On Monday, 29 January Marc Shoul’s photographic exhibition, Landsman opened at The South African Jewish Museum. This well-attended event attracted a mix of ages to the museum.
Louis Blond, senior lecturer in Jewish Religion and Jewish Thought in the Department of Religious Studies at UCT, introduced the exhibition. Blond provided an engaging analysis of Shoul’s work and comparison to other photographic influences. Blonde reflected on the circumspect nature of Landsman noting that, “Shoul is interested in observing the familiarity of the unfamiliar”.
Shoul’s Landsman series was inspired by his wife’s conversion to Judaism. His photographs provide a lens into contemporary Jewish Life in Johannesburg. His work will be familiar to any Jewish South African.
Working largely in portraiture and social documentary Shoul’s photography has been widely featured in international and local exhibitions and publications. As Shoul reflects, taking someone’s portrait is intimate. “There’s something that can be very special or telling of that event. I am always attempting to show something of the essence of the person. That is something you either recognise by yourself or are surprised by”.
Shoul’s powerful imagery will be on display at The South African Jewish Museum until March.
