An exhibition of photographs by Ellen Elmendorp, titled, Trekkers; Fishermen at Sunrise Beach, False Bay, at the UCT Irma Stern Museum. Trekkers will run from 26 Novemeber until 7 December 2019.
Ellen Elmendorp is a Dutch photographer who came to South Africa in 1988 after living in Europe and Latin America. Her first job was as picture editor with the photo agency Afrapix in Johannesburg. This brought her into contact with some of the best photographers in the country.
She also worked as a photo-journalist and produced among many other projects a photo and text essay for the British Guardian newspaper on the aftermath of the communist regime in Rumania. She did a photo essay for the New York Times on virginity testing in Kwazulu-Natal which was also published in the book ‘Women by Women, 50 years of women’s photography in South Africa”.
Her work as documentary and portrait photographer has been published in international and local magazines and newspapers and has been exhibited.
Trekkers – Artist Statement by Ellen Elmendorp
The photo story I have been working on this year has drawn my attention and interest for years. I often swam and walked along Sunrise Beach and would see in the distance the trekkers pulling in their nets. I would buy the freshest of fish : cob, harder, yellowtail. In the old days also steenbras but they now have to throw them and other endangered species back into the sea.
Spending the past months photographing these fishermen has only increased my respect for their work, their incredible physical strength and their deep knowledge of the sea, fish and season. At the same time I was struck by the aesthetic element of trekking and with these photographs not only wanted to capture what trekkers do but also the beauty of it.
WHERE: UCT Irma Stern Museum, 21 Cecil Rd, Rosebank, Cape Town 7700
WHEN: Opening by Christopher Peter on 26 November at 6pm. Closes 7 December 2019. HOURS: Tuesday-Friday from 10am to 5pm, Saturday from 10am to 2pm
INFO: T 021 650 7240 / 1 Visit
