Photographer Documents South Africa in Large-Format, Gritty Color

In all the excitement over the World Cup, the media publicized one side of South Africa—new stadiums, $6 billion worth of government spending, and the thrill of hosting the global competition. The work of artist Zwelethu Mthethwa, which opens July 15 at Harlem's Studio Museum, shows a different side, that of the actual South African population, many of whom survive on $120 a month. His portraits of migrant workers and urban scenery are painstakingly composed, the result of Mthethwa's training as a painter. The size of his prints, some as large as 6 feet by 4 feet, allows for a vividly detailed view of the subjects he portrays.

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Check out the original post on Cool Hunting, or if you're in New York, head over to the Studio Museum to see the works in person.

Photos courtesy of Zwelethu Mthethwa and the Jack Shainman Gallery via Cool Hunting.