Exhibition: “Stephanus Meyer: Red Roots: Portraits from South African townships 

From March 27 to May 30, Casa Árabe is hosting this exhibition at its headquarters in Andalusia, as part of the Cordoba Photography Biennial. 

“Red Roots” captures the vibrant and complex essence of South Africa’s townships in 18 portraits. They are powerful, poignant images of everyday life that show both the struggles and hopes of its inhabitants.

Using the color red and the symbolic presence of trees in each image, a visual narrative rich in deep meaning emerges, in which the individual and the collective merge in a tale of life, struggle and hope. The color red, historically associated with passion, vitality, courage and energy, infuses the portraits with a palpable emotion which gives a voice to the subjects portrayed. The tree stands as a powerful backdrop, evoking African culture’s deep connection to the land, roots and growth.

This exhibition invites us to reflect upon the invisible connections existing between individuals and their community, on how personal and collective histories are woven into the fabric of everyday life.

As part of the Photography Biennial, Stephanus Meyer will be giving a workshop about street photography on May 10 and 11.

STEPHANUS MEYER (Zambia, 1964) Stephanus Meyer is a self-taught photographer whose work goes beyond mere technique, capturing the essence of everyday life. Born in Zambia and raised in South Africa, he has lived in Spain since the 1980s. His work encompasses social, street and documentary photography, with a particular focus on how light interacts with its surroundings. Meyer considers himself a passive observer who captures fleeting moments from city life without seeking out any specific object in particular, thus often reflecting invisible stories in the everyday gestures people perform. For him, each photograph is a unique snapshots which he seeks to share, revealing the hidden beauty that lies in everyday events. Meyer sees photography as a timeless process in which each image lies at the beginning of an ongoing conversation with the world. His photos, which mix the sublime and the vulgar, invite us to reflect upon the immortality of the moments he captures.

He has taken part in many different photographic events such as the official section of the Cordoba International Biennial of Photography in 2006 and the Granada International Biennial of Photography and Audiovisual Arts, as well as others, and he has been a finalist in several international competitions such as the Photography Masters Cup (USA), Chelsea International Photography Competition (New York), Fresh M.I.L.K. (New Zealand) and Festimage (Portugal), in addition to receiving a large number of special mentions and national awards. www.stephanusmeyer.com