Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Hillbrow

In 2008 I created the first white flag for Hillbrow and have since created many as a call to peace, justice and reconciliation. Here is the story of the white flag by Johannes Cladders:

Johannes Cladders wrote the following about the white flag: 
"It consists of a piece of fabric or any other comparable material. 
Its dimension and shape can be described objectively. ... 
The white flag means freedom.Oct 18, 2012

For some reason many of the other white flags dissapeared but this one, the first one torn and damage appears loyally every year to be shown proudly and with meaning. Last night, although 3 days too late, we managed the last sunset at the Scottish Horse Memorial with Hope Mwenda, Nonsikelelo Dhlomo, Adrian Tony aka Smurf and Lelsey Motsweu.




Monday, October 7, 2019

Reflecting moments Loxton



Waiting for the moon to rise, conversations with meaningful people and the land without water is just a few moments that affects all of us deeply...it is important to feel the silence...walk the land and re-connect with the soles of our feet to the earth. These are not measurable, cannot be calculated with an M&E, does not fit into a Log Frame. Yet, these are the only things perceived to matter. Development of the self,  learning perspectives, understanding the world we live in cannot be measured in words or figures.






'Postcards in Time – Loxton'

In September I re-visited Loxton 'Die Huis van Tyd' and the Riverine Rabbit Thinking Path. I installed the postcard cloths in the house...and the sterfjas.

Die gedig 'Die Sterfjas' van Melanie Grobler in 2017 deur Andrew van der Merwe op geskryf teen 'Die huis van Tyd' se mure. Gedurende 2018 het ek weer gewerk aan 'Die Huis van Tyd' gedurende 'n residensie en het poskaarte gemaak van my tyd daar in Mei Maand. In September het ek die poskaarte van materiaal opgehang in die 'Huis van Tyd'...die proses die maak, die gesprek gaan voort...tot nog 'n keer...






Letters from Lesra

Hurricane by Bob Dylan

During the 1960 with severe segregation laws still in place, USA, a young sportman called Rubin Carter a.k.a. the Hurricane was apprehended for the double murder in New Jersey. He was sentenced despite the evidence not adding up, despite a near dead eye witness saying it is not him, despite timelines not adding up.

Bob Dylan wrote a song in 1976 called the Hurricane...

'Pistol shots ring out in the barroom night
Enter Patty Valentine from the upper hall
She sees the bartender in a pool of blood
Cries out, "My God, they killed them all!"
Here comes the story of the Hurricane
The man the authorities came to blame
For somethin' that he never done
Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world'

During 1980 a young man from Queens, called Lesra Martin bought his book whilst living in Toronto, Canada. 'The Sixteenth Round' was written in jail by Rubin Carter and Lesra read it passionately. On the 20th September 1980 a letter arrived for Rubin Carter in jail. The following is how the letter started:
Dear Mr. Rubin Carter,
I read your book, and I really felt sad...about what happened to you.                I want you to know how much your book meant to me.

Rubin Carter answered this young man as his story inspired him:
"Everything I lost...that really matters, I lost at the hands of white folks.                  I know what you mean, but they ain't all bad.

This started a correspondence that lead to the release of Rubin Hurricane Carter in 1985.

I created this artwork as a response to the song, the story and the injustice which sticks to us as people in this century, the traces of injustice embedded in theDNA of the people we disregarded.