Obie Oberholzer
born 1947, lives and works in Grahamstown
Obie Oberholzer is an avid storyteller, fond of dispensing profound statements and dazzling images of his colourful journeys all across Africa. He is the Wyatt Earp of the photographic world, always travelling alone, always taking with him a stirring collection of vibrant memories of the unknown, remote places that we usually don’t ever get to see.
His previous solo exhibition, Diesel & Dust hosted at this gallery, signalled the end of analogue. After several decades of hand-printing all his photographs, Oberholzer has finally dismantled his darkroom at the beginning of 2009.
Diesel & Dust Part II signals yet a further departure in his work, his quirky portraits of people and places have been replaced by saturated, contemplative abstract landscapes.
Oberholzer taught photography at Rhodes University, Grahamstown until 2002. He is now a full time photographer.