Jo Ractliffe - En ces lieux

Born in Cape Town in 1961, Jo Ractliffe is a major figure in contemporary photography, whose work has nevertheless been little shown in France. Ractliffe’s work is often associated with a discourse on the trauma of landscapes, inherited from colonialism, apartheid and the aftermath of the war in Angola.

This solo exhibition proposes, for the first time, to interrogate the notion of "place" as a central theme of her work. For the artist, the spaces she photographs are not merely geographical locations or terrains shaped by violence and history; they are also places imbued with emotion and bearers of memory. Her images capture both historical sites and seemingly ordinary landscapes, where absence is laden with meaning. They do not merely reveal the visible traces of the past but also bear witness to profound social and economic transformations.

Produced by the Jeu de Paume, the exhibition will present the evolution of Jo Ractliffe’s work from 1982 up to her very latest series, created for the occasion. Her approach positions itself as a counterpoint to social documentary photography. More inspired by literature than by journalism, the artist does not depict dramatic moments or violent scenes. Often after long periods of research and on-site exploration, Ractliffe captures the discreet yet powerful traces of her country’s history, inviting viewers to reflect on what appears and what remains invisible.

Curator: Pia Viewing

Cover: Video club, Roque Santeiro market, 2007, from the series Terreno Ocupado, vintage gelatin silver print, Courtesy of the artist and Stevenson gallery, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Amsterdam.