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Miners during a group medical examination. Ernest Cole. South Africa. Circa 1965.

According to legend, Ernest Cole concealed a camera under his packed lunch in order to capture this image. No one has ever been able to explain how he managed to deceive the mine’s security. Former President of South Africa, and Secretary-General of the National Union Of Mineworkers, Kgalema Motlanthe, suggested that Cole must have sought employment at the mine in order to secure such incredible access. The image has a time-shifting quality which reflects the contradictory hidden heart of South Africa: is it 1890, 1965 or 2030?” - Ernest Cole Estate