4 minute read
A community photography exhibition at the 2023 Diamond Festival
In June this year current and former residents of Oranjemund were invited to submit photographs of places in and around the town that they treasure. The pictures are for an exhibition during the Diamond Festival in August. This small mining town, which was closed to the public for decades, is located in the far south of Namibia in close proximity to the Orange River mouth at the Atlantic Ocean. To an outsider entering Oranjemund for the first time, the town is a small green oasis in the desert with numerous public parks and play areas frequented by children and grazing gemsbok. Residents, however, are able to share so much more than the first impressions that casual visitors have of the town – although green lawns and grazing gemsbok will definitely feature prominently in the exhibition.
Participants were asked to consider “Which areas of Oranjemund (or the surroundings) bring you joy every time you go there? Which place brings you peace and means most to you?” In response we get to see a scene from a desk at home, a radio presenter's place of work, an event at the community centre, a visit to the Jasper House museum and a view out onto a carefully tended desert garden. Alongside the much loved gemsbok we are presented with photos of pets, owls, pigeons and seabirds.
Oranjemund's hidden gems revealed: A community exhibition capturing the cherished places and moments of residents.
“Between the trees of OMD, my favourite place is where wild animals or birds roam freely.” (Aurelia Sieberhagen, participating community member)
With over sixty photographs on display it is clear that the residents of Oranjemund find value in a wide diversity of places. Aerial images of the suburbs, the golf course and the river mouth provide a charming overview of the town, with still more pictures of the beach, the river banks and the dunes competing for attention.
“I took the picture at the river mouth the first month I got to Oranjemund in 2021. It's one of my favourite places because the first time I went there was a breathtaking moment for me. To see the phenomenon of how the river meets the ocean is just so amazing and it is amazing to me that Oranjemund has this wonder.” (Linda Shaimemanya)
“Visiting the dunes always brings back childhood memories. My friends and I would visit the dunes to sandboard or simply to race up and down. It was so much fun and we would often return home with pockets full of sand.” (Lukas Paulus)
Another prominent feature of the photographs on display is the recurrence of various pieces of public art that were produced as part of the Art Can Transform Project initiated by the OMDis Town Transformation Agency. This project started in June 2021 and saw Oranjemund transformed through the addition of sculptures and murals in public spaces.
“This painting is one of my favourite places to see and walk by everyday. This mural shows me that Oranjemund is really developing day by day. Change and transformation is coming to our beautiful town.” (Garaldine Kavari)
This year's Diamond Festival runs from 2-6 August under the theme Creating a sustainable future through economic diversification. It is a wonderful opportunity for tourists and locals alike to come together and celebrate all that Oranjemund has to offer. The community exhibition has given Oranjemunders occasion for reflection and self-recognition, while also providing tourists with the rare chance to see the more intimate and personal aspects of the town from the perspective of insiders. The exhibition opens with a public event on 1 August 2023 at Beronnies’ Art Centre and remains open to the public for the duration of the Diamond Festival.
