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Movie spotlight

Roger Ballen's Asylum of the Birds

2014
Movie
6 min
English

To mark the publication of his much-awaited new monograph, Asylum of the Birds, photographer Roger Ballen, with director Ben Crossman, has produced this psychologically powerful, unforgettable film that follows Roger into a world synonymous with his photographs, as never before seen on film.

Insights

IMDb7.1/10
Director: Ben CrossGenres: Documentary, Art

Plot Summary

This documentary offers an intimate look into the unique and unsettling world of photographer Roger Ballen and his South African studio, known as the 'Asylum of the Birds'. Ballen, renowned for his disturbingly surreal black-and-white images, invites viewers into a space where art, madness, and reality blur. The film explores the creation of his seminal series, 'Asylum of the Birds,' showcasing the artist's obsessive process and the strange, theatrical environment he cultivates with his subjects.

Critical Reception

Roger Ballen's Asylum of the Birds received critical acclaim for its visually striking and deeply immersive portrayal of an artist's unique creative process. Reviewers praised its ability to capture the unsettling yet captivating essence of Ballen's work, highlighting the film's success in translating his distinctive photographic style into a cinematic experience. The documentary was lauded for its exploration of art, psychology, and the boundaries of perception.

What Reviewers Say

  • Visually arresting and deeply unsettling exploration of an artist's unique world.

  • Captures the surreal and disturbing atmosphere of Roger Ballen's photographic work.

  • An immersive documentary that delves into the creative process and psychological depths of art.

Google audience: Information on specific Google user reviews for this documentary is not readily available in public databases.

Fun Fact

The 'Asylum of the Birds' is not a literal asylum but a dilapidated house in South Africa that Roger Ballen has transformed into a surreal studio space, filled with his found objects, drawings, and a multitude of birds, which feature prominently in his famous photographic series of the same name.

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