Adam Broomberg | |
---|---|
![]() Portrait of Adam Broomberg | |
Born | |
Years active | 1986–present |
Known for | Artist and human rights defender [1][ better source needed] |
Adam Broomberg (born November 11, 1970) is a South-African artist, art educator and activist currently based in Berlin, Germany. He is the co-founder and coordinator of the NGO Artists + Allies x Hebron alongside the Palestinian activist Issa Amro. [2] Broomberg's work often explores themes of conflict, power, and the representation of truth in contemporary society. Despite his prolific career, he remains committed to challenging existing power structures and using art as a means of fostering social change. His work continues to inspire and provoke viewers, inviting them to critically examine the world around them and confront uncomfortable truths.[ citation needed]
He grew up in a politically charged environment during the Apartheid era, which profoundly influenced his later artistic practice. Broomberg's upbringing in a racially segregated society shaped his awareness of social inequalities and fueled his desire to challenge dominant narratives through his work.[ citation needed]
In 1998, Broomberg received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Art from the University of Cape Town. He later pursued a Master of Fine Arts at Goldsmiths, University of London, [1] where he met Oliver Chanarin, a fellow student who would become his frequent collaborator.
Broomberg teaches and has held various academic positions.
He was professor of photography at the Hochschule für bildende Künste (HFBK) in Hamburg, Germany, from 2015 to 2021. [3] He was a faculty member on Photography & Society at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK in the Hague (a course he co-designed). Broomberg's commitment to education extends beyond the classroom, as he frequently leads workshops and lectures at international institutions.[ citation needed]
In the early 2000s he formed a creative partnership with fellow artist Oliver Chanarin (born in London, 1971). [4] Both were awarded the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize for their publication War Primer 2. [5] Their work has been celebrated for its intellectual rigor, technical innovation, and ability to spark meaningful dialogue. [6] Several exhibitions, projects and publications have resulted from this collaboration until they parted with a retrospective in Barcelona: [7]
In 2013 he and Oliver Chanarin "spent a month in South Africa" to highlight the skin colour bias of photography during Apartheid when they took pictures "on decades-old film that had been engineered with only white faces in mind. [23] They used Polaroid's vintage ID-2 camera, which had a "boost" button to increase the flash – enabling it to be used to photograph black people for the notorious passbooks, or "dompas", that allowed the state to control their movements."
Another project with Oliver Chanarin is Spirit is a Bone in which they try to tackle the dangers of facial recognition (e.g. in Russia) which highlights how the photographed faces do not show any contact between object and photographer and, reduced to their jobs, thus become "[...] the digital equivalent of a death mask". [24]
In 2016 just before the Brexit referendum he and Oliver Chanarin designed and sold ethically made t-shirts bearing the slogan "Baby It’s Cold Outside" [25] referencing the 1940s eponymous Christmas song to protest against a possible exit from the EU. "My family escaped Europe before the holocaust, I grew up in Africa, I learnt to be an artist in Italy and I’ve lived in England for 20 years. I feel at home in the world.” said Broomberg in an interview with Dazed Digital. [26]
In addition to his collaborative projects, Broomberg has worked and has exhibited internationally. His photographs often evoke a sense of intimacy and vulnerability, encouraging viewers to confront uncomfortable truths and question established norms.[ citation needed] His solo exhibitions have been held in galleries and institutions worldwide, including the Tate Modern in London, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. His work is included in the collections of institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Listed below are the most recent: [27]
Throughout his career, Broomberg has received numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to the field of contemporary art.
When he was 16 he founded a political organisation called "Linx" in South Africa alongside other young students such as Yaёl Farber aimed at conscientising young white South Africans about Apartheid.
Later the same year he complained about the art market (notably Miami Basel) doing "business as usual" after the election win of Donald Trump. To “counter the voices of modern fascism”, Broomberg created Hands off our Revolution, [35] a collaborative web-based art project involving artists, thinkers and researchers. “The language of revolution has been usurped by the right again,” opens the manifesto. “This time, the threat, in the form of Donald Trump’s ‘whitelash’ fascism, is not just apparent in the United States. Trump’s election has emboldened the right wing throughout the world.”
Founded by Broomberg this initiative focuses on the extensive surveillance methods created by Israeli authorities to monitor Palestinians in and around Hebron. Because of their extensive use of facial recognition technology it is therefore dubbed "Facebook for Palestinians". [2] This same technology was used in a project called "Counter-Surveillance: H2" in which technology that was previously used to watch Palestinians was converted to protect the olive tree harvest. [36] In another project Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was invited to an “informal conversation” in regards to how the pandemic challenged social interaction. [37]
In February 2023 he defended himself in a Zeit article [38] against allegations of Antisemitism by Stefan Hensel, the commissioner against Antisemitism for Hamburg. [39] Broomberg said he was afraid about his future in Germany and defended his support for BDS.
He spoke out in a 2021 taz article [3] against the Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg (HFBK) which ended their collaboration with him since he identified the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories as "apartheid". Furthermore he asked artists worldwide to pull their artworks out of the Zabludowicz Art Trust. According to Broomberg, Spinwatch and Middle East Monitor reports, Chaim "Poju" Zabludowicz and his wife Anita Zabludowicz have amassed an internationally exhibited art collection of 5,000 works to date; however, the Art Trust is supposedly funded by arms money from Israeli industries. [40] Poju Zabludowicz reportedly obtained his fortune through his father's arms trade. "It is now well known that the Zabludowicz family is central to the relationship between Britain and Israel," Broomberg says. [41]
Adam Broomberg | |
---|---|
![]() Portrait of Adam Broomberg | |
Born | |
Years active | 1986–present |
Known for | Artist and human rights defender [1][ better source needed] |
Adam Broomberg (born November 11, 1970) is a South-African artist, art educator and activist currently based in Berlin, Germany. He is the co-founder and coordinator of the NGO Artists + Allies x Hebron alongside the Palestinian activist Issa Amro. [2] Broomberg's work often explores themes of conflict, power, and the representation of truth in contemporary society. Despite his prolific career, he remains committed to challenging existing power structures and using art as a means of fostering social change. His work continues to inspire and provoke viewers, inviting them to critically examine the world around them and confront uncomfortable truths.[ citation needed]
He grew up in a politically charged environment during the Apartheid era, which profoundly influenced his later artistic practice. Broomberg's upbringing in a racially segregated society shaped his awareness of social inequalities and fueled his desire to challenge dominant narratives through his work.[ citation needed]
In 1998, Broomberg received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Art from the University of Cape Town. He later pursued a Master of Fine Arts at Goldsmiths, University of London, [1] where he met Oliver Chanarin, a fellow student who would become his frequent collaborator.
Broomberg teaches and has held various academic positions.
He was professor of photography at the Hochschule für bildende Künste (HFBK) in Hamburg, Germany, from 2015 to 2021. [3] He was a faculty member on Photography & Society at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK in the Hague (a course he co-designed). Broomberg's commitment to education extends beyond the classroom, as he frequently leads workshops and lectures at international institutions.[ citation needed]
In the early 2000s he formed a creative partnership with fellow artist Oliver Chanarin (born in London, 1971). [4] Both were awarded the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize for their publication War Primer 2. [5] Their work has been celebrated for its intellectual rigor, technical innovation, and ability to spark meaningful dialogue. [6] Several exhibitions, projects and publications have resulted from this collaboration until they parted with a retrospective in Barcelona: [7]
In 2013 he and Oliver Chanarin "spent a month in South Africa" to highlight the skin colour bias of photography during Apartheid when they took pictures "on decades-old film that had been engineered with only white faces in mind. [23] They used Polaroid's vintage ID-2 camera, which had a "boost" button to increase the flash – enabling it to be used to photograph black people for the notorious passbooks, or "dompas", that allowed the state to control their movements."
Another project with Oliver Chanarin is Spirit is a Bone in which they try to tackle the dangers of facial recognition (e.g. in Russia) which highlights how the photographed faces do not show any contact between object and photographer and, reduced to their jobs, thus become "[...] the digital equivalent of a death mask". [24]
In 2016 just before the Brexit referendum he and Oliver Chanarin designed and sold ethically made t-shirts bearing the slogan "Baby It’s Cold Outside" [25] referencing the 1940s eponymous Christmas song to protest against a possible exit from the EU. "My family escaped Europe before the holocaust, I grew up in Africa, I learnt to be an artist in Italy and I’ve lived in England for 20 years. I feel at home in the world.” said Broomberg in an interview with Dazed Digital. [26]
In addition to his collaborative projects, Broomberg has worked and has exhibited internationally. His photographs often evoke a sense of intimacy and vulnerability, encouraging viewers to confront uncomfortable truths and question established norms.[ citation needed] His solo exhibitions have been held in galleries and institutions worldwide, including the Tate Modern in London, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. His work is included in the collections of institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Listed below are the most recent: [27]
Throughout his career, Broomberg has received numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to the field of contemporary art.
When he was 16 he founded a political organisation called "Linx" in South Africa alongside other young students such as Yaёl Farber aimed at conscientising young white South Africans about Apartheid.
Later the same year he complained about the art market (notably Miami Basel) doing "business as usual" after the election win of Donald Trump. To “counter the voices of modern fascism”, Broomberg created Hands off our Revolution, [35] a collaborative web-based art project involving artists, thinkers and researchers. “The language of revolution has been usurped by the right again,” opens the manifesto. “This time, the threat, in the form of Donald Trump’s ‘whitelash’ fascism, is not just apparent in the United States. Trump’s election has emboldened the right wing throughout the world.”
Founded by Broomberg this initiative focuses on the extensive surveillance methods created by Israeli authorities to monitor Palestinians in and around Hebron. Because of their extensive use of facial recognition technology it is therefore dubbed "Facebook for Palestinians". [2] This same technology was used in a project called "Counter-Surveillance: H2" in which technology that was previously used to watch Palestinians was converted to protect the olive tree harvest. [36] In another project Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was invited to an “informal conversation” in regards to how the pandemic challenged social interaction. [37]
In February 2023 he defended himself in a Zeit article [38] against allegations of Antisemitism by Stefan Hensel, the commissioner against Antisemitism for Hamburg. [39] Broomberg said he was afraid about his future in Germany and defended his support for BDS.
He spoke out in a 2021 taz article [3] against the Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg (HFBK) which ended their collaboration with him since he identified the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories as "apartheid". Furthermore he asked artists worldwide to pull their artworks out of the Zabludowicz Art Trust. According to Broomberg, Spinwatch and Middle East Monitor reports, Chaim "Poju" Zabludowicz and his wife Anita Zabludowicz have amassed an internationally exhibited art collection of 5,000 works to date; however, the Art Trust is supposedly funded by arms money from Israeli industries. [40] Poju Zabludowicz reportedly obtained his fortune through his father's arms trade. "It is now well known that the Zabludowicz family is central to the relationship between Britain and Israel," Broomberg says. [41]