Art Club Cape Town: Book Launch
Photo book! Photo-book! Photobook!
In 2020, writer and curator Sean O’Toole embarked on a long-term research project focusing on the South African photobook. Supported by A4 Arts Foundation, the project included two exhibitions – presented in Cape Town in 2022 and Kyoto, Japan, in 2026 – and culminated with the publication of the sumptuous new book, Photo book! Photo-book! Photobook! But what exactly is a photobook? And why do photobooks matter in understanding South Africa’s rich photographic history? Sean will answer these and many other questions around this neglected area of art publishing.
Following his presentation, Sean will offer a guided tour of his selection for July ART. Titled Friends, Allies and the Odd Stranger, Sean’s eclectic session gathers select photobooks profiled in his new book, as well as artists he has written about across his 25 years as an art critic. The selection also includes works by artists who wrote art criticism.
About Sean O’Toole
Sean O’Toole is an award-winning writer, journalist, editor and curator based in Cape Town. He has written extensively about art and culture for various print and online media globally. His books include Irma Stern: African in Europe – European in Africa (2021), a biography of the modernist painter, and The Journey: New Positions in African Photography (2020), a New York Times notable art book of 2021. His debut book was The Marquis of Mooikloof and Other Stories (2006), a collection of short fictions that included a work awarded the 2006 HSBC/SA PEN Literary Award. He continues to publish short fiction, notably through his imprint Extemporary Press. He has adjudicated numerous awards and grants, including the South African Pavilion for the 2026 Venice Biennale, the Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant and Frieze Writer’s Prize.
Date & Time
Location
Strauss & Co, 35 Brickfield Road, Woodstock, Cape Town
