive are also included. In an effort to create a more inclusive dialogue around Goldblatts work, the catalogue features images and texts by contemporary photographers and scholars, many of whom were mentored by Goldblatt, including Zanele Muholi and Sabelo Mlangeni. Some write on Goldblatts photographs, while others discuss his influence on their own work. Goldblatt devoted his life to documenting his country and its people. Known for his nuanced portrayals of life under apartheid, he covered a wide range of subjects, all of them intimately connected to South African history and politics. The wide-ranging voices in this catalogue foster a broad frame of reference for his work, thus countering a frequent misunderstanding of apartheid as a situation peculiar to South Africa. Published in association with Fundación MAPFRE, Art Institute of Chicago, and Yale University Art Gallery Exhibition Schedule: Art Institute of Chicago (December 2, 2023March 25, 2024) MAPFRE, Madrid (May 29, 2024September 1, 2024) Yale University Art Gallery (February 21, 2025June 22, 2025)
