19th: This is going to be my entry to this years Sasol New Signatures. I worked like a demon to get it finished this weekend. It has everything that you could ever need, windows, a door, a bed, a chair and a mat amongst other things. Its all very spacious and comfy. For those considering building their own homes it only takes ten minutes or so to assemble the whole thing. I have titled this piece 'Together We Can'
The title comes from this years ANC by election byline 'Together we can build better communities' It just struck me how far from the truth that this statement seems to be. In South Africa you have such a large proportion of the population living in shacks that are no better built than the one I have just made. For me the question who is the 'we'. At times this 'we' seems more like a royal 'we' in that our leaders are completely detached from the realities of day to day survival that the citizens of this country are facing. Sure now and then they may may visit a township as part of a photocall to show that they care and are listening. In return loyalty is expected and received and you have to wonder why? How much do these people actually consider the costs of the lifestyles they live. Are they able to weigh up the benefits that may come about if they reduced their costs to the populus at large and invested this money back into their local community. Rather than buy a Gucci suit instead buy a woolworths one and then put the money saved into helping someone build a home for themselves. A democracy is only a democracy when it serves the people and not when the system is abused to serve the interests of a select few.
18th: Well here is my tea bag in the sky shot from the other night. I have to admit that I was feeling really lazy, pointed the camera at the sky, set the focal length to infinity and just pressed the button. As you can see the result is a non descript orange haze in the middle of a lot of black. Yes I do charge people money for taking pictures for them.
Anyway, handed in my work for the Leonard Cohen exhibition. I wasn't to happy with the final piece. The print came out great (thanks Tammy), but the sticking down turned into a farse. The result being that an empty can of spray paint was launched across the garden where it remains for the moment. The spray glue went no where, as in what was in the can was barely enough to stick down two sections. So I ended up using double sided tape, which was ok but in some parts the image has not stuck down perfectly so a little rippling can be seen. All in all a little tardy, but if you are interested I will be happy to create a whole new piece that will be way better, neater, smarter, nicer, cleaner etc etc.
8th: Here is something that I started on a year ago. It is a series of images of the boundries that exist outside of properties. I became interested in this imaginary line that extends beyond the fence, and of how some people claim it by tarting it up and others just leave it to its own devices. The connection with the Voortrekker Monument comes with the fact that these are all tracts of land that line Monument Avenue, a road, that if it continued on its way would eventually come to the monument. So anyway to join the dots; on the one hand we have this huge lump that is a memorial to a peoples desire to create a nation for themselves. Then on the other you have this manifestation of a personal desire to define a homeland for yourself being repeated continuously along a road.
So anyway I have the choice of black or white to go with. What do you think? Personally I did like the white version, but that was last night and now I am leaning to the black one.
