George Hallett
George Hallett George Hallett

George Hallett

b. Cape Town, South Africa, 1942; d.  Cape Town, 2020.

Best known for his photographs documenting South African exiles, George Hallett has always been concerned with generating positive, affirming images of his human subjects.

Education

1980-83: Graduate Programme in Film and Television, New York University, New York.
1967: Transvaal Art Academy, Johannesburg.
1959-63: Apprentice to the Block and Leo Wald, Sculpture, Pottery, and Plastics Foundry.

Solo Exhibitions - International

2023: Embedded Text - Embodied Narratives. Peltz Gallery, Birkbeck, London.
2018: George Hallett: Portraits of Nelson Mandela. Dégagements Henry Le Bœuf, Brussels
2010: 1994 Elections and Mandela’s Vision, Parliament of Bremen, Germany.
2010: Portraits from Exile, Bonhams, London.
2005: South African Exiles of the ’70’s and ’80’s in Europe, Spitz Gallery, London.
2004: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Exhibition, Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry, UK.
2002: Handsworth Through Southern Eyes. Soho House Museum, Birmingham , UK.
2001: Dance for All, The Aschegach Gallery, Amsterdam.
2000: Dance for All, Maidenhead Cultural Centre, UK.
1989: Afrika Centrum, Cadier en Keer, Maastricht.
1988: Künstforum der Sozialdemokratie, Bonn, Germany.
1985: University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, USA.
1982: Women of Southern Africa, Conference Centre, Harare, Zimbabwe.
1982: McKinley Foundation, University of Illinois, USA.
1980: Atelier Six, Ceret, France.
1979: Portraits of African Writers, Frankfurter Büchmesse, Germany.
1979: Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin.
1975: Midi Libre Journal, Perpignan, France.
1973: Susan Loppert Graphics, London.
1973: John Hansard Gallery, Southhampton University, England.
1972: Anne Frank Huis, Amsterdam. (With Louis Maurice & Gerard Sekoto).
1972: Prësence Africaine, Salle de La Siem, Paris.
1971: Westekerk, Amsterdam.

Solo Exhibitions - South Africa

2019: George Hallett, Gallery MOMO, Johannesburg.
2018: George Hallett, Gallery MOMO Cape Town.
2019: The Making of an African Master. Gallery MOMO, Cape Town
2016: Geodesy -33.923429,18.413935. Gallery MOMO, Cape Town
2015: George Hallett: Same Same but Different. Gallery MOMO, Cape Town.
2013: George Hallett: A Nomad’s Harvest, Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town.
2010: Impressions of Italy, Artscape, Cape Town.
2009: A Photographic Journey. Helderberg Photographic Society, Western Cape
2007: Portraits of African Writers, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
2006: Portraits of African Writers, The Cape Town International Book Fair, Cape Town.
1999: The Face of Bo-Kaap, Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum, Cape Town.
1995: Transformation, 1994 Elections, Irma Stern Museum, Cape Town.
1970: The Artists’ Gallery, Cape Town.

Group Exhibitions - International

2018: Independence Remixed, Recontres de la Photographie Africaine de Bamako, Mali.
2010: Strengths and Convictions, Nobel Peace Centre, Oslo.
2010: Sudafrikanische Fotografie 1950-2010, Willy Brandt Huis, Berlin.
2010: Then and Now: Eight South African Photographer presented by Paul Weinberg. Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm, Australia.
2007: Then and Now, Eight South African Photographers, USA; Sweden; and Australia.
2004: Raise your Voice, NIZA, Amsterdam.
2001: Soweto - A South African Legend, Gasteig Kultuzentrum, Reis Museum, Willy Brant Haus, Stadhaus, Germany, Goethe Institute, Johannesburg, Regina Mundi Church, Soweto
2000: Rhizomes of Memory (with David Goldblatt and Santu Mofokeng), Henie Onstad Cultural Centre, Oslo.
1999: Recontres de la Photographie Africaine de Bamako, Mali.
1998: Portraits of District Six Survivors, Netherlands.
1995: World Press Photo Expo, 40 countries in 70 cities.
1986: Allemaal Amsterdammers, Stadhuis, Amsterdam.
1984: 14 Black Photographers, Schomburg Centre for Research in Black Culture, New York.
1984: Black Photography from South Africa to South Carolina, Castillo Gallery, New York.
1982: Culture and Resistance Festival, The National Museum of Botswana, Gaborone.
1973: Serpentine Gallery, London.

Group Exhibitions - South Africa

2022: Customs. A4 Arts Foundation, Cape Town.
2018: The Making of an African Master, Gallery MOMO, Cape Town. 
2017: A Continent Beyond. Gallery MOMO, Cape Town
2015: In Print/In Focusthe Michaelis Gallery, the University of Cape Town, Cape Town. 
2011: Photography 1950-2010. Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria.
2010: 1910-2010: From Pierneef to Gugulective, Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town.
2009: Strengths and Convictions, Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town. 
2008: Then and Now, Eight South African Photographers, The Castle, Cape Town.
2006: Dumile Feni Retrospective, Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg; and Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town.
1999: Black Perspectives, Sanlam Gallery, Bellville, Cape Town.
1999: Lines of Sight: Perspectives on South African Photography, Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town. 
1999: Eye Africa Expo, The Castle, Cape Town.
1999: One City Many Cultures, Iziko South African National Museum, Cape Town. 
1997: District Six Revisited, District Six Museum, Cape Town.
1969: New Photography, University of Cape Town.

Films

1998: Morokaners uit Amsterdam, 20 minute information video directed by George Hallett for the Ministerie van Volkswelzijn en Kultuur
1974: District Six Documentary for ITV (provided stills and consultant on production with writer Alex La Guma, London)

Collections

Anne Frank Foundation, Amsterdam.
Documenta, Germany.
Sonja Henie-Nils Onstad Collection, Norway.
Birmingham Central Library, UK.
Schomburg Centre for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library, New York.
Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town.
Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum, Cape Town.
District Six Museum, Cape Town.
Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa.
Mayibuye Centre, University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
Sached Educational Trust, Cape Town
The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town
Metropolitan Life Insurance, Johannesburg.
Bensusan Museum of Photography, Johannesburg.
The Open Learning Systems Education Trust, Johannesburg.

Publications (as author/photographer, photo editor and/or consultant)

2010: Lombard, Rashid. Jazz Rocks (as editor and designer).
2008:
Mzileni, Mike. All that Jazz: A Pictorial Tribute (as photo editor, with Steven Macbeth)
2007-2008: Sawubona [in-flight magazine for SAA] (as photographic consultant)
2007: District Six Revisited, Wits University Press (editor and contributing photographer, along with Clarence Coulson, Wilfred Paulse, Jackie Heynes, and graphics by Gavin Jantjes)
2006: Hallett, George. Portraits of African Writers, Wits University Press, Johannesburg.
2006: Women by Women: 50 Years of Women’s Photography in South Africa, Wits University Press (project director and editor with Neo Ntsoma and Robin Cromley).
2006: Hallett, George and Langa, Mandla. Y2Y Youth to Youth: 30 Years After Soweto, Wits University Press (project director and editor).
2004:Hallett, George. Moving In Time: Images of Life in a Democratic South Africa. KMM Publishers. 
1979: Hallett, George. George Hallett: Images, BLAC Publishing House, Athlone, Cape Town

Publications (photographs featured in publications)

2009: Jantjes, Gavin. (ed.) Strengths and Convictions.
2008: Eyene, Christine. The Human Face of History, Art South Africa vol 6 no 3.
2008: Currey, James. Africa Writes Back, Wits University Press.
2007: Weinberg, Paul (ed.), Then and Now: Eight South African Photographers, The Highveld Press. 
2006: Prince Mbusi Dube (ed.), Dumile Feni Retrospective, Wits University Press.
2003: Faber, Paul. Group Portrait South Africa: Nine Family Histories, Kwela Books & KIT Publishers.
2001: Khoisan, Zenzile. Jakaranda Time: An Investigator's View Of South Africa's Truth And Reconciliation Commission, Garib Communications.
2001: Clark, George Makana. The Raw Man, Transition, Duke University Press.
2001: Adams, Keith (ed.), We came for Mandela: the Cultural Life of the Refugee Community in Cape Town, Footprints Publishers.
2000: Willemse, Hein (ed.), More than Brothers:Peter Clarke & James Matthews at 70, Kwela Books. [Photo essay on Livingstone High School].
1998: Krog, Antjie. Country of My Skull, Random House (book cover).
1996: [Calendar], Spoornet.
1995: World Press Photo, Thames & Hudson.
1995: Lombard, Rashid (ed.), Images of Change, Nolwazi Educational Publishers (photos by George Hallett).
1991: South African Short Stories, Readers Digest.
1990: [Photographic Essay on South African Exile Artists], Leadership, vol 9.
1988: [Calendar], Holland Committee on South Africa.
1973: Pieterse, Cosmo. Present Lives Future Becoming, Hickey Press.
1970s-1980s: Heineman’s African Writers Series book covers.
1970s: Staffrider, Johannesburg.
1970: [Photographic essay, District Six] Contrast, Cape and Transvaal Printers.
1968: [Photographic essay, jazz images], Contrast vol 5, Cape and Transvaal Printers.

Awards

1999: Cape Times, One City Many Cultures. Winner: Picture story category.
1996: Jury of World Press Photo, Amsterdam.
1995: World Press Photo. 3rd Prize Golden Eye Award.
1980: Hasselblad Camera, Sweden. Award for Outstanding Contributions to Photography

Commissions

Nobel Foundation; Norway.
Terres des Hommes; Switzerland.
Cameroon Airlines, Cameroon.
Sentinelle Press; Paris.
Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin.
Documenta 12, Germany.
The Department of Arts & Culture, South Africa.
Parliament of South Africa.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, South Africa.
African National Congress.
Oasis Asset Management, Johannesburg.
Metropolitan Life Insurance, Johannesburg.
PetroSA.
Spoornet.
Random House.
Jacana Publishers, South Africa.
ESP Africa, Johannesburg.
Artscape Theatre, Cape Town,
The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town.
Bush Radio
Shatima Bea Benjamin, New York.
District Six Museum, Cape Town.

Teaching (Courses and lectures)

2008: Voicings programme theme democracy, St Cloud State University, Minnesota.
2002-2007: Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
2001: Oslo Foto Kunst Skole, Norway.
1998-1999: Workshops, Institute for the Advancement of Journalism, Johannesburg.
1998-1999: School for International Training, University of Cape Town.
1998-1999: Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum, Cape Town.
1993: School of Photography, Cape Town.
1987: St Martins School of Art, London.
1985: .Centre for Foreigners, Amsterdam.
1982; University of Illinois, Michigan State University, Emory University, Tuskeegee Institute, Howard University, USA.
1981-1982: ZIMCO, Harare.
1972-1973: Central London Polytechnic, London.

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