Terry Kurgan
Main profile
Terry Kurgan is an artist and writer based in Johannesburg. Her work frequently explores the medium of photography, in particular the complexity of the photographic interaction and the way photography acts in the world. She explores this through a diverse body of multi-media artwork and writing. She has exhibited and published widely in South Africa and internationally, and has received numerous fine art and writing awards, including the FNB Vita Art Prize, the Mbokoda Photography Award, and most recently the 2019 Sunday Times Alan Paton Award for Everyone is Present (2018), which she wrote during her tenure as a WiSER Writing Fellow/Artist in Residence. Everyone is Present was also shortlisted for the 2019 Photo Arles Book Prize (France) and selected as a finalist for The 2019 National Jewish Book Awards (USA). Kurgan has published many essays on vernacular photography and public-sphere art practice in books and academic journals. Her previous book publications include Johannesburg Circa now (2005) co-edited with Jo Ractliffe, and Hotel Yeoville (2013). Terry is editor and partner (with Bronwyn Law-Viljoen) of the Johannesburg based independent publisher Fourthwall Books. Currently, she is researching and writing a new work of creative nonfiction that draws upon her soldier/father’s photographs documenting his participation in the 1948 Arab/Israeli war.