Be national

AFRO DESIGN & CONTEMPORARY ARTS

HORS-SERIE

BE/NATIONAL

Couverture: Graphisme inspiré du monument Nelson Mandela de Marco Cianfanelli.

Merci à tous ceux qui ont contribué à ce numero: Jay One Ramier, Chimurenga, Le 104, Le MAC/VAL,La Gaîté Lyrique, Mary Sibande, Mikhael Subotzky, Simmi Dullay, Dominique Malaquais, Nompumelelo Mqwebu, Mack Magagane, Themba Vilakaz, Shireen Hassim, Francois Verster, Dnièle Hibon, Jürgen Schadeberg, Christine Rebet, Onyeka Nwelue, Niq Mhlongo, Kagiso Matlala, Katja Gentric, Jean Paul Delore, Lindiwe Matshikiza, Nick Welch, Cuss Group, Akin Omotoso, Hotel Yeoville, Zanele Muholi, Gordon Cyrus, Sean Hart, BLK JKS, Hélène Pichon, Malala Andrialavidrazana, Stacy Hardy, Bintou Simpore, Terry Ayugi, Olivier Sultan, Anna Gianotti Laban .

Direction de publication Carole Diop Pascale Obolo Rédactrice en Chef Pascale Obolo Direction de projet Louisa Babari Direction Artistique antistatiq™ Graphisme antistatiq™ Comité de rédaction Frieda Ekotto Kemi Bassene Olivia Anani Camille Moulonguet Michèle Magema Caecilia Tripp Patrick de Lassagne Djenaba Kane Anne Gregory Photographe Alexandre Gouzou Communication et relations presse Virginie Echene Tous droits de reproduction réservés Contact: info@afrikadaa.com Février 2014 www.afrikadaa.com www.facebook.com/Afrikadaapage www.twitter.com/afrikadaa

EDITO : A l’occasion de la Saison sud africaine en France, la revue Afrikadaa est heureuse de vous présenter une publication bilingue en collaboration avec la revue sud-africaine Chimurenga. Regards croisés sur la scène artistique passionnante d’un pays singulier, rencontres avec les artistes, articles de fond, textes littéraires, critiques et une bonne dose de création sont au cœur de cette édition hors série. BE NATIONAL est un échange entre des collectifs issus d’Afrique anglophone et francophone, un dialogue de contenus et de formes entre deux Afriques, qui se regardent mais qui ne se rencontrent pas toujours. Cette collaboration inédite entre deux structures de publication sur les arts contemporains permet de produire un pont culturel inattendu au service d’une réflexion sur la création.

Le projet BE NATIONAL a été imaginé sous une approche narrative cartographiée où l’on découvre une scène artistique sudafricaine émergente d’une grande variété. L’équipe rédactionnelle a favorisé différentes formes d’approches narratives avec au centre de tout, le partage des expériences et des savoirs. Laissez-vous guider et surprendre par cette étonnante richesse artistique sud-africaine…

Le 20 décembre dernier nous présentions à la Gaité Lyrique à Paris, le premier acte de cette collaboration; un acte éditorial vivant, à l’image des pratiques artistiques des deux revues, et qui accompagne la saison dans sa temporalité.

Ce premier hors série de la revue Afrikadaa sur la scène artistique sud africaine est un point de départ, une invitation à poursuivre ce dialogue, que nous espérons voir se prolonger longtemps après la saison sud-africaine en France, et étendu à encore plus de pays, de régions, et d’univers créatifs passionnants.

Nous tenons à remercier particulièrement les auteurs et les artistes ayant contribué à ce numéro: Chimurenga, l’Institut Français, le MAC/VAL, le 104 pour son accueil en résidence et la Gaité Lyrique qui nous a permis de réaliser l’ acte éditorial de BE-NATIONAL. In collaboration with the South-African publication Chimurenga and on the occasion of the France - South Africa Season, Afrikadaa is proud to present a bilingual special edition titled “Be National”. At the heart of this special edition, you will find our cross-referenced look at the South African art scene, artist interviews, reflective articles, literature, critiques and a good dose of creation. Be-National is a dialogue between artistic collectives and individuals coming both from Francophone and English-speaking Africa. The content in this issue is a dialogue on form and substance between two Africas, who look at each other but do not always meet. This unique collaboration between two publications with a focus on contemporary arts allowed us to build an unexpected bridge of culture, a common reflection around the act of artistic creation.

BE NATIONAL is a project that was envisioned as a geo-specific narrative, where the reader is invited to discover a rich and diverse, emerging South African arts scene. The editorial team worked in favor of various narratives, with the sharing of knowledge and experiences at the core of everything. Let us guide you through an unexpected journey into this amazing place that is the South-African scene.

On December 20th, we introduced our audience with the first act of this collaboration, an “editorial act” that drew its life from the artistic practices of both publications, a “living” entity, which we hope, suitably accompanies the Season in its temporality.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the authors and artists who contributed to this special issue: Chimurenga, L’Institut Français, Le MAC/VAL, Le 104 for having us in residency, and La Gaîté Lyrique who invited us for the BE NATIONAL live editorial act.

PASCALE OBOLO

Sommaire SOUTH AFRICA: ILLUSION OF EXCEPTIONALISM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 RÉSIDENCE D’ÉTÉ AU MAC/VAL AVEC MARY SIBANDE ET MIKHAEL SUBOTZKY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 THE HOUSE OF HOLLY AFRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 AFRICA MEETS EUROPE FUSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 TRIBUTE TO JURGEN SCHADEBERG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 STER CITY : OU COMMENT RACONTER L’HISTOIRE D’UN PAYS EN UNE HEURE SELON JEAN PAUL DELORE . . . 29 MACK MAGAGANE «... IN THIS CITY» . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 GENDER, RACE AND THE REINVENTION OF DIFFERENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 MY TRIP TO PARIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 IN CONVERSATIONS: ONYEKA NWELUE INTERVIEWS NIQ MHLONGO IN PARIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 UNDYING GHOSTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 SEARCHING FOR AFRICA IN PARIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 PAR DELÀ « MY JOBURG » . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 PROJECT MINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 ORIGINAL NOISE FROM THE JOZI STREETS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 BE NATIONAL ACT 1 @ GAÎTÉ LYRIQUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 LOST IN TRANSLATION ROHILALHA MANDELA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

AFRIKADAA BE NATIONAL

INTRODUCTION

south africa: illusion of exceptionalism

By Frieda Ekotto Professor of Afroamerican and African Studies - French and Comparative Literature The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

“And as we let our ow n l i g h t s h i n e, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. “ Nelson Mandela

Amandla! Amandla! Ubuntu: I am because

and the racist, brutal oppression and

became a cause that inspired people

you are! I am here today for people like

discrimination of blacks and other non-

around the world. Many people gave their

Amilcar Cabral, Winnie and Nelson Mandela,

white people in South Africa when my own

lives, and Nelson Mandela became the most

Wangari Muta Maatahi, Thomas Sankara,

father, being a black man, could not be part

prominent symbol this struggle.

and many others…

of the delegation of Swiss colleagues that were going to South Africa.

Madiba, you have charged us to never settle

In 2000, I spent a year in Johannesburg with my friend, a BBC journalist. She took

for a life that is less than the one we are

In 1984, I entered Colorado College as

me to Mandela’s one afternoon to talk

capable of living. YES, Madiba compels

an undergraduate along with the South

about the Apartheid Museum, which was

us to recognize the ethical grammar of

African Teddy Mattera, son of revolutionary

being conceptualized at that time. By then

suffering and connect public values to

poet Don Mattera, who was part of the

thousands of people had recounted how

collective struggles that expand and

underground resistance movement in

gentle and caring Mandela was, but it was

deepen the processes of democracy. As

South Africa. Don Mattera is well known

still astounding to meet him in person. His

we celebrate Nelson Mandela’s legacy and

for his book Memory is the Weapon (1987)

smile was beautiful and welcoming, his

morn his departure, it is also important to

dedicated to the people of Sophiatown,

kindness a sign of grace. (I could go on and

remember the history of how he started

who were struggling during the apartheid

on.) Mandela hugged me and asked about

that “long walk to freedom.”

years. Along with Teddy, I organized an anti-

my family. He wanted to know what I, as

divestment movement on campus, sleeping

a Cameroonian, was doing in America. I

But let me begin with my memories of

on the doorsteps of administrative buildings

tried to ask him questions about prison life

Mandela and his struggles.

at Colorado College. As we now know, many

because I was in the process of revising my

colleges and universities had investments in

book on Jean Genet and carceral discourse,

South Africa. The struggle against apartheid

but he avoided the subject by telling me

I became aware of the system of apartheid,

5

INTRODUCTION instead that what I have inside me as a

battle against apartheid, are abysmal. We

thinker, is something that no one can take

must always remember that it was Winnie

away. I must understand the value of human

Mandela who kept the light on so that

agency! He praised my efforts as a teacher,

Mandela would not be forgotten beyond

for understanding the value of education

bars.

for and about the continent of Africa. I have not forgotten his words, and I often refer to

Madiba charged us to never settle for a life

them in my classes.

that is less than the one we are capable of living. We need to continue to fight

Now let me return to South Africa and its

for freedom, justice and a world where

“apartheid.” After World War II, the South

every single person can drink clean water,

African government continued in the

and have a place to live with access to an

institutionalized and intensification of that

education that can better his/her condition.

vicious system of oppression. Blacks and

YES, I will honor Madiba’s legacy, and

other non-white South Africans were locked

continue the struggle. That is what he

down in prison-like “Bantustans” without

wants each and every one of us to do. Rest

the most basic necessities of life (like clean

in peace Madiba! La lucha continua…

water or decent shelters). They were treated as non-humans, subject to fascist “pass laws” that governed their every movement.

It is crucial to revisit and confront the reality of the path Nelson Mandela charted. It did not lead to freedom for the oppressed people of South Africa. This is why he continued the struggle to end poverty, to create an equal world for the South Africans who still suffer in the grip of global capitalism-imperialism. Two decades after Mandela became the first black president of South Africa, the situation for the masses of black people in South Africa remains dire, and South Africa continues to be one of the world’s most unequal societies. At least one quarter of the population in South African lives in extreme poverty. Immigrant workers from poorer countries in Africa are subject to violent attacks: we all remember the result of extreme xenophia in 2008 where at least 60 foreign workers from other African nations were brutally murdered. Conditions for women, who played heroic roles in the

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Amandla!

Amandla!

Ubuntu: I am because you are! I am here today for people like Amilcar Cabral, Winnie and Nelson Mandela, Wangari Muta Maatahi, Thomas Sankara, and many others…

résidence d’été au MAC/VAL avec Mary Sibande et Mikhaël Subotzky

Interview by Pascale Obolo Photos : Alexandre Gouzou

In 2013, Mary Sibande and Mikhaël Subotzky were the guests of MAC/VAL museum, for a summer residency in the context of the France/South Africa Season. the works they produced during that time were on show from october 26th to january 26th at the museum. these two young artists, consecutive laureates for the standard bank visual arts prize, allowed us to dwell in two contrasting aspects of the South African arts scene, two radically different ways to question identity in postapartheid South Africa. Afrikadaa followed the two artists during their residency, and the exchange that was initiated with them led to a collaborative video projection on october 27th

AFRIKADAA Let’s start with a general

the whole day? At that time I did not have

question. What is your background?

an answer. I said I think it’s more than that and while I’m learning I’ll teach you guys,

Sophie is dead and now the purple shall govern govern

MS I grew up in a small town called

too. Actually they are learning now. They

Barberton. My grandparents brought me

know what art is – it’s more than drawing

up. My mother moved to Joburg in my

and painting.

early life, I think I was eight. She moved to the city of gold for better opportunity.

From a very young age I knew I wanted to be in the creative field. But I didn’t know what. The closest thing for me to be

In South Africa you can’t explain a single thing without going back to history because everything is linked to history. “We are” because of our history.

For the time of the exhibition of her

creative was fashion because I saw fashion

pieces at MAC/VAL, six of Mary Sibande’s

magazines and fashion on TV. I didn’t know

sculptures invaded the cities of Ivry-sur-

anything about art. When I was in high

Seine, Vitry-sur-Seine and Choisy-le-Roi

school I thought I was going to be a fashion

in the form of a photographic parcours of

designer. I had sketches of fashion and I

monumental posters. These were shown on

collected fashion magazines. But when it

tall buildings boarding the RD5 road, which

was time for me to choose a career I ended

links the three cities together into one

up applying for fine art, which in a weird

AFRIKADAA : Do you think the lack of

community, and which is expected to evolve

way, I don’t know how. I was a few days late

art in your community is the linked to

into an Arts Boulevard within the following

applying for fashion. My second option was

political decisions to keep art out of certain

years. We can see the character Sophie

fine arts. Looking back, I think it was the

communities in South Africa?

pondering over the future while waiting

best decision that I indirectly made.

for the bus, riding a horse or as a musical

MS : What I picked up on when I was in

ensemble’s conductor. These portraits and

AFRIKADAA : Can you tell me what role art

art school is that art was for a certain class.

their powerful presence in public spaces

played in your family?

Growing up in a small town people didn’t

were aimed at arousing the public’s curiosity

say OK it’s Sunday, let me go to a show or a

towards this mysterious character, and it

MS : I can speak of my community where I

museum. In South Africa you can’t explain

sure did.

grew up. A lot of people didn’t know what

a single thing without going back to history

Mary Sibande was born in 1982 in

art was. I myself didn’t know. I didn’t study

because everything is linked to history.

Barberton, a mountainous town in the

art in school. My high school didn’t have

“We are” because of our history. People do

province of Mpumalanga. She lives and

art as a subject. I discovered art later in my

this because of our history. Even the kind

works in Johannesburg. Through her work,

life, my first year at university. But I didn’t

of food we eat today has to do with our

she explores the construction of identity in

immediately go to art. I took a “bridging

history! So everything is back and forth. Yes

the context of post-apartheid South-Africa

course” where people who are undecided

those limitations were political. It is part of

and stereotypical depictions of women.

start. I was one of those undecided kids.

the geography that situates people in South

Since her early work, her sculptures have

During that year I realized I wanted to be

Africa.

represented Sophie, her “alter ego”, which

a fine artist even though when I grew up I

she is slowly walking away from, to write a

never set foot in a museum or gallery. My

AFRIKADAA : Do you remember any artists

new and more introspective chapter of her

family was the same. When I told them I

that were part of your childhood?

character’s life. That is: “The Purple Shall

wanted to study art they asked, what do

Govern”.

you mean? You’re going to draw and paint

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MS : There were none. None. I only started

MAC/VAL

my history. I am learning about the

the name Sophie instead of any African

limitations that come with my heritage.

name, because my great grandmother had

It’s all about questioning my surroundings.

two African names, but when she died

Questioning the kind of education that

she only had one western name, which

I received in comparison with other

was Elsie. This was because her masters

people’s education. All this makes up the

couldn’t pronounce her African name or

kind of art that I make right now.

they didn’t want to bother. So they gave her the name Elsie.

Mar y Sibande

knowing about this other art world when I

AFRIKADAA : “Sophie” is an important

For me it’s the play on names. For black

figure in your work. You are closing

kids in the township it was compulsory for

the chapter on Sophie. So here’s a

them to have two names – a school name,

metaphysical question, what will happen

which was a western name, and a home

to Sophie?

name, which is an African name. Look at me, my name is Mary. A lot of kids after

was in my first year.

MS : She will morph into something else.

high school change their names back to the

Sophie will always be there. Once in a while

home name. But I thought I don’t want to

she will pop up, perhaps not as a maid but

change it because it is what it is. I can go to

MS : From the beginning, my third year

as something else. At this point in my life I

the Home Office and change it to another

work was about me looking at myself as

want to explore other avenues. Perhaps I’m

African name but it wouldn’t be the same.

a young woman in post apartheid South

shooting myself in the foot, but I can only

So I thought why not just make artwork on

Africa. So I started painting a collection

find out when I get there.

it? Hence the name Sophie.

of aspirations. I started painting shoes

I feel like this is the time to experiment and

and from there I painted dresses. The

try something new. It’s always important

AFRIKADAA : You came to France for a

link between fashion and art has always

to challenge myself. As soon as something

residency and created a new work. You said,

been together from day one. While I was

becomes easy I usually let it go. But with

“Purple shall govern”. What do you mean?

painting all these things that I wished to

Sophie’s story it was never easy. It was the

have, or things people in my family wanted

making of Sophie that was becoming easy

MS : Purple represents the stage where I

to have, especially my grandmother, I

for me – to make the dresses, to make the

am. I chose the color purple because it was

started using my grandmother as a stage

mold, the sculpture.

a rich color in the olden days, especially

to tell a story. At that time I didn’t know

I feel like “let me put her on pause for now.”

in Europe. People wore purple to classify

what I wanted to do, but I needed to start

Later, perhaps I’ll come back to her. She’ll

themselves as clergy or rich, since purple

somewhere. I felt the need to start at home

morph into something, perhaps a table. I’ve

was a very expensive dye. Also, purple is

before I went “out there”.

given myself a platform to experiment and

the color of mourning.

play around.

This new character is actually mourning the

AFRIKADAA : What inspired your works?

letting go of Sophie. I’m mourning because

AFRIKADAA : In terms of aspects of identity and questioning your own identity, what

AFRIKADAA : You choose the name Sophie,

she led me to where I am right now and I’m

role does the artist have in society in asking

which means wisdom in ancient Greek, does

letting go of her. I don’t know if I’m brave

who we are?

that mean that you are leaving wisdom?

or if it’s stupidity. Time will tell.

Also, purple speaks of me. In 2009 I had

MS : Yes there is a role, I can only speak

MS : I want to learn that wisdom. Sophie

a show at Gallery Momo entitled “Don’t

for myself. In talking about my own

is teaching me about my heritage. Sophie

Leave a Dead Queen”. I had four figures

identity I am learning about myself, about

speaks of the lineage in my family. I gave

in the show. The first one represented

9

MAC/VAL

about the absent masculinity in my family.

That work was speaking specifically of my father who I didn’t know. My mother and father broke up when I was three. Then he disappeared in the South African army and he came back when I was 15 or 16. I didn’t know him all those years. He existed in four photographs. In two of the photos he was wearing an army uniform. I knew him through my grandmother’s narratives and through my mother’s stories. So he always

Sophie on the walls

existed as a female form and that’s why there is this absence of masculinity that is represented in that work.

AFRIKADAA : So you have been influenced by your family story?

MS My work is very much inspired by the women in my family – from great grandmother to my mother. I draw a lot of energy from their personal history. I have made that part of my work. By inserting myself in their story, I wanted to be the author and the character in the book at the same time. I wanted to play an “Every

Sophie on the walls

Woman” kind of character. my great grandmother; the second figure represented my grandmother. The third

MS My grandmother is the matriarch of the

figure represented my mother. The last

family. My grandfather is there, but if there

figure represented me and was dressed

is any decision making my grandmother will

in purple unlike all the other figures that

be called. She’s the person who pulls the

were all wearing variations of blue. When

family together and makes decisions. We’ve

I thought of letting go of Sophie I wanted

trusted her for years. Likewise, the male

to go back to that figure in 2009 that

figure in my work is there, but not really

represented me. Right now I’m telling my

there.

own narrative as a young South African

In 2011, I was showing in the Venice

woman existing in post apartheid South

Biennale. For the first time I showed a

Africa.

figure that wanted to look male. But when you look closely you see the face is

AFRIKADAA Where is the maid figure in your

female and she’s got breasts. The idea

work?

behind that work is that I wanted to talk

10

AFRIKADAA : The aspect of family heritage, which is very rich and which feeds your work, is also a heavy background. Are you free in your work with all this background that can trap you?

MS : A lot of people I know feel like I shouldn’t have made Sophie because she is not aggressive enough and she is not saying what she wants to say. In a way, yes, she’s not. Every time I think of a concept that I’m visualizing it’s always difficult because as much as I’m telling the story and playing all these characters, I don’t want to

MAC/VAL

Mary Sibande, A Terrible Beauty is Born , 2013, Courtesy Gallery Momo Johannesburg

10

11

make her an angry person. It’s easy to be

without visualizing what kind of person she

question yourself and tell us where you

trapped in anger. While I was growing up,

would be. Then in my fourth year I wanted

come from. The educators wanted to know

my grandmother used to tell me and my

to make her into a physical object and I

where we came from. There were other

cousin’s stories about how she grew up and

started casting myself. Using myself to

black kids who wanted to talk about global

about working as a maid. Not a single day

illustrate the body of Sophie. That’s when it

warming, but of course they would get a

did she sound like she hated her job or she

all started.

“Fail”. But as soon as they started talking

was angry. So for me to tell an angry story

Of course it all started at University. The

about themselves, that’s when they would

would have been so abstract, so far from my

kind of education that I received was totally

get a good mark. There was a steering

grandmother. She was very humble like a

different. I feel that if I went to another

towards that “talk about your identity”.

lot of black women in South Africa

art school perhaps I would have looked at

My work speaks of that. It comes from that

who did what they did without

Sophie from another angle. My university

institution where I speak of my own identity.

complaining. For me to create this character

was more technical, more about making.

This identity that I’ve created that is Sophie

that was very angry, angry like me because

Other universities are more about writing

has a form of escapism. She is not here, but

I’m a new generation, would have been a

or about conceptual work than making sure

she’s here -- if that makes sense.

far-fetched story. I wanted to make a story

the physical object looks good. That’s the

that was very close to my grandmother, as

push and pull; it’s where I am right now.

AFRIKADAA : Can the South African artists,

close as I could.

How do I advance myself? How do I move

black and white, escape their racial identity?

That’s why this new chapter in my work

away from the kind of education that I’ve

speaks of my own perspective and how I

received? And I’m learning everyday, about

MS : I don’t know if I’m distorting this but

view life and where I am as a young South

myself and about my surroundings.

the way I see it, black artists are looking

African woman. I want to explore more, not

I’ve started reading, which is a great thing.

at themselves – questioning themselves,

telling anyone else’s story, but telling my

In my school, reading about philosophers

heritage, history. And white artists are

own story.

or other artists was not promoted. Only

looking at us. They are making works about

now, because my partner is working at a

black people. It’s the idea that if your aren’t

university, he started questioning his own

looking at yourself, someone else will look

art making. And he eventually stopped.

at you. It’s a weird relationship where you’re

He’s not making anything.

looking at yourself while you are being

black artists are looking at themselves – questioning themselves, heritage, history.

And white artists are looking at us.

looked at. And my question is why are AFRIKADAA : Very interesting. Let’s go back

people not looking at themselves? Why are

to Sophie for a bit. Creating a character like

artists looking at black people to express

this, which you’ve given multiple identities,

their existence as South Africans?

can it be said that the only way to escape is

I guess it’s easier to stand behind the

to invent identities?

camera than to stand in front of it.

AFRIKADAA : Through this work you explore

MS : Yes. To have an identity, you always

AFRIKADAA : The racial question is very

a post apartheid identity in South African

have to invent yourself. Identity is a thing

strong.

society and you question the stereotypes of

that can shift through time. Identity can

women. How did you start this Sophie work,

be another form of escapism. A lot of black

MS : Race is strong, to this day, in South

which is the work that made you famous?

artists in South Africa make work about

Africa. Race places us. Race plays a role

identity compared to white artists of the

in our geography. It also puts a lens on

MS : I started with the idea of Sophie in my

same age. I think this stems from our art

people’s faces. Whether you’re behind it or

third year. I started painting her aspiration

school where we were told; you need to

in front of it. It is all racial.

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MAC/VAL

Mikhaël Subotzky

“stuff barta”

Mikhaël Subotzky, photo by Alexandre Gouzou

14

Mikhaël Subotzky, installation at MAC/VAL, 2013

104

the house of holy afro

Source : Hugues Le Tanneur / Festival d’Automne à Paris Photos : Alexandre Gouzou

Le sud africain Brett Bailey est depuis longtemps un spécialiste des carambolages stylistiques. Dans la foulée de ses spectacles et performances précédents, House of the Holy Afro mêle street dance, gospel des townships et rituels chamaniques. Un cocktail explosif à la croisée de plusieurs cultures. Le metteur en scène agite un chaudron d’autant plus intense qu’il accueille les formes les plus diverses.

C’est dans d’anciens lieux sacrés dans les montagnes de l’Est Sud Africain que Bailey est allé enregistrer certaines des chansons au cours de cérémonies

6

ancestrales. Ces enregistrements ont été ensuite retravaillés par les interprètes du spectacle qui y ont adjoint des rythmes électroniques.

Ce principe, à l’origine de plusieurs spectacles créés avec sa compagnie Third World Bunfight – de iMumbo Jumbo à The Prophet , ou encore le très contreversé Exhibit B– est radicalisé dans House of the Holy Afro, où il s’agit de susciter un choc à même de remettre en question l’image trop formatée que l’on se fait souvent de la réalité africaine.

Dramaturge, metteur en scène, mais

aussi plasticien, Brett Bailey interroge inlassablement les transformations à l’oeuvre dans l’Afrique post-coloniale avec les ambiguïtés et les contradictions qui les accompagnent.

Qu’on l’apprécie ou non, l’oeuvre de Bailey ne laisse pas insemsible et nous conduit à nous poser la question suivante : en accentuant et en prolongeant la caricature dans le but de dénoncer le racisme, n’est t’on en train de poursuivre le projet raciste?

31

Africa meets Europe fusion

Interview by Pascale Obolo Photos : Alexandre Gouzou

32

AFTER TRAVELLING FOR A DECADE ACCROSS EUROPE AND THE USA, NOMPUMELELO MQWEBU HAS NOW SETTLED IN JOHANNESBURG. IN THIS ECONOMIC LUNG OF SOUTH-AFRICA, SHE CREATES CULINARY EVENTS WITH HER PROJECT AFRICA MEETS EUROPE: A NAME TO REMEMBER, SYNONYMOUS WITH EXCELLENCE AND GASTRONOMY, AT THE CROSSROADS BETWEEN EUROPEAN INFLUENCES AND SOUTH-AFRICAN HERITAGE FOOD. BETWEEN SENSIBILITY, TECHNICITY AND A SMOOTH MIX OF TASTES, NOMPUMELELO EMBODIES A STYLE, A WAY OF THINKING THAT SHE CALLS « MELTING FOOD ».

PASCALE OBOLO MET HER AT « LE CENT QUATRE », AN ARTISTIC ESTABLISHMENT IN PARIS WHERE SHE WAS OFFERED A RESIDENCY AS HEAD CHEF OF THE RESTAURANT « LES GRANDES TABLES », IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SOUTH-AFRICAN SEASON IN FRANCE. 33

PO : What’s your background ?

the staff are intimidated they don’t really

was French.

perform at their optimal capabilities.

I’ve been exposed to French cooking from

NM: I came from Durban, the largest city

the time I’ve started in the industry. And

in the South African province of KwaZulu-

PO : How do you feel about your collabora-

most kitchens kind of follow after French

Natal. My love for food starded with my

tion with the French chef you have been

gastronomy. So even when people move

father, who traveled as a young man work-

working with ?

and do other kinds of « cuisines » the

ing on ships cooking. On sundays he used

training in most cases would have been

to cook for us at home, so from a young

NM:I was lucky that I had chef Adrien, to

French-based and then they add whatever

age I was exposed to different foods and

whom I’ve been talking to via e-mail before

kind of « cuisine » they want to follow. For

different spices. I think from there, altough

my arrival. I sent him a list of ingredients

me it was the same but when you come to

I didn’t know or realised it, the love for food

and equipments I needed so he was pre-

the industry you have to bring yourself into

started to grow in me. My grand mother as

the food. That’s why when I create a menu

well, who comes from Xhosa culture, taught

I pronouce my identity to people, because

me different ways to cook KwaZulu-Natal

I need to pick in the kind of food I grew up

meals.

eating, the kind of food people eat around

Like everybody I went to the corporate

me back home and the influences of coun-

world first, until I got to a point where I

tries that I visit.

thought I needed to follow what I wanted, PO : What inspires your cooking ?

my passion. That’s how I decided to study at a school of food and wine. From then on I’ve been learning and traveling, doing

NM:I would say ingredients. I like to play

food.

around with different ingredients or even the same and try to do differents things

PO : When you cook you look like a per-

with it.

former, an orchestra’s chief conductor. Can you explain how you work and how you

PO :Do you think that food reflects the iden-

direct you kitchen ?

tity of a country ?

NM: The first thing for me is time, it is very

NM:Most defenitly, that’s what I was striv-

crucial in the kitchen. I like to finish the

pared and so that wathever wasn’t there

ing for in South-Africa because I think we

cooking at least two to three hours before

when I came, we could have a look at. He

haven’t achieved our food identity. The

we are meant to serve people, so that

went out and got everything, he was fully

food industry continues to ignore differ-

everybody gets a chance to relax before

dedicated in assisting me in everything I

ent cultures. They are selective as to the

the service. In this way the staff get time to

needed, having him helped me a lot.

cultures they bring into the food but at

seat down and let their mind unwind from

the same time they are more accepting of

the business of the day and get focused on

PO:Looking to your travels and your world-

Europe in our « cuisine » then they are of

the service. I also like to remain calm in the

wide experience what is your feeling about

local products. For me there is an indentity

kitchen because when I’m calm everybody

French cooking and French people ?

crisis in terms of food in South-Africa. My

is calm and if we are calm we focus and we

own experience makes clear to me that eve-

do our work. When you act like a prima-

NM:Altough I was in South-Africa, I trained

rywhere you travel you need to have your

donna you intimidate the staff and when

in a French kitchen. My pastry chef, chef Eric

own food identity. For exemple as a South-

19

104

PO : Whats you next challenge ?

African chef you can’t travel to France and

NM:Paris is busy, very busy, you need a lot

pretend to cook French food better than

of time to experience this city. I remember

the French, you need to bring your identity

the last time I came here, in 1996, I had a lot

NM:My next challenge is to go home to

from which the French can learn from.

more time then. So every afternoon I make

do some training with women farmer. We

an effort to go somewhere I haven’t been

already started a training with these women

yet, from the typical tourist attractions to

who run ophanages or day care centers. I

finding little bakeries that are family owned

teach them how to cook for young children

NM:Not yet. The most important thing for

and get to taste the croissants. Another rea-

and how to use what they produce, without

me is to change the mind set in South-

son why I pledge to come to Paris is to get

going to the shops.

Africa before i’m ready to open a restaurant.

the chance to taste the food of chefs that

Although things are changing, there is a

I’m inspired by, especially women, like chef

huge gap that’s slowly starting to close,

Anne-Sophie and chef Pascale).

PO : Do you have a restaurant ?

sourcing ingredients from small farmers is growing and I hope it grows more.

PO : Do you have a lot head chefs in SouthAfrica ?

NM:They are a lot of head chefs but not from South-Africa, they would be from anywhere around the world, that’s, according to me, another big issue that South-Africa needs to work with. A lady for whom I have a lot of respect, Mrs Gunene, said that this situation reflects self hate for South-Africans when they don’t believe in their own. We need to have more chefs who are ready to take South-African food ahead.

PO :What would be your advice for someone going to South-Africa for the first time, and who wants to experience the food and the culture ?

NM:I would probably suggest to experience a good Shisa Nyama (meat barbecued on an open fire) in an outlying township, eating it the South-African style, with the hands.

PO :It’s your second stay in Paris, what are your feelings about this city ?

20

tribute to Jürgen Schadeberg Jurgen Schadeberg Interviewed by Pascale Obolo Photos : courtesy of Jurgen Schaderberg Pictures of the exhibition and portrait of Jurgen by Alexandre Gouzou

and informs. When meeting him at the

Berlin. He suggested I work with him and

In November 2013, the city hall in Saint-

opening event at Saint-Ouen, I discovered

become his apprentice.

Ouen held a tributary exhibition to Nelson

that Mandela’s values of equality, solidarity,

About a year later I went for a short time

Mandela and the struggle to end apartheid,

diversity and universality are shared by

to a school of optic and photo technique.

in the context of the Week of International

the municipality of Saint-Ouen. While

Then I went to Hamburg and I became

Solidarity. The exhibition “Tribute to

France is facing growing issues of racism

a volunteer – that means a “trainee” or

Nelson Mandela by photographer Jürgen

and homophobia, this exhibition brings

“intern” – for the German Press Agency. So

Schadeberg” was a proposition of curator

us to the realization that the fight against

by 1950 I knew enough about photography

Olivier Sultan. 44 pictures spanning 60

intolerance and racial prejudice is a never-

– or I thought I did anyway – at least I knew

years of South African history were on view,

ending story.

the technique. I migrated then to South

and M. Schadeberg’s talent at bringing

Africa.

these bits and pieces of history to life, all

PO : What is your background, when did

while keeping a neutral eye is stunning.

you begin to be a photographer?

Africa?

Through his artistic practice, Jürgen Schadeberg is a witness. He denounces,

The Midnight Kids, 1955

21

PO : Why did you decide to migrate to South

JS : I started taking my first photos in 1942 when I was 11 years

JS : I wanted to leave Germany because

old, in the air raid

I was sick and tired of the whole Fascist

shelter in Berlin.

Nazi scene and the racism I experienced

That’s the first

as a child in Berlin. And I wanted to see

picture I produced

the world -- anybody who is that age,

which was a success.

about 19, wants to get out into the world.

I experimented with

I would rather have been able to go to

little cameras, the

New York where there were a lot of things

instamatic cameras

happening in photography, especially in

they had in those

photojournalism. But that wasn’t possible

days. At the end of

for me. So through a family connection, I

the war, I was about

managed to go to South Africa.

14 years old, 1945,

When I arrived there, to my horror, I found

there was a friend

I was going from the frying pan into the

of the family who

fire because I discovered that there was

was a professional

the beginning of another form of racism

photographer in

that I had just left in Germany. I wasn’t

MAIRIE DE SAINT-OUEN

prepared for this because I hadn’t really

you haven’t got a hope in hell ever getting

known what South Africa was like or what

a job. They used these huge big cameras

the political scene was. At the time, Europe

and they had two slides in their pocket

wasn’t interested in what was happening

and they went out on a job. They took one

in Africa. It was never really reported in the

picture of somebody shaking hands or of

newspaper. So I was rather horrified by it.

somebody giving a check or pointing at the

It was a terrible shock for me and I thought

wall and saying, “There, that’s where the

now where am I going to go next? But,

bullet went”. And that’s the type of pictures

I stayed there for 14 years. And then left

they took.

again in ‘64.

I had a bit of a problem of people appreciating that I worked with a Leica with 35-millimeter film, which was very traditional already in Europe. That had been going on for the last 30 years that people had been working with them, especially Life magazine and Look magazine in America. In England there was the Picture Post, a very famous magazine. There was Paris Match and there was Stern they were established magazines in Europe. In South Africa there was nothing. So I had to battle to get people to accept my photos because of their misunderstanding and no knowledge of documentary photography.

Nelson Mandela, Treason Trial, 1958

And then I started working with a magazine called Drum, which catered to the African public.

PO: n So was it difficult at this time to work

I went to a town called Bloemfontein,

as a photographer in South Africa?

which was the capital of the Orange Free State in South Africa. It was the hot bed

JS : Well I don’t think it was difficult.

of racism. This is where most of the Boers

There was no tradition of documentary

and the Afrikaners were based. And there

photography or photojournalism – it didn’t

was a conference in Bloemfontein, an

exist in South Africa. So when I arrived and

ANC conference. They had their annual

I tried to look for work and went to the local

conference in different centers of South

main newspaper with my little Leica camera

Africa and this time it was in Bloemfontein.

they looked at it and said if you come to

That was December 1951. I went there to

South Africa with your miniature camera

photograph the conference and the people.

35

And there I met, for the first time, Mr. Mandela. He had just been appointed the youth leader of the ANC. I found him very relaxed and created an atmosphere of total control because there was a little tension there at the time. They were worried that the racist Afrikaner might start some problems because the ANC had their conference there. Everybody was very nervous except Mr. Mandela he was relaxed. I was impressed by his self-control.

PO : When Nelson Mandela was liberated you took his photo?

JS: After 1952 I photographed him in his office first. That was a very strange thing.

I was working with a writer from Life magazine. We had an appointment with Mr. Mandela in his law office he shared with Oliver Tambo. This writer, we went to get his car to go there, and he couldn’t find his car. He couldn’t remember where he parked his car. So I said well how could we not find a convertible Cadillac, they are huge cars.

We looked around and eventually we found the thing and then we drove to Mandela’s office . Mandela was just about to leave. He said he was terribly sorry but he had to go to a special meeting and he had all his

papers under his arm. And he wanted to

Island because we were making a film about

The World that was run by the government,

make another appointment. So I said to him

Robben Island and he then allowed me to

so it was very indoctrinated with racism and

please hold it. Stand there, please, just for

photograph him in his cell. The cell where

so on. We produced this photo-magazine,

one minute. I had a Rolleiflex, a big camera,

he’d spent 17 years.

a picture magazine, about life itself. Where

with me. And I took two frames. And then

people could communicate to each other.

he left. These are two of the nicest pictures.

PO : Can you talk about your experience at

They had never had a form of communicat-

He managed to stand very still and had all

Drum?

ing, of seeing and understanding, about

his papers under his arm and waited and

themselves. There were no reports about sports events, about music, and there was no criticism anywhere about the Apartheid system. We did some stories criticizing Apartheid, not criticizing but looking at it and reporting about it. Obviously that was a form of criticism. Of course we also had to be very careful that the government wouldn’t close us down. In that sense I think it was a very valuable function we had to do, it was very important to us.

Fortunately we had some good writers. They usually came from missionary schools. Missionary schools in South Africa were mixed and was free education – free intellectual education. They talked about literature. For instance, those people that went to British missionary schools, the Anglican Church missionary schools, knew about Shakespeare and Dickens. Those that went to the German missionary, Jesuit schools, they talked about Schopenhauer and Emmanuel Kant, German philosophers that were dated, it was a bit funny.

These schools were closed down by the government. What happened is that the government decided to have what they called Bantu education -- a special educational system for Africans, for black people.

posed for me.

JS: Drum was one of the major magazines

They limited the education totally. They

I photographed him again several times. I

that catered to the black public, the African

never taught them mathematics. (Hen-

met him several times. I photographed him

public. The Africans had no way of commu-

drik) Verwoerd, who was the architect of

after he’d come out of prison in 1990. In

nication between one another except some

the Apartheid system once said there’s no

1994 he went back to the prison on Robben

small newspapers. There was one called

point in teaching the “Bantu” mathematics

23

MAIRIE DE SAINT-OUEN

because they will never have an opportu-

print. We printed on an old press that was

PO : Most of the time you realize when it’s

nity to use it.

bought second hand from India. The quality

a white photographer who goes and covers

of printing was really bad. We had to be

some issues. In your case, it’s just impos-

careful to produce simple pictures, not too

sible to know, that’s the real beauty of it

complicated, since we had a rough screen.

there is no imposition of your point of view

PO : When did the magazine stop and why?

or your way of thinking. It is the true eye of

JS : The magazine eventually went bankrupt. And the owners sold it to the National

PO : How do you see the evolution of pho-

the heart.

of Paris, which was an Afrikaans -- that

tography from Apartheid to post Apartheid?

It was such a difficult period of time historically; it could be difficult to show it in a very

means the poorest whites. They were the

just way.

Huguenots who were thrown out of France

JS : In the beginning in the fifties, there

about 500 years ago. They ended up in Hol-

were not any photographers, especially not

land and started speaking a form of Dutch.

at Drum. There were good writers – intel-

JS : Maybe that’s true, I don’t know. But

They immigrated to South Africa. They

lectual people, intelligent thinkers and they

this was in the Apartheid period. Towards

came to Cape Town. And then the British

could write. Of course it was a magazine

the end of the Apartheid period there were

arrived in Cape Town and practically threw

for black people so we only wanted black

a lot of other photographers also taking

them out. So they trekked north and came

people there. I was the only white photog-

pictures about Apartheid. But they were

to transpire and they started the Free State,

rapher.

a little bit too obvious. They wanted to

where Bloemfontein was. It’s a long history,

show people crying and people being

a 400-year-old history of racism. They called

sad and suffering, which was true, but it

themselves the Afrikaners. Most of them were farmers, very good farmers I must say. But they were also very brutal. And the brutality wasn’t only physical it was also psychological.

PO : In France, Drum was considered one of the best magazines in Africa. How did you work with the graphic elements and decide which pictures to use?

JS : I had the background in Germany of having seen a lot of traditional magazines, also paintings and books. So I had some sort of visual background. I looked at Life magazine, Look magazine, Saturday Evening Post. I looked at Holiday magazine and Picture Post in England. And I learned a lot from those magazines. They were my bibles – especially Life magazine. However we had a big problem because we had very poor press. First of all, at that time, worldwide there was a shortage of news-

24

Dancing at the Ritz Johannesburg 1952

Miriam Makeba posing for Drum Cover, 1955

was pushing it too hard. Because people are human beings and people have pride and self-confidence and that’s important.

That’s a matter of attitude, I think. Most of them were white South Africans. They were indoctrinated. I wasn’t a white South African. I wasn’t indoctrinated. That was the difference.

PO : Could you talk about your movie, Drums, and how you transitioned from photography to movies?

JS : Strangely that was terribly easy,

25

because the two go

period, about the beginning of Apartheid.

together. Because

We had all these Drum photographs and I

when you do docu-

researched all the footage that was avail-

mentary work, you

able – there was not very much. Of course

are telling a story.

the music was important, too. I put it all

You have an estab-

together into one package and made the

lishing shot and you

film.

move in and you

Then we showed the film and I had the

show the different

police after me because it was against the

aspects of whatever

law to show pictures of Mandela, Walter

the subject is. It’s the

Sisulu, and Kathrada. They were the three

same with filming

people still in prison then, you see. I had

and the nice thing is

the police colonel coming to see me and

that you have sound.

he said they could send me to prison for

You add music to it

this. So we got a special lawyer and we

and effects. I find

had to spend a lot of money. It was hushed

that terribly exciting.

up because this police colonel was a bit

You have movement.

worried. He said soon it would change

Whereas with still

and everything would be different. They all

photography you

were getting more and more careful.

have to put every-

So on one of the actual films, I got a felt pen

thing into one picture

and went over each frame when Mandela

– one moment, one

was on it and scribbled over him. And

fraction in time. You

when you saw it on the screen you could

take that out of time

see my scribbles, but you could see him

and try and tell the

through it. That’s now in the museum of

whole story and that’s

filmmaking in Berlin -- they say it’s very

also very difficult. So

important to have that piece of film.

filming was very easy for me.

PO : How did you first meet Miriam Makeba?

PO : What about your other film Have You Seen Drum Recently?

JS : She was very young, about 18 or 19 years old at the time. She was singing with

JS : Well that was in the late eighties and

the Manhattan Brothers, a group of close

you realized that Apartheid was crumbling

harmony singers. We decided we wanted

and was going to fall to pieces. There were

her on the cover of Drum. She was a very

dialogs between business and the ANC.

shy person. She came from Pretoria from

Mandela was still in prison but there were

a very poor family. The funny thing is that

dialogs between him and the government.

the dress she wears in the photos that were

We heard about it. So we thought now is

in 1955, in 1959 Leional ... what’s the chap

the time to make a film about the fifties

who made the film Come Back Africa? I

MAIRIE DE SAINT-OUEN

can’t remember his name... In my film you

JS : Well, it’s got lots of problems. You see

can see her singing in the club, she sings

Allan Peyton, He was a famous writer. He

two songs. She’s wearing the same dress 3

wrote Cry the Beloved Country. He once

years later. She only had one decent dress,

said South Africa is bedeviled by race. And

that’s when I photographed her. Also, Dolly

it still is. There are still all these prob-

Rathebe, the singer, I took a picture of her

lems, the old problems. They still have a

and she had men’s heavy shoes on stage

hangover from the Apartheid system. It still

because she had no shoes, no proper shoes

worries people and it still has an effect on

to wear. Didn’t have any money, didn’t

the whole society.

have any clothes. They were very, very poor.

And that will go on for many more years before it will sort itself out, I believe. I think

The musicians used to do a session and

there are a lot of strong people in South

play a song when they went to a record

Africa -- a very strong atmosphere and very

company, four of five of them, and they got

powerful people. But it has a lot of terrible

five pounds. Five pounds is equivalent to

problems. So it will take another forty years

about 30 or 50 euros . They got fifty euros

before it will sort itself out. I think... I don’t

for the four of them to play a song with no

know. Who is to know?

contract, nothing. No copyright. Nothing.

They were very badly treated.

PO : How do you see South Africa today?

39

The Jazzolomos, Johannesburg, 1953

Gamblers on a smoky corner in Sophiatown, 1955

J端rgen Shaderberg, Photo by Alexandre Gouzou

41

“ou comment raconter l’histoire d’un pays en une heure selon Jean Paul Delore”

Par Louisa Babari Ci-dessus : l’affiche du spectacle Page de droite : Photos de Alexandre Gouzou

29

MAISON DES METALLOS

Lindiwe Matshikiza

Nicholas Welch

Je ne crois pas que l’on puisse raconter

de la pièce le disent à maintes reprises,

Malaisie pour Lindiwe. Tout vient à qui sait

l’histoire d’un pays en une heure, ni en

L’Afrique du Sud, ce n’est pas une histoire

attendre, de la Préhistoire à nos jours. Les

dix d’ailleurs.

de Noirs et de Blancs mais bien celles du

procédés scénographiques ingénieux de

capitalisme allié au colonialisme. L’homme

Sean Hart et le charme et le brio des deux

L’histoire d’un pays ne se raconte pas.

du duo Nicholas Welch, Blanc, sud africain

acteurs me font dire que la pièce est là, sur

Peut-être, peut-on raconter l’histoire de

d’origine écossaise, de langue xhosa, n’était

leur épaules, trop peut -être. Sans compter

ses habitants. C’est ce que font les deux

pas autorisé, dans sa famille, quand il était

sur la présence enthousiaste du public sco-

acteurs de la pièce, en français (sic) qui ont

enfant à dire Blanc ou Noir. Il revient comme

laire ou jeune public à qui véritablement le

travaillé à partir du cliché ajoute le metteur

Lindiwe sur la complexe histoire du pays qui

propos semble destiné. Bingo.

en scène, Jean Paul Delore. Prenez un cliché

conjugue les appartenances et les origines

pour l’Afrique du Sud, celui des metis par

ethniques aux vagues de peuplement et à

Le spectacle reprend à la scène nationale

exemple. “Je n’aime pas ce mot” dit la comé-

l’arrivée des colons. Le territoire lié aux corps

de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines les 3 et 4 avril

dienne du duo Lindiwe Matshikiza qui décrit

des origines, puis au corps politique et histo-

2014. Ster City sera également en tournée

beaucoup trop de gens en Afrique du Sud.

rique, le scénographe de la pièce Sean Hart,

dans une dizaine de pays en Afrique en

“T’es métis, t’es “ coloured”. Au fond, qu’est

l’incarne par des projections sur les corps

octobre-novembre 2014.

ce que cela veut dire ? Pendant la période

des deux comédiens. La musique, les sam-

de l’Apartheid, certaines catégories de

plers, parés de percussions et de batterie,

Ster city “ conférence historique burlesque “

personnes ne trouvaient pas de place dans

menés par les arrangements intéressants de

tout public à partir de 10 ans, mise en scène

les catégories discriminatoires. Aujourd’hui,

Dominique Lentin est parfois chantée par

de Jean Paul Delore, Maison des Metallos

tout au plus, les pauvres restent pauvres

les acteurs, rapée par Nicholas en zoulou. La

et les riches restent riches. Pour 80% de

pièce raconte l’histoire des ancêtres, celle du

Noirs et 20% de Blancs. Les deux acteurs

charpentier écossais, de la famille arrivée de

30

MAISON DES METALLOS

Mack Magagane

«... in this city» Interview by Pascale Obolo Images : courtesy of the artist

For the France-South Africa Season in 2012-2013, the Centre Photographique d’Îlede-France collaborated with Market Photo Workshop to invite a young and promising South African photographer for a research and creation residency that lasted three months. Mack Magagane, that´s his name, develops his work around urban life, with Johannesburg, the city where he resides, as the starting 31

point of his research. For his residency, Mack presented his work at the fine art institution Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Arts de Paris-Cergy’s Galerie YGREC. The group exhibition, titled “Blombos tot Rooibos” (From Blombos to Rooibos), was held from November 22nd to 30th.

studies, my sister suggested that I take a gap year. She told me about the Market Photo Workshop, a photography school that was affordable and had a bursary program.

I was interested in architecture, and tought that I could develop this interest through photography. That’s how everything started, photography chose me without me choosing it.

How would you define your work ?

I usualily fail to define my work. My work has been given titles, from docu-fiction, to contemporary photography, to narrative, to surrealism... I play around within those genders and I don’t limit myself to a specific one. My background being from the

AF: What’s your background ?

Market Photo Workshop which is a school of documentary photography. I’ve learned this

MM: I matriculated* in 2008. As my family

gender and I was exposed to it but I’m also

didn’t have enough funds to finance my

part of a contemporary era where we need CPIF

to find significance in our work... Being part

genders like music, illustration, multimedia or

of youth in South-africa, I think that we need

collages. It’s been a very inspiring experience,

to find our own say and the significance of

I’ve met interesting people and collaborated

what we choose to say about South-Africa.

with a small group of artists from different backgrounds..

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Do you think that things will change in SouthJohannesburg is the basis of my work. It is

Africa after Mandela’s death ? v

within this diversity of culture where I grew up, that I get most of my influence. I just can’t

It’s a familiar question, it’s been asked a lot.

create a work that would be of another place

I don’t think much will change. Mandela

or another context.

worked very hard for our country so it will be

How do you feel about your French experi-

only saddening to see us going down rather

ence ?

than letting is life story inspire us.

* to matriculate = to finish high school

Thank you for sharing your Parisian experiIt’s my second time in Paris, as I was invited

ence with us

Mac Magagane, Photo by Alexandre Gouzou

to the Photoquai festival in 2011, but talking about this residency at the CPIF, it was quite amazing. My work has changed, I’ve learned lot of new ways to use photography, not just as a medium to represent a certain issue or a certain idea but rather a means to other art

32

CPIF

gender, race and the reinvention of difference Shireen Hassim

Zanele Muholi, Photo by Alexandre Gouzou

33

GAITE LYRIQUE

As a site in the global imagination,

as a marker of integration into the nation:

that disrupts the narrative of a women-

Johannesburg is a space of possibility and

South Africa has one of the highest levels of

friendly political domain and reveals the

openness, a mining town that is founded

elected women in its national parliament.

deeply embedded forms of raced and

on the promise of riches and of newness

To be a virtuous citizen in this version of

gendered power.

– a possibility of remaking not just one’s

democracy is to support the idea women

economic fortunes but one’s very self into

have freedom in South Africa. It represents

We have to turn to the social to perceive

the condition of modernity. It continues to

the triumph of a form of feminism that

these forms of power. In everyday

be such a city and such a place, every day

focuses primarily on access to places in

interactions in a range of spaces, the

attracting migrants of every type from other

institutional hierarchies. That is a thorough-

boundaries of communities and the criteria

parts of the country, the continent and the

going modernist demand on the part of

for authentic citizenship are carefully

world. As a site in South Africa, this city

the women’s movement, in that it frames

policed, and it is women’s bodies that are

that is the beating economic and political

a demand for recognition in the context of

the terrain for such regulation, in the idiom

heart of a new democracy contends every

the liberal democratic public sphere. But

of preserving culture. The range of practices

day with the problematics of making and

positions in parliament are not costless

of regulation that have emerged are wide.

remaking of nation.

gestures of inclusion. Frequently it becomes

They include :

part of a process of turning the gaze away

-

reinvented ceremonies of

In the city, certainties of identity and place,

from the underlying structures of power

virginity testing, in which young girls are

of social order and social position, are

in the relationships between citizens, and

tested to see if they are sexually ‘pure’ with

endlessly under question. New communities

between citizens and the state. Or, at the

the reward that they may dance before the

form that are outside of the structures of

very least, those questions are strategically

Zulu king

tradition and family, and outside of forms

suspended. For example, if positions in the

-

of authority such as traditional rulers and

state are granted on the basis of women’s

clothes that may be worn by women in

family patriarchs. These are communities

collective exclusion, then it becomes

some parts of the country, where women

that cohere around new identities and new

strategic to retain that sense of women

who wear trousers in public may be open

forms of sociability and for whom difference

as a homogeneous social entity. Then to

to attack from other members of the

is a productive force. Outside of the gaze of

ask the questions: does the body conform

community

official politics the encounters between the

to the binary political categories of male

residents of the city suggest that there may

and female – am I that corporeal entity

curing black lesbians of their supposedly

be ways of thinking about what it means to

referred to as woman – or to ask what the

un-African sexuality

be a human being in a space of open-ended

forms of violence are that underpin the

possibilities, where gender difference is not

categorization of male and female is to pose

All these practices remind us of the ways

fixed as permanently male or female, and

a question that cannot be answered within

in which bodies, and particularly black

where the body marks social relations in

the framework of the political system.

women’s bodies, mark the boundaries of

ways that cannot be captured in the forms

-

constrictions on the

‘corrective rape’ aimed at

collective communities. It is in the spaces

of politics and citizenship written into the

It is doubtless true that as a result of the

that are carved out by women and men to

Constitution.

inclusion of women in parliament the

challenge boundary making that the most

outward manifestations of the state – the

profound and threatening political gestures

The narrative of democracy in South Africa

personnel, institutions and policies – have

are made. Literary scholar Pumla Dineo

is centred on a modernist idea in which

been significantly stripped of their markers

Gqola argues that the most transgressive

the pinnacle is the formal sphere of the

of gender difference. However, I argue that

forms of feminism may indeed be found in

state and the constitution. The presence of

the presence of the sexualised body in the

the creative spaces in which black women

women in political institutions is celebrated

public sphere evokes a discussion of gender

exhibit levels of autonomy that are not

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GAITE LYRIQUE

easily expressed elsewhere.

Indian scholar Nivedita Menon describes

unsettling to those for whom the narrative

‘seeing like a feminist’ in this way: ‘to see

of democracy is twinned with the

In this presentation I wish to discuss

like a feminist is not to stabilize, it is to

celebration of the presence of women in

two moments of such encounters at the

destabilize.’

government. To note the dissonances in

boundaries of public and private, both

democracy – the violence towards those

provoked by representations of bodies in

The first emblematic encounter took place

who choose to live outside the given

the world of art, that challenge hegemonic

in August 2009, at an exhibition entitled

forms of gender, to suggest that women

norms. Both encounters invited responses

Innovative Women. The exhibition was

may have multiple identities, to present

that sought to foreclose the possibilities

financially supported by the government

women as sexual agents, or who articulate

of dissent from the conception of virtuous

in honour of National Women’s Day, an

intimacies that defy the pristine images

citizenship. (One of the provocateurs was,

annual public holiday that commemorates

of desexualised maternalist politics – is

indeed, an artist celebrated in the Sharp

the participation of women in the national

to disrupt the very core of the nation. In

Sharp Johannesburg month, Zanele Muholi.)

liberation movement. The exhibition was

her defense Xingwana explained “I was

to be opened by the Minister of Women,

particularly revolted by an image called

In both cases, the narrative of South Africa

Youth and People with Disabilities, Lulu

‘Self-rape’, [by Mntambo]… The notion of

as the epitome of a human rights oriented

Xingwana. However, the Minister walked

self-rape trivializes the scourge of rape in

democracy, a country of freedom for

in, looked at the photographs briefly, and

this country” (Van Wyk, 2010). She drew

all, was disrupted. The modern vision of

then walked out. What she saw was a series

on the idea of protection of children from

postapartheid citizenship is one in which

of images by photographer Zanele Muholi

pornography to justify her response. “My

all are stripped of ethnic, racial or gender

and artist Nandipha Mntambo. Muholi’s

reaction was guided by the view that

differences. In reality, however, difference

photographs show nude and semi-nude

these “artworks” were not suitable for

and entitlement are configured in new

lesbian couples in embrace, and are among

a family audience….To my mind these

ways around gender and race. The anxieties

her most tender images; in other exhibitions

were not works of arts [sic] but crude

provoked by economic exclusion and social

she has portrayed heteronormative violence

misrepresentations of women (both black

fragmentation have found expression in

in images that tend to shock – for example,

and white) masquerading as artworks

violent masculinities, in which weapons

showing the violence that accompanies

rather than engaged in questioning or

are extensions of maleness and women

sexual relationships.

interrogating…These particular works of art

are no more than bodies to be possessed

stereotyped black women…we have laws

or wombs to bear children. At precisely

Nandipha Mntambo’s Rape of Europa is a

in this country that protect children against

the moment in which women are claiming

deeply symbolic work in which she depicts

exposure to pornographic material” (Van

rights and asserting their collective

herself in the Greek mythological twin roles

Wyk, 2010).

presence as moral and political agents, it

of minotaur and maiden. Mntambo’s work

would seem, they are being beaten back by

deals with ‘the dynamic between fighting

Here is a clear statement of the ways in

the blatant assertion of masculinized power.

and protecting, public spectacle and

which discourses of equality can conceal

private self’ – and portrays strength and

the conservative foundations of nationalism

The two encounters in Johannesburg

vulnerability simultaneously in narcissistic

and social cohesion. The task of women,

reflect two dimensions of the forms in

embrace.

as described by Xingwana, is to protect

which gender identities are corralled: first

children from the immorality of nudity

within the confines of heterosexuality and

Xingwana claimed to be offended because

and intimacy: by extension, to stabilize

second within the confines of patriarchy.

the images were pornographic, “immoral…

the heterosexual patriarchal family which

I suggest that in both encounters the

and going against nation-building” (Van

is considered to be the normal form of

artists concerned deploy a feminist gaze:

Wyk, 2010). The exhibition was doubtless

the black family (despite all sociological

35

GAITE LYRIQUE

evidence to the contrary). Indeed, for her

in the exhibition depicted ANC and South

South Africa, who has the right to criticize,

the exhibition was particularly egregious

African president Jacob Zuma as a glorious,

and who is an authentic citizen.

because it represented black women

larger than life sized revolutionary, penis

outside of the normative framework of

exposed.

black community. She wishes to dissolve

For some feminists it also raised a third question: the gendered nature of power,

sexuality and sex and particularly the messy

Within the space of ten days, President

the implications of a masculinized politics

complicities of sexual desire, violence

Zuma sued the artist and the gallery

for women’s sense of citizenship, and more

and harm by reinstating the comforting

and hundreds of ANC supporters took to

particularly how we might understand

narrative of the idea of ‘good’ black women.

the streets of the normally calm suburb.

the implications of masculine forms of

The Goodman Gallery owners reported

power for women as political subjects of

In this framing by a prominent public

receiving death threats, the head of the

postcolonial democracy in its South African

defender of the idea of gender equality

Shembe Church – the largest independent

form.

(for that is what she stands for as Minister

Christian church in South Africa - called

in charge of Women’s Affairs), the

for Brett Murray to be stoned to death and

Murray’s exhibition included works

performance of gender in the public sphere

somehow in the furore two men slipped

that depicted the ANC as ‘for sale’ and

– more specifically, the performance of the

through the flaccid security at the Gallery

‘sold’, drew attention to corruption and

category woman – must stabilize both the

to smear red and black paint over the

authoritarianism, and to the association

hetero body form as well as the ideological

Spear. On Tuesday, the ANC organized a

between masculinity and political power.

meaning of female identity as primarily

march to the gallery, in which the various

The Spear painting itself referenced a

maternal. Xingwana’s inability to grasp the

constituents of the ANC participated—

1967 Soviet poster of Lenin as well as the

ways in which the works of Muholi and

the Women’s League, dressed in uniform

language of the ANC, whose former military

Mntambo disrupt the certainties of fixed

and selling food, the ANC’s Umhkonto we

wing was called Umkhonto we Sizwe,

identities attached to heteronormative

Sizwe veterans goose-stepping in combats,

or Spear of the Nation. In its portrayal of

patriarchy reveals the limits of state-

members of the Shembe church in uniform.

Zuma as potent phallic leader, the painting

sponsored feminism that is detached from

This carnivalesque outpouring of political

unmistakably alluded to the sexual life of

the complexities of power relations in

anger was focused on the defense of the

the President, who was tried and cleared

society.

President’s dignity, and by implication

of rape in 2006, is polygynously married to

(often overtly) on the persistence of racism

four women, has fathered approximately

in South Africa.

nineteen children, of whom at least two

But not all bodies evoke the same levels of public interest. Xingwana’s reaction to the

were conceived out of polygynous wedlock.

portrayal of ordinary women’s bodies sank

Art and politics met in a heightened

without much of a trace in public debate.

clash that embodied all the tensions of a

Unambiguously, then, Murray’s use of the

By contrast, the portrayal of the body of the

country moving imperfectly towards an

continuities between masculine virility and

president became a national cause celebre.

imagined state of democracy. For many

political power played on the familiar and

In May 2012 an exhibition by Brett Murray,

commentators, what was at stake in this

general critique of politics as male, and

called Hail to the Thief II opened quietly in

debate was nothing less than democracy

the specifically hetero-patriarchal mode in

a gallery in the upscale art hub of Rosebank

itself. First, it raised whether or not the

which Zuma/ presidential power appears as

in Johannesburg. Within days, however, the

liberal political norms of the South African

a figure in South African politics.

calm and placid white-walled space of the

constitution were in danger of being

Goodman Gallery became the centre of a

eroded by a socially conservative populist

The connections are made in very obvious

political storm about art, culture and the

movement. Second, it re-opened the

fashion. The painting linked sexual potency

right to dignity. A painting (called the Spear)

question of citizenship: who belongs in

very directly with political power, and

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GAITE LYRIQUE

in doing so it linked intimacy with the

On the other hand, many intellectuals

discourse that associates a particular

performances of masculinity in the public

emphasized the right of citizens to criticize

political party with the general interests of

sphere. The painting, and indeed the whole

those in power. Disrespect, whether

‘the people’.

exhibition of which it was a part, parodied

as a form of critique of the powerful or

Third, Mntambo and Muholi’s

the pretensions of power. In the otherwise

dissidence from conventional norms, thus

representations of female bodies outside

clothed image of Zuma, it is the penis

features as a crucial element in a robust

of the framework of heteronormative,

that dominates; in the grotesque scale of

public sphere.

maternalist identities evoked a response

the painting, it is the overweening ego of

of deep insult to the conventions of South

the male politician that invites the viewer

However a straightforward liberal stance

African nationalism. In the case of Muholi

into mockery. The artist draws the viewer

that focuses only on the right to freedom of

and Mntambo, the naked bodies of black

into the familiar space of noting that the

expression does not take us into the heart of

women were in themselves ‘crude and

emperor is indeed naked.

why the painting evoked such an emotional

pornographic’ with the implication that

debate, and why that debate was so far-

they violated the codes of privacy.

In creating this work, then, Murray was

reaching in its impact on South Africans

The effect of government and ruling party

commenting very explicitly on the figure of

who are not part of an elite circle of visitors

responses was to place these artists outside

Zuma as the embodiment of the collapsed

to art galleries.

of the community.

story of a democratic teleology, the

Indeed, in the ANC’s stance, to be a critic –

president as the personification of dream

It is clear that surfacing deep seated

whether as a white artist or a black feminist

turned nightmare. And part of that collapse

anxieties about the postapartheid social

artist - was to position one’s self outside of

– the tragic flaw in Zuma’s presidency, as

order exposed the extent to which the

the nation. The consequence of critique is

it were – is the extent to which his sexual

racialised past remained deeply imprinted

clear: it is to be an outcast to nation.

relationships have continually surfaced in

in the present.

In these debates about works of art, race

public debate.

But how would those anxieties be dealt

was mobilized in a way that separated

with in the public sphere? To some extent,

racial identities from those of gender.

The reaction to the painting was varied,

reading the works of Mntambo, Muholi

Achille Mbembe, one of the most astute

from commentary on what was entailed in

and Murray as demeaning the black body

interlocutors of Fanon’s work, points to

satirical art, complaints about its supposed

constructs the debate at a level that was

the linkages between race, patriarchy

pornographic qualities, the long tradition

beyond politics. By this I mean that it made

and privilege. He suggests that what is at

of male nudity in the history of art, and

sensible deliberation more difficult in the

play in the political carnival relating to the

nudity in the public sphere in general, cast

face of the categorical imperatives of racial

Spear is a crisis of patriarchy. “Many young

in a spectrum of possibilities of analysis

and party loyalty. It does this in three ways.

men, especially among the poor, can no

of democracy’s demands. On the one end

First, the substitution of the phallus with

longer enjoy the privileges of patriarchy.

of the spectrum lay explanations for or

blackness invisibilised the debates on

There is more than ever before an unequal

against the exhibition based on the tension

violent masculinities in politics which are

redistribution of the dividends of manhood.

between modern and traditional notions

evident in the gendered dimensions of

Struggles over access to women are

of respect of authority and seniority in

Murray’s (rather obvious) critique.

dramatised by high levels of rape and

politics. For these critics, who sought to

Second, the reappearance of colonial racial

various forms of sexual violation. In this

have the painting banned from public view,

harm in analyses of The Spear played into a

context, President Jacob Zuma represents,

the artist epitomized white racism and the

notion of the president as embodiment of

in the eyes of many young men, the

denigration of the black male body. They

the ANC and ANC as embodiment of nation.

symbol of a “big man” involved in an unfair

focused on dignity as the core value in

To elaborate, for some ANC members, it

capitalisation and monopolisation of those

South African democracy.

represented a familiar trope in nationalist

resources necessary for patriarchy to keep

37

GAITE LYRIQUE

reproducing itself.”

of the president forces a reading of political power as phallic and overpowering. Women

Mbembe is acutely aware here of how

are outside the view of the painting, as

central the projection of virility and

they are outside the view of many of the

entitlement to the bodies of women works

commentators in the debates discussed

as the marker for power in contemporary

above. But artists such as Murray, Muholi

South Africa. In his reading, women’s

and Mntambo are the grinding stones for

bodies become the terrain of a patriarchal

new debates on embodied subjectivities.

battle between young men and political

Their images fracture the triumphalist

patriarchs. We could extend this argument

narratives of South African democracy,

to show how dependent the patriarchal

and disrupt the neat solidarities of race

paradigm is on the idea that women’s

or class. Race, gender and sexuality are

bodies are vessels for reproduction, to be

interconnected in shaping subjectivities,

hidden from public view and to display

and Spear and the artworks in the

no signs of sexual agency and autonomy.

Innovative Women exhibition lead us to

As Anne McClintock has argued, in this

think about the complicated nature of

paradigm women’s agency is a designated

power. They provoke discussion of what can

agency – an agency by invitation only.’

be said, how and by whom. Importantly,

And what is invited is participation via

that invites a consideration – specifically –

mechanisms such as quotas in the formal

of which women can speak, what they can

liberal public sphere, not participation as

say, and when.

destabilizing critique.

Through these forms of closure, involving the reinstatement of the primary binary distinctions between black and white, male and female, ‘the nation-state will remain the repository of male hopes, male aspirations, and male privilege.’

An alternative reading of the works of Muholi and Mntambo in particular would reveal the ways in which black women have negotiated the boundaries of racial and patriarchal power, whether through resistance or accommodation or some combination of strategies. It would show that there is no unified black identity, however successful this was in sustaining the anti-apartheid movements, but rather ‘a realistic engagement with heterogeneity’ (Gqola, 2010: 34).

In Murray’s work, the brute representation

38

GAITE LYRIQUE

my trip to Paris

Text & Photos Themba Vilakaz

France has always been a special place I held with undying aspirations to visit. Reading, watching and listening to tales of the country compounded my keenness to visit. So, when I got an invitation to do so, I was naturally elated. As days drew nearer, I had mixed feelings. How was I going to communicate? Would I be able to network with other professionals convincingly? My most polished French language skills bordered around a simple greeting: Bonjour. I started to be filled with doubt, wondereding if my expectations of the country famed for love, romance and beauty would prove to be as beautiful.

68

As a photographer, I have always been

Gautrain from Johannesburg CBD to the O.R

asked where I was from, I answered. It ended

intrigued by the acclaim France holds in

International Airport, the change was already

there. The conversation could not be extended

photography history. In 1839, we read, Louis

palpable. Boarding the flight to Abu Dhabi

because of our language challenges. It was a

Jacques Daguerre implemented the highly

made the transformation even faster than any

case of two men, who looked smart but were

successful photograph processing. It was a

human being could comprehend. The com-

brought to detour by a language barrier. It was

milestone achievement; arguably one that

munication was predominantly Arabic.

a painstaking experience. Being persistent, he

would change the course of photography and probably its moving cousin, film. With this

asked about different issues from my country, But it was upon arrival in Paris that the tongues

I answered with the verve of someone trying

started sounding strangely familiar. It’s a

too hard to reciprocate. The driver compli-

dream background, I looked forward to visiting

language I had heard before, somewhat scat-

mented my country for successfully hosting

France.

tered, but now, it was beautifully dominant

the 2010 soccer World Cup. With effortless

It was an exhila-

grace, I thanked him for his kind words. He

rating journey

then asked about Nelson Mandela’s health.

of languages.

I told him the media had been quite the

I hail from the

issue. Little did we know that in over a

most popular

month, the anti-apartheid icon would

place in Johan-

depart the land of the living.

nesburg, Soweto, a symbolic place

The journey was interestingly long but

in the history of

short, made short by the conversation

South Africa’s

we tried to strike and long because of the

resistance against

same conversations that were a pain to

apartheid, where

breakthrough. I was dropped in Belleville.

I used to take off

We said our goodbyes with my new friend.

early every morn-

I was also welcomed by the rains and a dark

ing in a taxi that

cloud cover. I waited for my hosts at a coffee

represented what

shop. In need of service and wifi password,

Soweto is, a mix

I realized my foibles in France. I struggled to

of different tribes,

put my messages across. It slowly dawned

where being

on me that French was beyond ‘Bonjour.’

multilingual is a standard. A driver

It was time for Germany. My main task was

that speaks in

filming a colleague, Zanele Muholi who was

Tsonga, passengers that are not ashamed to

and saturated. I hired a meter taxi/cab to the

accorded an Honorary Professorship. If France

communicate in their own languages... It’s a

place where my hosts were waiting. Taking

was tough, then Germany was tougher. From

fair distance to the Central Business District of

a taxi was not problem, giving the driver

a pricey hotel, total failure to communicate

Johannesburg,

directions was. I read the address to him, but

and the salty food, we made our way back to

but it was made even longer by the usual traf-

it was mission impossible. My dictation of

France on the third day.

fic jam.

English alphabet confused the driver even. In a gracious countenance that spoke of hos-

Checking in at the Hipotel Hotel in Paris,

During the transition from Soweto and

pitality, customer care and a genuine sense

besides smaller rooms, I got allocated a room

its multiple language base, to the trendy

of caring, he tried striking a conversation. He

with a torn curtain. One couldn’t sleep with

69

light piercing in all the time. My protests led

understood both French and English. It didn’t

taught me that, like the French, I should be

to a better room, at face value. I realized that

help, I was overcharged at the end. I realized

proud of my own language. Not only that, but

it was hell afterwards, literally. The heater

this on receipt and sought assistance from a

I should also learn other languages, besides

was unadjustable. It was constant heat like a

security guy who shared my complexion. After

English. The fact that I failed to communicate

perfect summer day in Limpopo Province of

several false starts, we managed to under-

with a fellow African, a security guy at Fnac. He

my home country. Sweaty and stuffy in the

stand each other and I got referred to another

spoke French, I spoke English. If we had a com-

morning, I got what a language handicapped

shop assistant.

mon African language, we would have been

person would, little kebabs and fruits--that

able to communicate easily. It was a cathartic

was easy to buy without delving into much

It was the eve of my departure, and I had to

experience; an experience that brought ideas

explanation that would require esoteric com-

reunite with my colleagues. We decided to

of how I can document various people that

munication skills.

take a walk around checking out museums,

co-exist in France, so as my obsession with the

but they were closed. We only managed peep-

Eiffel Tower.

Later on, I tried to shrug the disorientation. A

ing from outside. It was a great experience, for

colleague from South Africa offered to show

we managed to walk

me around. Before doing so was a little eureka

around. The transport

moment for my inabilities to communicate. I

system was efficient

needed to iron press my clothes. After several

and connected, so

failed attempts, I devised a way, download a

much so that we

smartphone app that would translate what I

didn’t even fear

wanted. Through this, I communicated. The

getting lost. By good

joys of technology.

fortune, we stumbled upon a museum

With a colleague, we scanned through popular

that exhibited South

places around; from parks and shops. Picasso

African photos.

museum was a good highlight. It was not a fairy tale, it actually existed, I discovered.

It was a worthwhile experience the fol-

Days went by and I had to attend the Sharp

lowing day when

Sharp exhibition. At it were five fellow South

I tracked my way

Africans. Besides enjoying each other’s com-

back. With network-

pany and obviously the artworks on displays,

ing contacts that

we ‘enjoyed’ sharing stories on how we strug-

really promised

gled fitting in. The uniformity of the narratives

on developing my

pointed to prejudices based on language and

professional life, I felt

race.

contented. Ironically, I got inspired by the

However, my greatest fallout was to come.

French’s pride in their

Lured by the sale tag at Fnac I decided to buy

own language. My

an electronic gift for one of my hosts. The

difficulties in commu-

price at the pay point was double the display.

nicating might have

The language deadlock led to an argument

been excruciating

that was mediated by a fellow customer who

at the time, but they

41

71

Francois Verster

the lion sleeps tonight...

“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

Nelson Mandela”

Still from « A lion’s trail » Photo by Neil Brandt

A conversation between Danièle Hibon, film curator at Jeu de Paume, Paris and South African Filmmaker François Verster with Caecilia Tripp CT: In the wake of Mandela’s Lion sleeping

Durban International Film Festival in South

way chronological, mixing documentaries

tonight and forever, the present continues

Africa, in the framework of the cultural

and fiction, following the rise and fall of

with the presence of his spirit. Danièle, can

exchange with France for the Jeu de Paume

Apartheid up to today. The whole part

you tell us how you came about your won-

for the final selection.

of documentary films around apartheid

derful selection of South African Films?

I was there for twelve days and met a lot of

and anti-apartheid movement, also from

producers and filmmakers, who gave me a

the archives, got a lot seized down due to

DH: There was a first selection, taking place

suitcase full of movies to watch. My ambi-

limited screening schedule. If you like me to

in Paris, but afterwards I went myself to the

tion for the film program was to be in one

give you one example of a major documen-

43

JEU DE PAUME

tary, which has been done with the early

You Seen DRUM Recently?” from the 70’s

pendent films, from there I went to London

existing studios Varant for documentaries in

and ‘DRUM” the fiction film of Zola Maseko.

where I ended up doing some research on a

Johannesburg, South Africa it is “Chroniques

couple of documentaries and finally did my

Sud Africaines” by André Van In, which

CT: DRUM magazine really played a key

first film. So my first film was done in South

retraces the history from 1975/76 on.

role in resistance, transgressing apartheid

Africa, but produced by a London company.

As I had to reduce the program, I decided to

through their glamorous lens on Black

I guess I learned what I did through a pro-

focus rather on the contemporary filmmak-

Culture, its thrilling drive of always reinvent-

cess of working on other films.

ers and show the South Africa of today, such

ing music culture and publishing inspiring

as François Verster, Khalo Matabane among

literature as a new black voice, being

others The cycle finishes with a documen-

already beyond Apartheid. It is also one of

tary which Carolyn Carew pointed out to

the magazines, which has inspired and still

FV: The first film I made was called “Pave-

me, from 1973 by a collective from Britain

inspires Afrikadaa.

ment Aristocrats” and it was about a group

but also from South Africa, Nana Mahomo,

CT: What was the first film you made?

of homeless people in Cape Town. It was

Chris Curling and Pascale Macfarlane, which

DH: Yes DRUM Magazine was a legendary

is at the heart of Apartheid and draws a

magazine, and Schadeberg had photo-

strong portrait of the segregation “Last

graphed Mandela from the 40’s on, up to

CT: So you could say you started cinema

Grave at Dimbaza”. The film toured around

the legendary photograph of Mandela’s face

after Apartheid had ended?

the globe when it came out, besides South

behind the prison bars.

Africa itself, which was under censorship.

CT: I saw you also programmed the films

shot in 1997 and then finished in 1998.

FV: Yes. I think the interesting thing is that CT: How did both of you, François Verster

(..). I mean the history of film in South Africa

and you, actually meet ?

is quite strange. The first films, let’s say a

around the legendary “DRUM” Magazine ?

substantial percentage of the first films that DH: When I was in Durban people praised

were ever made, was shot in South Africa,

DH: Yes it is an important document and I

his film, which was still not finished at the

because the first big world event that hap-

had showed it already before in 1991, when

time. I went to Cape Town, where he lives,

pened after the invention of the moving

I started the cinema space at Jeu de Paume.

to meet him and was very happy to discover

camera was the Anglo-Boer War of 1897-

It was in the framework of the retrospective

his films, which have a strong aesthetic, but

1902. So quite a lot of films reels was shot in

of Lionel Ragosin, which I choose to open

an even stronger human ethics.

South Africa and you got these reconstruc-

with “Come Back Africa”. It was the first time that it screened in France. It is a beauti-

tions of South African battles happening in CT: So François, you are from Cape Town ?

ful film, it was filmed clandestinely with a

London and Hampstead, and so on. So in some sense South Africa played some kind

tourist visa, it was easier at the time to film

FV: I live in Cape Town, but I am originally

of role in the early years of cinema and then

as stranger under the Apartheid system, as

from Bloemfontein in the center of he

also in the 1910’s and the 1920’s quite a lot

any body else was under high surveillance.

country.

of big films were being shot in South Africa.

It is filmed in Sophiatown, the hero of

Generally for people like myself, there was

the film was casted randomly at the train

CT: What inspired you to go into making

in terms of documentary basically only

station of Johannesburg. The film is partly

films? Did you do Classical Film Studies ?

BBC Star History Program, National History

fictional, partly documentary. L.R. was in

Program, so was there was no real tradition

relation with the reporters from DRUM

FV: I did not formally study Cinema, I did

of political or social documentary under

Magazine, such as Jürgen Schadeberg, who

some master in English and musicology.

Apartheid.

was its artistic director and one of the pho-

Afterwards I spent some time in New York

The films that were made were basically

tographers. That’s why I showed also “Have

and I just started to work on some inde-

made underground, made very urgently

44

JEU DE PAUME

76

77

and the footage was smuggled abroad. So

filmmaking.

a white person … and I was very surprised

they were much more I guess news ori-

You live in South Africa and you are deal-

not to know about such a central part of

entated or propaganda oriented and not

ing at some level always with social issues,

South African History. Especially the fact

available for the general public.

obviously as a documentary filmmaker in a

that the original song writer died in absolute

After Apartheid, when filmmakers of my

place like South Africa these things become

poverty whereas the song in its American

generation started out, there was no real

a very essential part of what you do,

form had been the number one hit 40 times

older generation of filmmakers to look up

whether actively approached or indirectly

around the world and had made maybe up

to, or creative filmmaking of social docu-

approached.

to 50 Millions dollars over the years. And it

mentary or fiction filmmaking. In a way my

just seemed to me that this is a story, which

generation had to figure it out by them-

CT: Can you tell us about your film “ A Lion’s

needs to be told as a part of a South African

selves, or by reference to other films that we

Trail”?

self-referential mythology.

could get access to.

It was finished in 2002 and it raised quite a lot of awareness about the injustice that

CT: You went still to school under Apartheid,

occurred and played some role in the fact

how did this affect you as a filmmaker ?

that the family of the song writer got paid quite a bit of money by various people. It

FV: It was very, very difficult, as a student

also won an Emmy award in America, which

at university, one could find ways to see

was quite good given the fact that it is a

a few films at limited screenings at small

political form questioning the way in which

film festivals, but mostly the political forms

America had been exploiting intellectual

were banned, it was very, very hard to have

property from Africa.

access to that.

But I think my own inspiration for filmmak-

CT: Was your next film then “Mother’s

ing didn’t come so much from politics as

House”?

it came from, I guess, being inspired by people like Werner Herzog at the time.

FV: I finished another film called “When

I remember when I was 19, I was a member of the university film club and I saw a

The War Is Over” at the same time as “Lion’s Solomon Linda

Trail”. The film dealt with ex-activist people

couple of Werner Herzog films and it just

roughly my age, who had been involved in

completely blew my mind, the fact that you

the struggle against apartheid, fighting on

could have this kind of I guess emotional

FV: “A Lion’s Trail” tells the story of the most

the streets against apartheid. A lot of teen-

and existantial, explorational form, it is

famous song ever to come from

agers during the 80’s banded together as

something I had not experienced before and

South Africa, if not Africa, which is “Mbube”,

what was called “Self Defense Units”. They

it really, really inspired me. And then in 1999

which was transformed into American

were militant to more or less degrees, they

a group of about ten South African filmmak-

“Wimoweh” and eventually became “The

created barricades when the police wanted

ers went over to Copenhagen to meet with

Lion sleeps tonight”.

to come into the townships or they created

ten Scandinavian filmmakers and everybody

I was approached by a TV Magazine to make

a conversion so that activists could escape.

presented their films and spoke about it and

a short film about the story of this song. At

that was really inspiring for me,

that point, even having grown up in South

CT: Was there some kind of solidarity beyond

to see what was possible in documentary.

Africa, I had no idea that “The Lion sleeps

the color line in the struggle against Apart-

Because, as I said, as a documentary film-

tonight” came from a South African Song. I

heid?

maker, we did not have access to creative

guess that also reflects on my education as

47

JEU DE PAUME

FV: Obviously it was delineated along the

about the direct political involvement, but

racial line, which her mother never had the

racial lines, although some white activists

more looking at the ways that the violence

chance.

joined the ANC and went underground. The

of Apartheid had actually played out within

white youth movements were much more

the family situation. I discovered Valencia’s

innocent. But the militant group I was look-

daughter, being a much stronger charac-

CT: Well in the film when the mother says

ing at was called

ter, to follow the process of a young one

that under Apartheid there was racial segre-

Bonteheuvel Military Wing, a guerrilla

becoming a teenager when apartheid was

gation and white and colored people would

branch of the ANC. A lot of them went

already over, looking at what that meant

not live together, Miché answers that that

into Exile. So the film dealt with what had

for her in relation to her mother. Did she

did not change!!

happened to these teenagers 15 years later,

now have chances that her mother did not

people that had given up their youth for

have or whether the same cycles of familiar

FV: There is a lot of issues you cannot just

the sake of fighting apartheid. In the film I

emotional repression would continue.

fix by fixing the laws, or having the right to

focused on two former militants, where one

So the film followed its own course.

vote or the right to equality, there are long

became a military captain and the other one a gang leader, they are still friends. Both

term social and submerged effects, that CT: So Miché became the character of the

are still not resolved and what you follow

of them are part

through with Miché is trying to escape this

of the “lost youth”

cycle, but also falling back into it.

who fought against apartheid.

CT: In your next film “Sea Point” you choose

So the next big-

a more distant view of the new mixed “Meet-

ger film was then

ing Point”. Tell us more about what is “Sea

“Mother’s House”.

Point”?

CT: How did you

FV: “Sea Point” is a three and a half kilo-

meet the main char-

meters long promenade and a public Pool

acter of “Mother’s

in Cape Town, it is the “every man’s land”

House”?

between the city and the ocean. It is one of few the public spaces (swimming pool),

FV: One of the

Evening Bird’s MBUBE

main characters is Valencia, the mother of

which are used by all people: all races, all Post-Apartheid Teenage Hood ?

Miché, the young girl you see growing up.

ages, all genders, all sexual orientations and all religions. It is one of the places where

Valencia was actually a part of this group

FV: Yes I guess so and how different is this

people seem to be happy..

Bonteheuvel Military Wing. I had filmed

Teenage Hood from what it would have

The film is about the possibility of happiness

quite a bit with her for the previous film,

been twenty years ago.

in South Africa in a shared space.

work out, so we did not actually include

CT: What would you say, how different is

CT: You choose to have quite a large diversity

her in the film. But I thought she is a strong

that now?

of characters to speak about their country?

that material and we had some discussions

FV: Well she has the social and geographi-

FV: Well yes, first of all I wanted to film it

together, I also met her family. Through this

cal mobility which her mother did not have,

from a distance in a “Brechtian way”, by

process I discovered that there was actu-

she goes to schools which her mother could

framing your relationship in a self-conscious

ally a much stronger story to be told, not

never have gone to, mixing beyond the

way, but that did not really work out, it was

but then in the edit, the story did not quite

character and I was looking for ways to use

48

JEU DE PAUME

kind of limiting. So I went back to some of

CT: With the character of Aubry it comes

actively confronted. In South Africa, it is a

my encountered characters, like the home-

out very strongly in the film, as he raises

healthy thing,

less person Aubry and the little boy, as

the question : “Well I cannot even be on the

where things are discussed and questioned.

well as a couple of other people, because

Beach. But I am South African.

I think it makes it a very dynamic place to

I needed a little bit more depth of them,

I don’t come from the Sea, I come from the

work and live.

some more intimacy with their characters.

country!!”

On the political level the film is very much

So when the colonizers arrived in Cape Town

CT: Thank you both, Danièle and François,

about how as a white beneficiant of the

from the sea, they called it “Cape of Good

for this inspiring dwelling on South Africa

apartheid system do you speak about the

Hope” .. Robben Island is just in front of

and the films we like to see more of.

past and the present in South Africa. It is

it, where Mandela spent 18 years of his 27

very difficult for a person like me to com-

years in prison, right ?

ment directly on South Africa, it is very contested and it is not really your space as a

FV: Yes, Robben Island is just in front of

white person, in some ways..

Sea Point and a lot of the white population under Apartheid just ignored the presence

CT: What was your personal experience at a

of prisoners on Robben Island.

closer look at “Sea Point”?

CT: Is there a message you like to give out, FV: If you look at the Sea Point Side, the old

something which sticks to your mind?

age home is on the one side and the pool is on the other side, in a quite crude way

FV: In Europe everyone speaks about the

the old age home is the “white life” in all

crisis, a lot of economic problems, a lot of

its nostalgia about the past, which is dying

social problems and you feel there is almost

out and the pool on the other side is used

a reversal of position, like with China and

by a lot of young black kids jumping around

now with India, a lot more interesting things

right into the future.

are coming out of Africa, a lot of internation-

Why Aubry, the homeless person, is interest-

ally train settings are going to come out

ing, he is someone who has been excluded

of Africa in a decade or two. I really have a

from the system, because he was black

strong feeling about that.

before and now he is also excluded from the system, because he is poor. It is this kind of

CT: Africa is the future.

“double exclusion” even in the “new” South Africa he does not have a kind of a space.

FV: Yes it is an interesting time. You live with

But, what I was trying to say earlier, in the

very real social conflicts and a lot of uncom-

film he has a voice, he articulates a voice,

fortable things on a daily basis, but it is very

which cannot come from me. That’s the

vibrant.

kind of narrative in the film and the explo-

In a way everything in South Africa ends up

ration in the film, which is very much my

being a racial issue, which is on one hand

issue. You need to connect with someone

exhausting but it is also a very necessary

real, who lives these political and social con-

and vital thing. I think a lot of these topics

flicts and can narrate them from the point of

in Europe or America are stripped under

view of his own personal experience.

the carpet and are not really addressed, or

49

JEU DE PAUME

Still from « Sea point days » Photo by Pierre Crocquet

81

in conversations: Onyeka Nwelue interviews Niq Mhlongo in Paris I met Niq Mhlongo in lagos two years ago. or so. at a very artsy restaurant and bar, bogobiri. a writer friend, uche peter umez had talked about him and had given me a copy of after tears, his novel, to read and i enjoyed it. i had issues with the novel, regarding the depiction of its nigerian characters. i would discuss it with niq later, but i didn’t. we hung out several times, even with kenyan writer, binyavanga wainaina and nigerian writer, igoni barret and actor, david nnaji. we drank and ‘chopped’ at o’jez in surulere, lagos, nigeria. two years after, i am sitting in a chinese restaurant on rue de bagnolet in paris. we are eating cantonese rice, mushroom and chicken and drinking tsingtao beer. he has just finished reading from his novel at the mediatheque and had a Q & A session with his french audience. his novels have been translated into european languages and he is gradually becoming a literary superstar in france. he has an itinerary which i look at later in his hotel room and figure that he has a very busy schedule on this visit.

After reading his first novel, dog eat dog, which when pronounced by french people, it soundslike, [snoop] doggy dogg, i found it cinematic enough and thought i should ask questions, so we discussed everything about his career and also life.

51

MEDIATHEQUE MARGUERITE DURAS

Niq Mhlongo

When did you start Dog Eat Dog?

Can you tell us what kind of things you did

Dog whilst in Cape Town because I missed

before writing Dog Eat Dog?

Joburg so much. I missed my family and my

Around year 2000. I was doing my third year

friend that I had left at Wits University. Dog

LLB at The University of Cape Town (UCT).

Before writing Dog Eat Dog I was just a

Eat Dog was then born out of that

I was bored with law cases and lonely in

student. First I did BA at Wits University

nostalgia. Most of the things that I wrote

Cape Town as I’m from Johannesburg. To

majoring in African Literature. After

in Dog Eat Dog did happen in real life.

I started writing in order to deal with my

finishing my BA I decided on doing LLB post

Some are exaggerations, some I observed,

loneliness.

graduate degree. The only writing I did was

experienced. Some are hearsay.

only associated with my studies.

What motivates you to write?

Who do you admire? Is there someone who What kind of historical context of your

influences your writing so much?

I’m motivated by different things- the will to

country influenced what you are doing

share experiences with the world, by South

today? Or did you just start out of the fact

I won’t single out a person. I was influenced

Africa and its unpredictability, by

that you needed to write?

by my own experience, experiences of

love, politics, by hatred, by Soweto and

others, my neighbourhood, Soweto.

it’s sub-culture. I’m motivated by my own

I started out of the fact that I needed to

However, I must say that I grew up reading

experiences, other people’s experiences,

write. Like I said, Dog Eat Dog came out

African Literature by Heinneman’s African

my beliefs, my attempts to understand the

of my loneliness in Cape Town. I actually

Writers Series authors. I was able to read

world as we live in it. I’m motivated by so

wanted to be a lawyer, and not a writer.

great authors such as Achebe, Ayi Kwei

many things.

That is why I studied law and failed some

Armah, Buchi Emecheta, Ferdinand Oyono,

of the courses in 2000. So I wrote Dog Eat

Ngugi, Eskia Mphahlele, Mia Couto, Gabriel

52

MEDIATHEQUE MARGUERITE DURAS

Okar, Bessie Head, Dambudzo Marechera,

The lesson is that I must write for myself

I want to write, and write and write more

Hove, Tsitsi Dangarengba, Amah Ata Aidoo,

first and think about my audience later.

stories until my laptop runs out of ink. By

and etc. All these writers had an equal influence on me, and I admired them a lot.

the age 50 must have published at list ten What kind of support have you gotten so

books.

far from people in Nigeria towards your Did you receive some kind of economic

writing?

support to write?

Let’s talk about you as a person. What kind of person are you? How can you define

Most of it is moral support. I have lots of

yourself?

What is that? No way. I did everything on

friends from Nigeria, most of them are

my own. I had plenty of time because I was

authors. Also I grew up reading literature

I’ve been asked that question before, and

unemployed in 2001 and part of 2002. I

by Nigerian authors as I have mentioned

this is how I answered it: I’m an enigma. I’m

relied on friends and relatives for economic

earlier.

like an algebra test that no student passes.

support.

But I think I’m a happy person, an extrovert In your own assessment, would you say your

You have had the chance to travel around

writing is making money?

many countries in the world. What kind of things have you learnt during the trips?

and a true Gemini-kind and loving.

What kind of legacy would you like to leave

My writing is not making money, but

in South Africa?

opportunities. There is an opportunity to I went to these many countries because of

create one’s own world, to travel, to be

I want to leave South Africa and the world

my writing, and in most cases I was invited

invited to dinners and lunches by high

more books to read. Those books must be

to literary events. In most of these places I

profile people. An opportunity to change

written by me.

admired how people love books, and wish

people’s lives, to inspire them, to share a

South Africa was like that. Travelling has

world stage with other influential authors.

So far, what is your biggest success or goal

also widened my scope around literature

So there is no money, and that is why I still

you have reached in your career?

because of mingling with different writers

sell my labour in order to survive.

from all over the world. It has boasted my

The greatest thing is that I’m read

confidence because I represent my country

In layman’s language, what exactly do you

internationally in different languages,

when I’m in those places. I have learnt

call your genre of writing?

German, English, French, Italian, Spanish,

that an author plays an ambassadorial

Flemmish, Dutch because my works are

role for a country because readers/book

I have no idea. I hear people being labeled

translated into those languages. Also my

lovers rely on authors to comment on

crime novelist. I have been referred to as

name is associated with literature.

politics, economics, and social spheres. And

post-apartheid writer, kwaito generation

whatever an author says is taken as the

writer (whatever that means). My latest

truth. So, I have learnt that artists wherever

novel Way Back Home is regarded as a

they come from, are truly empowered with

political novel. I have no idea of my genre,

a gift to make a difference in the world

and I guess I write about so many slices of

and in people’s lives. They are engines of

life. Maybe I’m a slice of life writer if there is

inspirations and gatekeepers of truth, as

that genre because it is difficult to classify

well as true documentarians of history.

my writing.

What lessons have you acquired to help

What are your plans in the foreseeable

grow in your writing?

future?

53

MEDIATHEQUE MARGUERITE DURAS

Niq Mhlongo was born in 1973 in Soweto. His first novel, Dog Eat Dog, was published by Kwela in 2004 and was translated into Spanish under the title Perro Come Perro in 2006. This Spanish edition was awarded the Mar des Lettras prize. Besides writing novels and short stories, Niq has written a screenplay for the animated children’s TV series Magic Cellar and scripts for a comic magazine called Mshana, the first issue of which appeared in February 2007.Way Back Home, his third novel, has recently hit the shelves.

Onyeka Nwelue is a Nigerian writer. He just won a 2013 Prince Claus Travel Grant to travel to East Africa. He is also the President of La Cave Musik (www.lacavemusik.com), a record label based in Paris, France.

54

MEDIATHEQUE MARGUERITE DURAS

undying ghosts Dineo Bopape In conversation with Christine Rebet Photos : Blaise Adilon

What is the title of your piece?

Dineo The title is (“But that is not the important part of the story”)

Christine Your piece resembles a traumatic landscape of a bodyless crime scene. There are many indices and clues laying around such as this recurrent bottle that comes often in your installations.

What is the content? Is it gasoline? The one that has set the fire?

Dineo All specificity is denied in a way, similarly like the bottles I have used in (“The queen of necklace: sketch 3”, Bétonsalon, Paris 2012). In general in South Africa when you walk in the street, especially in the neighborhood where I live, one might find street hawkers selling bottled stuff‘something’ repackaged- the bottle is usually recognizable (like that of transparent plastic soda bottles or small liquor bottles), but the contents may appear mysterious – undefined…

Christine Yes, yours here is blue

86

MAC/LYON

Dineo

and looking back goes so far away, as an X

old Montréal by accident whilst attempting

It’s an unknown substance until you ask (the

large reverse aftermath.

to run away with her lover. So while I was

seller), what is this? It could be beer, window

at the Darling Foundry (during the open

cleaner, gasoline, medicine. Etc

Dineo

studio event), I made a fire as a kind of

So there is this repackaged thing that

Constant reverb, constant reverb...

commemoration of her (rebellious) act, of her/

has been/is of elsewhere. The content is

the accident. The accident of her entrance into

displaced… the content of the piece also: with

Christine

history... Because (of the magnanimity of the

all these gaps, these mirrors that mirror gaps,

As an audience member you try to define

fire) she entered it (history) accidentally – she

that look back but then looking back at what

the crime wondering: Is it something that

may have otherwise remained unknown,

exactly… The narrative keeps being evaded.

has happened? Is it something that the

invisible, and forever enslaved.

Really.

artist shot (filmed) or are these found

footages? Is it an historic event?

Christine So you did a fire?

I see the fans as ways to activate the piece. To put a frenzy into the object instead of having

Dineo

them still, so they stop performing but than

With all those possibilities there is always like

Dineo

the performance is also circular because the

an evasion, an evanesence, an evasiveness

Yes

fans are circling/searching the air around it.

about (the work) or the storyteller within the

work, the story is always deferred. May be

Christine

Christine

that is in the loop itself, as well as the idea

And how did people respond to it?

These unknown substances are constantly

of chasing. There is always a repetition, an

recaptured through fans, multiple screens

endless deferral.

Dineo

and rear mirrors that are activating the

People were warm to the idea. Lots of people

flames. It makes me think of the burning

Christine

didn’t know the story. It was only scholars of

ceremony of (autodafé) set as public

But I like the story of the story teller….

the area who knew about the story and I found

punishment during The Inquisition. Is it a collective fire?

out about the story from a scholar (Charmaine Dineo

Nelson), when one of the universities there

When I was in Montreal I got interested to the

made a dinner party. And she was like oh you

Dineo

idea of fire, all these songs about fire, “the roof

stay in Old Montréal; do you know about that

Reverberation, the image of the fire.

is on fire” (Dineo

I guess for me fire has so many changes and

sings) “fire on the

possibilities, the violence of it, the enigma, the

mountain” “com’on

howl, the vitality of it, the thing that you sit

baby light my fire”.

around when you tell stories, like a bonfire. But

All these things –

then it’s not that kind of fire, the story is too

all these fires: how

big. What kind of story would be told around a

they can all exist

fire like that?

simultaneously

…. there was a

Christine

story about this

It’s a big (edge) of history that you can never

rebellious slave

extinguish, cool down or forget. Also with

woman called

such huge rear view mirrors (as there are

Angelique, who

from buses), it seems that the reverberation

burned down

56

MAC/LYON

place? Do you know about the history around

from the burning?

that place? What happened? etc... And she was

a zombie, and I replied yes it s like a zombie, also he said it so lightly but thinking of it more,

like “woo I’ll tell you about the story! “ (Laughs)

Christine

there is this thing of ‘undying’. The piece itself

yeah and then she told me the story about

Maybe because it won’t repair history. We

and the video that keeps playing on in a loop.

this rebellious woman who sets the town on

have to commemorate the entrance in

fire. (Laughs) Although the story doesn’t end

history. The simulation of the flames is a

Christine

well…

rather hopeful angle.

Undying is great. I keep thinking of a

phantom hand.

Christine

Dineo

Because they caught her?

The entrance into___

Dineo

The accident of____

Like in a case of a zombie. When there is

Dineo

The accident of it as well, when all the

another force that is activating everything…

Yes they caught her, and then they paraded her

elements come together, when all the

like (in the piece) the fan trying to activate the

head around town...

characters are there, but then the thread hasn’t

small bits of thread or tussles etc. How the

been woven yet. But something like a catalyst

whole ideas of a zombie or zombies is that

Christine

happens, everything was there already, she

there is a figure, a doctor that has put a spell on

What did they do to her?

was in a particular place, she had a particular

somebody and that they are being animated

attitude, there were all this characters around

by this priest/external/internal interference.

Dineo

her, the buildings were characters and all these

They chopped off her head, put it on a stick,

things…

Christine

then paraded it around town. She went on trial

Ghostlike. It could almost be the spirit of the

before that, she was also beaten in public….

Christine

automaton.

There are phantom elements being present

But the interesting part was the fire (laugh) is

in this scene, evidence to be investigated.

Dineo

this thing that remains.

Yet, there is neither a criminal or victim,

Or even in a sci-fi film, these robots like the Hal

there is no evidence. Just a blind spot.

computer in Kubrick’s 2001: Space Odyssey.

Christine

The computer makes demands and it wants

Is the thing that remains of her?

Dineo

to be saved, but it still sounds like a robot, it

I wonder – whether evidence will be the thing

can’ t be the real thing, it’s an animation, or a

Dineo

that frames the story or evidence be the story

simulation of something.

Yes

itself…. that there are patches of space that are

blank, carved out by these scattered bits that

Christine

Christine

are left behind, almost. Within these gaps that

Simulation could lay as the space of politics,

How to exorcize her story, her monumental

occupy most of the piece…

a space with criminal enigmas, with a potential danger to short circuit, activated

gesture? You expel it so well that it is still kinetically alive. It won’t produce ashes, but

Christine

by the absentee and that no one knows how

an endless fire.We have to remember that

These gaps seem channeled through a

to unplug.

act, as a live act, still alive, still in activity.

phantom mechanism.

Dineo

Dineo

Dineo

I like your redrawing because it points at...

I was thinking of a possible question that

The director of the Lyon Biennal, Thierry

someone could ask me: Why not use the ashes

Raspail and I were chatting and he said it’s like

57

MAC/LYON

Christine

Dineo

...The void. Yes all these empty places

Where is the thing that looks at the mirror.

variably fold in.There are these scenes in the

What’s looking through the mirror?

novel ‘Invention of Morel’ from Adolfo Bioy Casares that endlessly repeat themselves.

Christine

Protagonists don’t seem to really feel

What or where is the organ?

or exist. The main character discovers that time is recorded and reproduced by

Dineo

a machine that runs through the wind

Or the receptor. Where is the receiver?

creating kinetic energy.

It’s like with my piece with the recurring phone call (The Problem of Beauty, 2008).

Dineo I think now of the ghost of memory as well.

Christine

This recurrent presence and the simulation

It’s very similar except that this one is

of the real thing …affect …the left over; all

spatial and circular.

the simulation of the present happens but all

We forgot to talk about the sound. It’s the

the emotions are gone. It comes as it traces

apparatus.

simulation, a copy keeps on copying itself.

What time is it?

Christine

You invented a contouring itinerary that

Dineo

Christine

circumvents the unseen.When the audience

It’s a quarter to six?

How do we do not to erase it?

pass through the installation, they short

circuit the simulation.

Big computer sounddddddd End

Dineo I was thinking of the place today because I was talking to other artists about Corner Place.

Because it is a passage.

Christine The public feels guilty about traversing it as if your spirited installation had eyes. Yet there is no eye.

Dineo Where is the eye? or the figure, where is the figure?

Christine Where is the vision in those rear mirrors ?

58

MAC/LYON

MAISON ROUGE

searching for Africa in Paris

By Kagiso Matlala

I started this piece, unsure of how to

“But Miss, we are of the same colour.”

particular way of shaping your ideas around

approach the subject of my three and a

I was immediately struck by guilt and

the matter because you are constantly

half month stay as a young South African in

naively gave in to my more optimistic

confronted by it. South Africans need race

Paris. Taking into account that it was my first

side that tries to see the best in people. I

to make sense of certain situations- it is

experience outside the African continent,

nervously obliged and off we went on our

context. I can’t go to a hospital or apply to a

there was much that I had to grapple with

hour and a half ride into Paris. Right in the

university without having to state my race.

upon my arrival. Living in a different country

thick of rush hour traffic I decided to take

I wanted to know if I would be fighting the

for three and a half months is hardly enough

advantage of our newly formed bond. I

same battles I faced in my own country, in

time to fully comprehend it social dynamics

sweetened the mood with a heroic story of

France. Mamadou (my cab driver) threw

but it is also enough time to get a slight

how a brave man sacrificed twenty-seven

all hope outside the window and relayed

glimpse into the struggles of the people.

years of his life for me and millions of others

to me that racism was quite rife in Paris,

The most striking of these challenges being

to live in a ‘free’ South Africa. I watched

ending off by saying that most people just

notions of race and how it is treated in

his eyes grow with

France.

excitement as I

The first part of my adventure came in

told my story and

the form of an encounter with an average

later listened to

middle aged man at Charles de Gaulle

him jovially chime

airport who politely greeted me, with an

about how South

offer of his taxi services. Eager to leave the

Africa was a model

airport and lost in the excitement of finally

for the world to

testing out my ‘French in France’ I blindly

follow. I pitied him

followed him to where he had parked. Once

and decided not to

we got to his car, I noticed that there was

crush his dreams

no signage or company logo indicating a

of the African

taxi service on the vehicle. I hesitated as

utopia he had just

uncertainty and suspicion swept through

described; instead

me, rousing the dormant paranoid

I moved on and

Johannesburger. I swiftly took hold of my

curiously inquired

belongings and coldly informed him that I

about the current

was no longer in need of his services. Before

racial situation

I could take off, I caught hold of his gaze

present in France.

and followed it down to his extended arm.

Growing up in

He slowly raised his sleeve, ran his index

such a culturally

finger up and down his forearm and in an

and racially diverse

incredulous tone he remarked:

country has a

59

MAISON ROUGE stuck with their ‘own kind’. I listened on in

art spaces, why was I not seeing works by

Season in France are steps towards the right

disappointment but decided not to let my

Black French artists? Where were they and

direction and serve as a great source of

first encounter dampen my mood.

did they have a voice? Why was I constantly

hope. I found this cultural exchange highly

As time progressed and after numerous

being confronted with what was being

effective in attempting to break down

encounters with people I came across in my

labelled as ‘African Art’ or ‘tribal African

some of the barriers that exist between

day-to-day life, the impression I had been

art’?

France and Africa. We are living in new

given of France was that of a ‘post racial’

The only answer I could fathom was the

and exciting times where possibility and

society where race did not matter. I grew

idea of exoticism. The word has always

change is rampant on the African continent.

complacent in my cloud of oblivion and

been a textbook term heavily laden with

I consider myself extremely privileged to

blindly carried on with life. Unquestionably

negative connotations but in France it

be privy to these changes and found it

my stay in the city isolated me from the

seemed to be celebrated. My problem

both disturbing and enlightening to view

uncomfortable realities of ‘Black France’.

with this was that it keeps the ‘other’ as

how the French are generally still reluctant

I was privileged enough to be working

the ‘other’ and does not help break down

to embracing these changes and how

in a very comfortable and welcoming

ignorant and racist colonial ideas of Africa.

adamant they are on holding onto outdated

environment and had the fortune of a

Instead it only perpetuates the idea of

views of the African continent. Despite this

spacious studio apartment ten minutes

Africa as the ‘Dark Continent’, leaving us as

I do have hope. I am a firm believer in Africa

away in a so called ‘Bobo’ (bohemian

just a far off idea.

being the future, there’s only so far one can

bourgeois) neighbourhood.

Every time I tried to raise this in

get by ignoring this fact.

I soon found that, life began to get a little

conversation, people were always eager

My experience of France was an enriching

uncomfortable for me when I started

to tell me that I had been misreading the

one and I will be forever grateful for the

having difficulty finding people who could

situation or they would simply just laugh

amazing individuals I came across who

relate to what I had to say and relate to my

it off because as the French say; “We are

welcomed me and made my stay the life

general experiences in Paris.

not racist, we simply do not see race. Only

changing experience that it was. I still do

A trip to the ‘Quai Branly Museum’ raised

a racist could talk about race!” It began to

miss the time spent there and definitely

another red flag. I could stomach no more

dawn on me that the situation in South

wish to come back in the near future.

than fifteen minutes of viewing what the

Africa was perhaps not as bad as I thought

“The darkest thing about Africa has always

museum had to offer. An exhibition centred

it was. We are by no means anywhere

been our ignorance of it”

around non-European cultures of the

close to being perfect but one thing I

George Kimble

world but presented from a very colonialist

can appreciate about South Africans is

perspective and executed in a very

our ability (with inevitable struggle) to

distasteful manner. The whole experience

confront the realities of racial difference and

of being in an establishment of that nature,

diversity.

in the year 2013, was reminiscent of 19th

In my eyes, to not see race is the pinnacle

century France and the particular case of

of racism, it is ignorance in its most blatant

Saartjie Baartman (a woman whose body

form. A total disregard for race is a total

served as an exhibition, during her lifetime

disregard of a race. It is patronising and

and a century after her death). I left the

dehumanising. There is much to be done

building enraged and saddened by what I

when it comes to remodelling the discourse

saw and began to question whether or not

around race and, more importantly, its

Africans had a voice in this country. As a

representations on the arts scene and to

result I started becoming more conscious

the Western world.

of what was presented in contemporary

However programs like the South African

60

Double majored in- French and Anthropology at the University of The Witwatersand, Johannesburg.

Kagiso Matlala is Interested in contemporary visual anthropology and is an aspiring curator.

par delà « My Joburg » Par Camille Moulongue Photos Alexandre Gouzou

Une exposition a eu lieu à la Maison Rouge durant cette année de l’Afrique du Sud en France. Elle compilait une cinquantaine d’artistes avec un thème commun, la vie de la ville de Johannesburg et joliment intitulé « My joburg ».

Une exposition à thème, exhaustive à l’extrême qui se veut une plongée dans la création contemporaine ; alors on passe d’un artiste à l’autre à la manière d’une compilation un peu comme une soirée avec un Dj set assez chiadé. L’espace de la maison rouge s’y prêtait bien et on en ressort assez diverti, un peu ébahi par cette panoplie.

La mégapole est décortiquée par ses artistes dans cette exposition pléthorique comme la Maison Rouge sait bien les faire (notamment avec les collections p articulières).

92

« My Joburg » est un exercice d’inventaire,

un groupe d’hommes fumant dans la

journaux, tapisseries, photographies, huiles

plutôt bien réalisé, de la création

nuit. Des instantanés qui dans un cadre

et acryliques. Des œuvres comme des

contemporaine de la capitale sud-africaine.

intemporel et a-géographique. C’est cette

réceptacles de la vie, des conversations

C’est complet au point d’être un peu

superposition entre le très concret et une

de gens qui l’entourent et qui donnent à

scolaire, on fait le tour de la question et l’on

abstraction subtile qui donne la profondeur

cet artiste une actualité totale, il est ici et

congédie le sujet en sortant de l’expo, une

de ce travail. Complication et trivialité se

maintenant pour toujours.

efficacité incontestable… Cela étant dit,

côtoient et dialoguent admirablement dans

c’est le geste même qui finalement trouve

ses œuvres.

les limites de cette exposition, qui débute pourtant très bien… on suit le fil au départ,

Sam Nhlengethwa est

on se dit que ça va être dense mais dans

né dans la communauté

cet espace un peu biscornu de la maison

minière de Payneville

rouge les œuvres se succèdent les unes

Ressorts en 1955 et a

aux autres sans s’étouffer ou se neutraliser

grandi à Heidelberg, à

entre elles. Un moment de grâce et

l’est de Johannesburg.

d’angoisse irrépressible dans l’unique pièce

Son travail a pourtant

dédiée à un seul artiste : Jane Alexander.

la fraicheur de celui

Un rapace aux ailes coupées dans une

d’un jeune homme, sa

prison aux barbelés déchirants entourés

technique évolue sans

d’une mince doublure avec des gants de

heurt avec une fertilité

travailleurs. Une œuvre magnifique et très

étonnante. Autrefois considéré comme l’un

Le travail du jeune photographe Chuirai

bien exposée. Dans le sous-sol on entre

des artistes résistants d’Afrique du Sud,

Kudzanai a retenu également notre

pour le coup dans quelque chose qui

ses œuvres parlent aussi de musique, en

attention car il dénote à la fois d’un certain

tient plus du vrac que de la pédagogie,

particulier le jazz et de vie quotidienne.

manque d’aboutissement tout en suscitant

finalement l’exhaustivité exténue. Alors

Ce sont des images qui font communier

la vision d’une certaine perspective. Né

pour cet article Afrikadaa a décidé

les époques et les gens dans une sorte

au Zimbabwe en 1981, il vit et travaille

d’approfondir autour du travail de deux

d’anticipation à très courte durée. Son

en Afrique du Sud. Il est le premier

artistes. Dans ce monde du tout disponible,

jeu sur le temps, les valeurs de plan et les

étudiant noir diplômé des Beaux-Arts

le plus difficile c’est finalement de choisir

dimensions géographiques est fascinant.

de l’Université de Pretoria. Pensiez-vous

et d’assumer la nécessaire subjectivité de

Son étonnante palette chromatique anime

que cela soit possible ? L’art sud-africain

cette action.

les actions dans une joyeuse liberté. La vie

Le travail de Sam Nhlengethwa donne

des anciens peuple

vraiment envie d’aller plus loin. Il peuple

ses images comme

ses images de personnages dessinés et

des vies antérieures

photographiés dans une perspective

actualisées. Il

cubiste et dynamique. Il appelle ces

compose chacun de

œuvres des « conversations » au sens d’une

ces petits spectacles

interaction humaine basique dans une

quotidiens avec une

sélection de contextes sociaux : écolières

grande variété de

bouillonnantes dans une rue animée,

médias : gravures,

un couple partageant un parapluie,

lithographies,

62

MAISON ROUGE

ne peut pas contourner cette réalité. A la Galerie Basia Embiricos, on peut lire sur leur site la phrase suivante : « Son discours idéologique est sérieux, plein d’humour, sans tomber dans la victimisation si souvent associée à l’artiste sud-africain socialement marqué. » Hé oui en France aussi, il y a beaucoup de chemin à faire…

Bref, cela mis de côté, il a une approche de la photographie d’art presque publicitaire à grands renforts de moyens multimédias. Très proche d’une photographie américaine des années 90 comme celle de David Lachapelle, il la décale subtilement.

Très doué pour le dessin, il a commencé sa carrière en peignant des paysages et des portraits mais son engagement politique a vite constitué une part importante de son travail. Il fait également de la sculpture et des vidéos. Chiurai vit d’ailleurs en Afrique du Sud, pour avoir critiqué Robert Mugabe dans ses dessins montrant Mugabe avec des cornes et entouré de flammes. Son approche assez esthétisante glane les codes de notre environnement de manière crue sans intellectualisme. Une œuvre assez violente où tout est dans l’apparence, il dénonce un esthétisme généralisé du militaire à l’universitaire.

94

64

MAISON ROUGE

project mine

By Katja Gentric

Mine est une exposition de vidéos réalisées

Le projet Mine réunit les travaux de 21

est écrit par le curateur et artiste Abrie

par des artistes sud-africains. Son nom

artistes: Bridget Baker, Dineo Seshee

Fourie. Le titre se nourrit de la coïncidence

renvoie non seulement aux profondeurs de

Bopape, Doris Bloom, Barend de Wet,

entre deux significations du mot “mine” en

la mine, mais aussi à l’idée d’appartenance

Jacques Coetzer, Teboho Edkins, Simon

anglais: la mine et le pronom possessif. Les

(Mine signifiant aussi « le mien » en anglais).

Gush & Dorothee Kreutzfeldt, William

vidéos se positionnent alors à l’entrelacs

Les travaux présentés ici, choisis pour

Kentridge, Donna Kukama, Michael

d’une conscience du territoire (une question

leur diversité, ont pour dénominateur

McGarry, Nandhipha Mntambo, Cedric

toujours très difficile en Afrique du Sud) et la

commun des artistes qui parlent d’eux-

Nunn, Zanele Muholi, Robin Rhode, Berni

quête d’intériorité, une sorte d’archéologie

mêmes dans leur œuvre, soit en tant que

Searle, Lerato Shadi, Penny Siopis, Gregg

du “moi”.

personne, acteur, modèle, observateur,

Smith, Johan Thom et Minnette Vári. Le

interviewer soit en tant qu’instigateur Mine

court texte d’introduction au catalogue

cherche à explorer la multitude de façons

Lors des Saisons Croisées France/Afrique du Sud le projet a été montré à deux

par lesquelles nous nous identifions et

descriptions que les artistes ont écrites pour leurs films,

reprises en France: à Bordeaux, à l’invitation

positionnons notre « moi ».

un texte d’introduction écrit par Anna Schrade associé

de l’association MC2a dans le cadre de

à l’exposition à Iwalewa Haus à Bayreuth en 2011, et un

“Novart”, un festival dédié aux arts de la

texte/dialogue écrit conjointement par Katja Gentric

scène, et à Paris faisant partie du festival

logue, Revolver Publishing, Berlin, page de titre. - A

et Dagara Dakin en Septembre 2013 pour la version

“Posessions” organisé par l’association

chaque nouvelle exposition du projet Mine le catalogue

française. Mine a été montré à Bloemfontein, à Johan-

Khiasma. A Bordeaux Lerato Shadi et Donna

ou “short guide” du projet est réédité. Il contient les

nesburg, à Dubai en 2012 et à Dresde en 2013.

Kukama, ont créé une performance.

1

1

Texte de Abrie Fourie, 2013. Mine, Cata-

65

BORDEAUX

spectateurs à s’installer sur la chaise en face

Chacun selon sa personnalité, les

A quoi s’attendait le public ayant été

de la sienne et à entamer la conversation.

participants réagissent avec consternation

convié aux performances de deux artistes

Elle répond en Setswana. Progressivement,

ou inquiétude - ils indiquent qu’ils auraient

annoncées comme sud-africaines dans le

les participants renoncent à s’en tenir aux

bien fait l’effort de parler en anglais... Lerato

cadre d’un projet intitulé “Mine”?

quelques mots qu’ils maitrisent de la langue

Shadi, imperturbable reste en setswana et

anglaise et s’abandonnent à la langue qui

écrit en anglais. Tout en cette jeune femme:

Pour arriver sur le lieu de performance le

leur sert à un niveau plus intime - le français,

sa mimique, ses gestes son regard, semble

spectateur mène son chemin à travers la

l’allemand, le créole haïtien, l’afrikaans,

être fait pour faciliter en tout aspect la

vaste cité du quartier Grand Parc à Bordeaux

l’italien, l’espagnol... - Lerato parle dans sa

communication.

avant de trouver la Barre H (la résidence

langue maternelle et écrit simultanément

Cette performance vient comme une

Haendel) et l’appartement-agence2 où les

la traduction anglaise de ce qu’elle vient

exception dans l’œuvre de Lerato Shadi, qui

vidéos pouvaient être visionnées pendant

de dire. Elle utilise un feutre noir par

ne demandait pas auparavant au spectateur

toute la semaine. Le choix du lieu était fait

conséquent l’écriture est lisible pour le court

de participer à l’action, et qui présentait des

par MC2a avec l’ambition de lier le projet

laps de temps entre le passage du feutre et

performances “sans paroles” - ses gestes

artistique venu d’Afrique du Sud avec

le moment où l’encre aura séché, absorbée

étaient ici réduits à des unités basiques

son souci d’intervention dans le discours socio-politique de la ville de Bordeaux.

En novembre la lumière en fin d’aprèsmidi disparaît rapidement - même si la performance est programmée pour 18:30, il fait nuit à l’extérieur et le spacieux jardin d’hiver est plongé dans l’obscurité - à travers les vitres on voit les lampadaires illuminant le terrain vague aux pieds de la barre HLM. Une trentaine de personnes ont répondu “présent”.

Lerato Shadi se tient assise devant une petite table sur laquelle elle a déroulé un

A gauche et au dessus: Lerato Shadi, novembre 2013, untitled, Photographie par Katja Gentric

long papier noir - une lampe éclaire le papier, une caméra reliée à un projecteur

par le papier. Le participant en face d’elle

de la présence: respirer, subir, s’enfermer,

filme en continu sa surface - le public

est obligé de suivre les mouvements du

s’extraire.... le texte était parfois présent

peut voir en direct ce qui s’écrit sur le

stylo noir sur papier noir avec une seule

sous forme de tricotage, d’écriture et

papier. L’appareillage (lampe, caméra,

alternative, détourner la tête pour voir la

effacement, la parole y était sous forme de

projecteur, écran) est très présent dans cette

version retransmise par le projecteur de

souffle. Pour les titres de ses performances,

installation, au risque de faire disparaitre la

l’écriture sur papier. Il a parfois le temps de

Lerato Shadi choisit sciemment des

personne de l’artiste. Lerato Shadi invite ses

lire une phrase - “I wonder what you are

concepts intraduisibles. Une retranscription

saying” - “You have to speak louder”. - mais

des notions dans une autre langue que

dans le souci de garder un certain rythme

le Setswana nécessiterait un dialogue,

de “conversation” érigé en spectacle - les

une remise en question et une nouvelle

répliques restent décousues...

négociation du sens dont ils peuvent être

2

L’agence Aquitanis a mis en place un

“appartement témoin” pour communiquer au sujet des prochaines interventions architecturales dans le cadre de la réhabilitation des résidences de la cité du quartier Grand-Parc.

66

porteurs.

BORDEAUX

Tout l’exercice tel qu’il est présenté

la traduction. Lerato

à Bordeaux n’a rien d’une recherche

Shadi met en place un

d’équivalence d’une langue à l’autre - et

dialogue ponctué par

c’est pour cette raison, peut-être justement

un “saut” de langue -

qu’il a tout de la traduction - ce moment

un véritable moment

quand la terre s’ouvre soudainement devant

de création à partir de

nos pieds : l’être humain en face de nous

“rien” ou l’idée d’une

ne réagit en rien à ce que nous disons - un

équivalence 1=1 doit

sorte de vertige se déclare - ce sentiment

être abandonnée. Le

du vide complet me semble la véritable

titre de la performance

situation de traduction....

est provisoire, dans une logique cyclique Lerato Lerato Shadi, novembre 2013, untitled,

Au fur et à mesure que les conversations (ou

Shadi s’y réfère comme

faudrait-il dire les “non-conversations” les

“u’titled”3.

Photographie par Katja Gentric

conversations intraduites) s’enchainent - le papier noir se déroule d’un coté de la table

La deuxième partie

et crée un amas déroulé de l’autre - les

de la soirée présente

écritures sont ici devenues quasi invisibles.

un changement de rythme, bascule

Difficile de savoir à quoi s’attendait ce public

presque dans l’opposé

ayant été convié à assister à la performance

absolu par rapport à la

d’une jeune artiste “sud-africaine”? - A une

première proposition.

remarque très sophistiquée sur la traduction

Elle est accueillie par

et la traductibilité des choses? - Sur la

l’Agence Créative,

médiatisation et l’intervention du médium

plateforme artistique

dans le processus? - Certains réagissent avec

multiple, au rez-

de l’impatience - le but de la performance

de-chaussée du 76

n’était certainement pas la provocation,

cours de l’Argonne à

“bas nuages” / “nuages moyens” / “hauts

dans les milieux d’art contemporain ce type

Bordeaux. Donna Kukama accueille ici le

nuages” (ce vocabulaire est lié à l’altitude

d’intervention publique est une pratique

public dans son agence fictive, “The Air

des nuages dans la troposphère mais

tout à fait classique - un public peu informé

State Urgency” où on vend - ceci se voit dès

également à ce que le participant aura

en art contemporain doit encore faire le

l’arrivée devant la vitrine où sont exposés

appris à attendre de lui-même dit Donna)

deuil de l’absence d’un produit final ou

les fiches des produits, comme dans toute

- le client peut exprimer ses préférences,

d’une morale clairement proclamée par une

agence immobilière - des nuages.

ses aversions. Il s’en suit la très longue et

Donna Kukama, novembre 2013, The Air-State Urgency: Shop, Photo par Nadia Russell

intense négociation pour le prix du nuage

activité artistique...

Le principe est expliqué au client prospectif

- le client est obligé de faire la première

Le travail de Lerato Shadi crée la possibilité

une fois qu’il manifeste son intérêt

offre qui est ensuite débattue - paiement

d’un ensemble beaucoup plus vaste que la

d’acquérir un nuage. Kukama lui présente

uniquement en espèces, contrairement

simple utilisation de la parole au-delà des

la série des produits disponibles classés en

à la totalité des règles du marché et des

règles de la communication. Le “médié” fait place à un aspect non-médié de la parole, à la confrontation “immédiate” de

67

taux d’échange: “under the table”. Les 3

“u” pourrait être lu comme une abréviation de

“untitled” (sans titre) ou de “you- titled” - impliquant que

négociations sont longues et intenses - pour en faciliter le bon déroulement les services

chaque un titrera l’évènement à sa façon.

BORDEAUX

d’un traducteur sont proposés.

Quand les négociations approchent d’un accord, Donna Kukama présente au client le contrat de vente dont il peut discuter les détails - et, si une décision commune peut être trouvée, le client peut partir assuré d’être dès ce moment l’unique propriétaire du nuage de son choix, l’authenticité est certifiée.

La version4 monté à Bordeaux est une édition de trois, elle porte le titre The AirState Urgency: Shop. La première édition a eu lieu à l’île de la Réunion où Donna Kukama avait élaboré une unité mobile à l’aide d’un caddie de supermarché: The Air-State Urgency: Launch. Le deuxième volet The Air-State Urgency: Expo, a eu lieu à Carquefou dans le cadre de l’exposition Spectaculaire - ici Donna Kukama avait installé uns “salle de vente” où le client prospectif pouvait “essayer” les nuages avant de décider d’en devenir le propriétaire.

Donna Kukama organise son travail en plateformes (par exemple sa participation dans The Center of Historical Reenactment) des collectifs d’artiste (entre autres le Non-non Collective avec Kemang Wa Lehulere). Un concept proposé d’abord pour un festival peut réapparaitre comme un principe organisateur d’un cursus présenté à l’Université (Kukama enseigne à WITS un cursus avec le titre “curating and performance as protest art”) ou dans un échange entre écoles de beaux-arts. Ainsi se tisse une toile sur plusieurs niveaux, où les strates deviennent 4

L’”agence” de Donna Kukama est déclarée:

en Afrique du Sud sous le nom “The Air-State Urgency”

68

Donna Kukama, novembre 2013, The Air-State Urgency: Shop, Photo par Nadia Russell

interchangeables et où l’organisation sous

deux extrémités d’un continuum entre

forme de liste devient inefficace. Telle

une négociation se servant de toutes les

est la particularité des interventions de

ruses du métier et une contemplation du

Donna. Le nom d’une performance peut

travail sur l’intime, mais dans leurs bases

devenir le titre d’une vidéo, d’une action

elles posent les mêmes questions: Que

de reprise - un “follow-up”. La fluidité

signifie être un étranger? - Quel était le rôle

avec laquelle les idées, les images, les

que jouait le langage dans les plus graves

situations, les interventions, les périodes,

malentendus de l’histoire? Que peut-on

les transparences se donnent le relais,

apprendre de la beauté des intraductibilités

les plateformes se superposent, les

? - Donna Kukama et Kemang Wa Lehurele

temporalités coexistantes ou coïncidantes

ont choisi le mot Xenoglossia5 pour désigner

se chevauchent, deviennent la marque de

ce type de recherche créative et se sont

fabrique de ce travail. Chez Donna Kukama

mises à la rédaction d’un “fictionary” de

naissent simultanément une performance,

Johannesburg. Ce projet tient compte

une installation, une vidéo, une restitution

des significations fluctuantes du langage

publiée une année plus tard. Mais le vécu

suivant l’endroit où il est utilisé et le

lors de la performance a généré une

moment auquel il est prononcé. A partir

profonde incision dans l’approche - comme

de ceci elles mesurent son impact sur

en témoigne la chute de Donna lors de la

l’imagination sociale et culturelle de notre

performance The Swing (After Fragonard),

monde contemporain.

celle justement qui la représente parmi les vidéos du projet Mine.

Les pratiques artistiques de Donna Kukama

5

et de Lerato Shadi peuvent sembler les

blogspot.fr/2010/11/xenoglossia-research-project.html

http://centerforhistoricalreenactments.

BORDEAUX

original noise from the Jozi streets

By Olivia Anani

From Cuss Group’s organic body of contributors: writers, designers, DJs and artists, to Johannesburg’s underground DJ scene represented by the likes of Dirty Paraffin, to Akin Omotoso’s “low budget/high aesthetic” story telling, the people from Johannesburg are taking the power in their own hands to tell local stories, made in Jozi, by Jozi. Come and let’s hear the Original Sounds from Jozi, with no filters.

100

Still from CUSS GROUP - Webisode II Johannesburg - Performance and Reality

BURN MONEY!

poor areas that would somehow

can for me to see.”

explain their status. It is not, as many

Slang Proverb from Ivory Coast

A small group of three, four guys are

sometimes argue, a lack of education.

performing in front of a crowd. It’s not

What is a lack of education? For me, a

It all reminds me of a few years back,

your typical on-stage performance.

lack of education is when one does not

when the streets decided that they

Jamal Nxedlana, the artist behind the

understand the world one lives in, and

wanted to favor a small group of

video piece, tells me it was shot in

is not equipped with the intellectual or

young socialites from Ivory Coast, who

Johannesburg a few years back.

cultural tools to allow them to find their

would go from club to club showing

place in that world. These boys look

off their branded clothes and offering

“Burn money.

like they know very well the rules of the

money showers to the crowds, in a

It’s all about outshining one another…

world they live in. They know of Pareto’s

contemporary twist of what is still

Give the other guy stress.

80/20 principle, and that some sort of

done in traditional ceremonies across

The reward is notoriety.”

power can be granted to the one who

West Africa. To entice them to give

manages to be one of the 20% whose

more, the DJ would get used to singing

The kids are burning money, burning

names you remember. They are part of

their names and imaginary praises as

sneakers. Some open soda cans, and

Warhol’s prediction on the 15 minutes

soon as they walked past the door,

proceed to spill the drinks on the

of fame. They’re no different from the

in a way strangely reminiscent of

ground. The audience is shocked.

one-shot pop stars that you see on

traditional griots singing the praises

But does not interfere. I’m told this

your TV every summer. They are on the

of kings. Later on, the style of music

movement of Izikhothane, is something

pyramid, right where you find that need

they created became a regional, and

that has been going on for several years,

for recognition that simultaneously

even international phenomenon

and came out officially as early as 2006.

defies and confirms Maslow’s theory.

called Coupé Décalé. I can’t tell if the

Like most things underground, it started

Or not? How about the families that

Izikhothane performers intend to, or will

with a group of boys showing off

have to support that flashy lifestyle and

succeed at creating an entertainment

before a crowd in scandalous ways. The

ephemeral performances?

career for themselves. Some claim it’s

news spread across the neighborhood, across town. They went from nobodies

just a youthful experiment, and that Let the streets be the judge.

to somebodies, criticized somedies, but somebodies still, so others soon

they will stop once they settle to have a proper job and a family. … Only time

“If you say you can, then go ahead, and

will tell.

followed, and before you realized it, it was a new trend. Crews were blossoming everywhere, in universities, in townships… But it’s only in 2011 and 2012, with international media reporting on it, that the movement got global momentum. “Want to cut a dash in South Africa’s townships? You better have money to burn”, titled a 2013 article from the Guardian.

Now, it’s not just a third world story about the senselessness of kids in

70

Still from CUSS GROUP - Webisode II Johannesburg - Izikhothane by Jamal Nxedlana

Dirty Paraffine concert at Gaîté Lyrique - photo : Gordon Cyrus

“Izikhothane” was one of the short films

re-enactments, to the next stop. Let’s

that caught my eye while watching Cuss

not forget to grab a piece of wisdom on

Group’s video piece Johannesburg II.

our way out:

A DVD I got for 10 euros (but I should have negotiated the price better) during

“I hope my enemies live a long life so

their Black market performance at La

they can see all my success.”

Gaîté Lyrique in Paris. Born in 2009, Cuss Group is an independent collective producing performance and video work on underground Johannesburg life.

They talk about street performances, dancing crews, recycling squads on skateboards, showcases and private DJ parties, in a style that is deliberately anti-fancy. The rawness of their work is striking. DJ Hugo’s visual compositions in Timezone have a taste of early Nam June Paik video work, and some of the street performances captured by Thabiso Sekgala and Ravi Govender are so good it takes a second look to realize they’re actually staged. It’s like a theatre in augmented reality.

Now let us hop on the TAXI SOUND SYSTEM, an installation by Joao Orrechia

Performance by Bhubesii - Still from CUSS GROUP - Webisode II Johannesburg

and Murray Turpin, past video collective EAT MY DUST’s hilarious, Chaplininspired short films and Some Like It Hot

71

JOZY

The members of CUSS GROUP, photos by Alexandre Gouzou

Still from CUSS GROUP - Webisode II Johannesburg - Recycling the Day

RECLAIMING SPACES

AF: Why choosing such a topic? popular these years, have you ever thought

On Ground” is the story of two estranged

Actually Saro-Wiwa was a friend of my

brothers, Ade and Femi, in the wake of

family, and what happened to him,

the South African xenophobic riots of 2008. We sat down with Akin following

a story I felt compelled to tell. But I guess this fact was one of these reasons

Jeu de Paume’s program “Un Regard sur

why thinking retroactively, I felt that I

le Cinéma Sud-Africain”, to discuss African

needed more maturity to my projects,

cinema and Joburg street culture.

more experience to tell the stories how I really felt them, so after “God is

AFRIKADAA: Akin, tell us a little about

African”, I decided to take some time

your own life journey.

off, and sharpen mywriting and directing skills. I did lots of TV work.

Akin: I came to South Africa when I was seventeen. I’m originally from Nigeria,

AF: So when did you come back to making

and at the time my father, a writer and

about going back for some projects and

I actually have a couple of projects under way. I actually have a couple of projects under way. Hakeem, Fabian and I will re-team for a film adaptation of Helon Habila's Award winning book “Waiting for an Angel”, with the script

by Newton Aduaka and myself. Another one that’s been three, four years in the making is on the theme of the Lagos wedding, and is based on a play by Sefi Atta.

AF: Sounds great. Which leads me to ask you about fellow African writers and

the University of Western Cape. That was in 1992, and at the time, there was a lot

made in 2008, went to Toronto and since

people whose work you are particularly

going on in South Africa, negotiations to

that time, I had been discussing with

interested in? How is your feeling towards

end apartheid were under way… African

Fabian (Adeoye Lojede) and Hakeem

the future evolution of African cinema?

intellectuals were very curious, and very

(Kae-Kazim, who play the roles of Ade

excited to see how the country would

and Femi in Man on Ground) about

evolve over the years. So after coming to

making a movie based on the 2008

South Africa, I went to drama school and

xenophobic riots. So we hired someone

started working as an actor; but very soon I was tempted to get to the other

two years. When the results came in

side of the camera, so I taught myself

2010, we wrote the script, and it was ready by the end of the year.

“God is African”.

AF: I can’t help but notice that the three of you have your roots in Nigeria, is community in South Africa or something?

It was inspired by real-life events: the execution of activist, writer and

(laughs) I wouldn’t say so. Hakeem

producer Ken Saro-Wiwa in 1995. The

was already in God is African, so we’d

story tells of a Nigerian student in a

known each other for quite some time.

South African university, who’s trying

And with Fabian, we acted together on

to gather support for Saro-Wiwa, a few

several occasions, during my TV days.

days before his death.

73

I’m currently exploring ideas around perspective, which is a topic I already approached in The Nightwalkers (1998).

You have directors such as Jean-Pierre Bekolo whom I admire a lot, and Wanuri Kahiu for Pumzi (2009). More generally, people such as Newton Aduaka, Andrew Dosunmu,, Khalo Matabane with A Letter to Nelson Mandela, Biyi Bandele… are all very talented. Overall, I’d say it’s a very a very exciting time for film making in Africa. There is a sort of expressionism wave going on, that’s taking the place oftraditional tendencies to ponder on the past… Movies such as Tey - Aujourd’hui by Alain Gomis are just brilliant.

AF: Yes, “Aujourd’hui” was incredible,

JOZY

and Saul Williams’ performance was just

AF: Sounds like a fun place to be!

AF: We will be looking out for this beautiful story. Thank you Akin for talking to us.

stunning! Now back to South Africa… We’re

trying to get real street-proof data from

Yes, this is the reason why I also wanted

Johannesburg you know. (laughs) As a

to capture that atmosphere in another

Links :

couple of years now. It’s called Tell Me

www.wordsofkatarina.blogspot.com coffeebeansroutes.com.

a writer and film maker, where do you like to hang out when you’re back home?

I’d say, a place like the Maboneng Preccint is really trending right now.

There’s a lot of thinking and literature being made about the city in general, by writers such as Nic Mhlongo.

People are considering the process of deconstructing this city architecture and urbanism system rooted in apartheid, to re-build new streets, new neighborhoods. Johannesburg is

Sweet Something. The story is about a young female writer, who publishes a book based on her own life story, and who struggles with the feeling of having exposed too much. It’s loosely based on the belief that every relationship is an opportunity to re-write your own history.

For this movie, I wanted to show a different image of Johannesburg, that of a romantic city.

reinventing itself, we are re-claiming the spaces. We see old abandoned buildings turned into greenhouses, apartments, aquariums…

I host Movie Nights with blogger Katarina Hedren , an initiative that’s been going on for seven years, also thanks to several sponsors. We try to show independent we can. There’s also Kasi Movie Nights, a great initiative, for which a truck equipped to become a moving cinema, goes to the townships to show movies there.

Akin Omotoso, photo by Alexandre Gouzou

A friend of mine is also organizing Music Tours around Cape Town, and plans to soon. Local fashion designers are also showcasing their products at the Neighbourhood Goods Market every Saturday, it’s a fun place to spend the day. You also have the Maboneng Night market on Thursday, Market On Main on Sunday.

74

Still from the movie -“Man on ground”

acte editorial be national / act 1 Photos : Alexandre Gouzou

Depuis juillet dernier Afrikadaa a couvert une sélection d’évènements inscrits dans le cadre de la saison sud-africaine et rencontré de nombreux artistes.

102

Le vendredi 20 décembre 2013 la revue investissait le plateau média de la Gaîté Lyrique pour présenter en avant première le contenu du hors série en cours de production : BE NATIONAL.

76

GAITE LYRIQUE

LAST STOP

Rohilalha Mandela

2013. 14. 12 lost in translation

By Simmi Dullay

exorcise itself, to liberate itself, to explain itself. There are no limits–inside the circle.

The hillock up which you have toiled as if to be nearer to the moon; the river bank down which you slip as if to show the connection between the dance and ablutions, cleansing and purification–these are sacred places. There are no limits–for in reality your purpose in coming together is to allow the accumulated libido, the hampered aggressivity, to dissolve as in

It has been a week since Mandela died,

the magnitudes of systemic power and its

a volcanic eruption. Symbolical killings,

his body is leaving town as I write after a

dialectic.

fantastic rides, imaginary mass murders–all

three day wake in Pretoria Union Building,

And we dance…

must be brought out. The evil humors are

the capital of legislation and law of South

In my mind I recall Fanon’s words

undammed, and flow away with a din as of

Africa. I hear the processions of cars driving

concerning violence on the rituals of dance

molten lava.-Fanon

by, announcing farewells from the booming

as we face the repression of blackness

I cannot help but marvel at the cheek and

loudspeakers as Rolihlahla makes his last

Andile speaks of and I’m reminded of the

absurdity of the translator at Rolihlahla’s

trip home, returning to the soil where he

metaphors in the action of black people in

Funeral. The translator is a near perfect

was born.

grief and celebration:

embodiment of postmodern relativism

And isn’t it ironic that today 80% of our land

On another level we see the native’s

derived from among other postmodern

is still owned by whites, and that Mandela’s

emotional sensibility exhausting itself in

obscurity, the postmodern interpretation

politics was about land, belonging and

dances which are more or less ecstatic.

of Barthes provocative statement of ‘the

ownership... But his legacy of allegedly

This is why any study of the colonial

death of the author’. Maybe we could go so

freeing South Africa from the shackles of

world should take into consideration the

far as to admit this is the most fitting end to

apartheid and white privilege seems to be

phenomena of the dance and of possession.

Mandela whose politics post 1990’s became

constructed, as Andile Mngxitama, Amai

The native’s relaxation takes precisely the

meaningless.

Jukwa and Garikai Chengu (in different

form of a muscular orgy in which the most

My problem with postmodernity is that

words) point out “what appears to be

acute aggressivity and the most impelling

it deferred justice, responsibility and

love for Mandela is actually self-love, a

violence are canalized, transformed, and

accountability and becomes ‘meaningless’

subconscious act of white self-preservation.”

conjured away. The circle of the dance is a

when applied to principles of freedom,

And further that ‘Black African self-

permissive circle: it protects and permits.

justice and equality. We have witnessed

preservation and renewal is another

At certain times on certain days, men and

that borders are closing while the

matter’.-Jemima Pierre

women come together at a given place,

gap between the enriched and the

Despite the eruptions of celebratory grief in

and there, under the solemn eye of the

impoverished is widening. Postmodernism

the streets among the people the last few

tribe, fling themselves into a seemingly

only really makes sense when applied to

days, which have brought with them a state

unorganized pantomime, which is in reality

the predator economy of the free market

of paralysis, a zombie like bewitchment,

extremely systematic, in which by various

and its fluid movement of the corporation.

South Africans still maintain their daily

means–shakes of the head, bending of the

Yes Mandela was no doubt part of freeing

rituals of work, raising their children, taking

spinal column, throwing of the whole body

us from Apartheid South Africa, but as

out the garbage while witnessing an

backward -may be deciphered as in an open

others beckoned us to remember, he and

uncontested global spectacle reflecting

book the huge effort of a community to

the ANC were part of a force that begins

77

LAST STOP with resistance to the settles, a history of

moving out of the plantation the geography

often undocumented decolonization that

of the plantation has shifted and is wherever

was reaching epic proportions in South

we move as it is inscribed in our bodies by

Africa during the 70’ and 80’s with the black

the pertaining white genocidal gaze.

consciousness movement.

Let Mandela’s death be the rebirth of a

With the immediate access to the world of

newer and stronger black consciousness

information most people recognise that

politics; A politics of accountability and

power really does corrupt and yesterday’s

radical self-love, not the need for love/

revolutionaries become todays plutocrats,

recognition of and from the colonizers. We

clarifying that there is no possibility for

are not slaves and cannot apply Ubuntu to

negotiations. In order to change we might

those who have no humanity. Let us cease

look at the dialectic of power between

this death as a renewal committed to real

the politicians and the people and how

and fundamental restructuring of power.

this relationship of reciprocation is forged through our language. Regarding the translator why should we, the people call out one small fish for fraud, betrayal and dishonesty, when this man probably has the lowest ranking among the most psychotic professional looters and mass killers on the world stage. What is our admiration, veneration and protection of this predator class rooted in? .....apart from being blinded by their amassed wealth; a wealth which is impossible to obtain without pathological exploitation, systemic discrimination and deliberate mass genocides. The hypocrisy that taints us as a people and the stupidity does not cease to shock me. If we have the guts to lynch a single man, we should put them all on trial for crimes against humanity, because only then will we begin taking steps towards fundamentally changing justice and implementing equality. http:// www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-11/ mandela-service-sign-language-translatoraccused-of-being-fake-.html Spivak’s insistence of being in the academy as privileged insinuates that the black world did not have education and institutions of knowledge production and silences the racism we experience every day. Despite

78

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HORS-SERIE

BE/NATIONAL