My favorite gallery was the Yossi Milo Gallery, which displayed many photographs by Pieter Hugo.  Here are some of the pictures that I took there:

Our tour guide pointed out that this collection of photographs, which were  taken in South Africa, was probably influenced by Apartheid.  Once she highlighted this angle that the pictures were taken from, I was able to better understand my emotions relating to the collection; right from the first picture, I felt a sense of desolation and despair.  I think the above picture of the tree is really in line with this idea.  The fog in the background, the single tree in the landscape, and one man laying alone under this tree, are all synthesized in one picture to perfectly capture a sense of haunted loneliness.  Also, the picture next to it spoke to me of chaos and destruction, which is symbolic of the political undercurrents of South Africa during the time of Apartheid.

In addition, many of the photos were of human beings, mostly Africans.  Most of them were posing with blank-looking stares and faces devoid of hope:

I especially liked how Hugo chose to comment on Apartheid through the point of view of the Africans, as opposed to the white’s.  Most of the photographs were designed to show the viewers the terrible political and social situation the country was in through the perspective of the Africans.  Seeing the pictures, I instinctively empathized with them and wished that they didn’t look so hopeless and feel so much pain.  In general, I really loved the tensions and emotions displayed in this gallery and the way they were able to evoke such emotion in me.  I think it’s a mark of Hugo’s skill and creative vision that he’s able to take these pictures and display them in such a way that the viewers are engaged and emotionally invested.