Painting Hillbrow

It’s been over a month and a half since I moved back to New York from Johannesburg. I’ve been putting off writing about it for so long because I miss the beauty of Jozi too much for words.

Many of you already know about my love of murals, especially in urban settings. I often imagine giving everyone on the street some paint and a paintbrush and covering every building with color and images. The neighborhood of Hillbrow in Johannesburg is one such place where I have that urge, often because I’m inspired by the beautiful people in the area and the murals that already brighten the streets. I spent a lot of time in Hillbrow in my last few months in Johannesburg, facilitating theatre workshops at the Hillbrow Theatre Project (and later facilitating a mural painting, post coming soon). The following video from South African newspaper Mail & Guardian gives some more background on the area.

There are some beautiful murals in Hillbrow, which people in the area that I have spoken to appreciate immensely. The JDA, an organization I interned with, has commissioned six murals as a part of a sanitary lane upgrade project.

One of the JDA's murals in Hillbrow, painted by a local artist. Photo credit: S. Hobbs

The idea is that by improving the aesthetic environment of an area, people’s behavior can be influenced, and can potentially cut down on crime. The Metro Police are tracking crime over time specifically in the areas of the upgrades, and it will be very interesting to see the results. Even while the murals were being painted, neighbors were sharing positive feedback about how happy the images made them. Many of murals are reminiscent of rural areas, which many of Hillbrow’s residents have come from.

Another JDA mural, painted by local artist. Photo credit: S. Hobbs.

Commissioning local artists also helps to create job opportunities and provide visibility for artists in this marginalized area. Johannesburg’s art and culture are amazing, and the city is only moving forward. Look out for a new post coming soon about Art for Global Justice’s own community-developed mural completed in Hillbrow.

Tags: art, hillbrow, johannesburg, mural, public art, south africa

Jozi’s Fire Walker: What “public” is public art for?

Last week I visited a few public art sites in Johannesburg and surveyed opinions of and responses to the art from those in the immediate areas. Three distinctly different artworks gave me surprisingly similar results, and made me question the true role of public art. Is public art really intended for the community near which it is placed, is it intended for the so-called “Art Community,” to feel that beautification is happening, or is it for a wider, undefined “community,” and how do we create for that?

Take the Fire Walker, for example. Johannesburg’s “Statue of Liberty” as one headline called it. Designed by William Kentridge and Gerhard Marx, this piece marks the entrance to the CBD as you pass over the Queen Elizabeth bridge. It is in the front of a park, which attracts many people throughout the day, but when sitting in the park you can only see the back of the sculpture.

“Fire Walker,” a woman carrying a brazier on her head in commemoration of the activity which took place in the area in recent years, when ladies would prepare and sell their fires to others preparing food in the surrounding areas. Photo courtesey of Trinity Session.

When I surveyed the people in front of the piece (mostly small entrepreneurs selling sweets and cigarettes), the responses were about the art and about how it made them think and how they would like to create sculptures or use materials in new ways. They enjoyed seeing tourists come and take pictures, and to talk with new people. In contrast, when surveying the majority of the people relaxing in the park in the back, they had barely even taken notice of the piece. There is really no reason to walk to the front of it since it is near the road, and the piece is best viewed by driving past anyways. So it seems the sculpture was intended for the motorists and tourists who had heard about it, and not for the park-visitors.

The piece is located near the bustling Bree Taxi Rank (aka Metro Mall) at the intersection of Newtown, Braamfontein, and the CBD.

Perhaps reactions and responses would have been different if the sculpture had been placed in the center of the park, rather than the front. Maybe then people would view and interact with it on a different level. If raised up in the center, passing cars would still see it and the community might feel that it was actually intended for everyone.

Another view - photo courtesey of JDA

I could be over-analyzing and not taking into consideration a lot of logistics that surrounded the piece. Installed in July 2009, getting the funding and support alone was a great feat. William Kentridge wanted to give a “gift” to his city, and provided his services at minimal costs (comparitively…). Installing a piee of public art in the city, especially one of this magnitude (a budget of over R 1,000,000), means that you usually work with what you have and make sure it gets done.

Unfortunately, this also means that you might be sacrificing potential impact on an area. With workshops or events in the park, or even signs explaining the piece and its significance, a greater buy-in from the community could have the potential to improve community outlook as intended. After surveying people in the park, most asked me to explain the piece to them. People were genuinely interested in what the piece was about. I explained that Kentridge was a very famous artist from Johannesburg, and that a much smaller version of the sculpture had recently sold for over R 1,000,000. The reactions to this were interesting. People looked back at the sculpture and smiled, impressed that something worth so much could be here. It’s crazy how putting a price tag like that on something can change someone’s view so drastically, but that’s another conversation completely.

I feel very strongly that there should be as much public art as possible, and that art does not belong in just museums and galleries. It should be accessible to all. Yet even when art is placed in the public domain, what “public” are we talking about? I’m still looking for the answer, and will write soon about other public art that was developed collaboratively and with community input. But for now, who is the public, and what is the community, and how does art fit in?

Just some thoughts…

Alex

Tags: Africa, art, cities, culture, johannesburg, public art, south africa, william kentridge

I love you, I love you not…

At the beginning of this month, I was fortunate enough to attend “I love you, I love you not,” a public art performance in Diepsloot, an informal township in northern Johannesburg.  The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), where I am currently interning, is finishing up a project there that includes upgrading the Taxi Rank, adding new ablution blocks, new paving, planting, urban furniture, and a new pedestrian bridge. 

Photo Credit: Stephen Hobbs

   As a part of each JDA development project, there is a public art component.  For this particular one, the Diepsloot Arts & Culture Network , Sticky Situations, and The Trinity Session put together this community program, inspired by a poem that a young girl wrote in one of the initial workshops conceptualizing this project:

 

DEAR DIEPSLOOT,

From Monday to Wednesday, you make me love you like a

butterfly, that comes out of it’s cocoon.

I can only have a good time then, like a cat drinking its milk,

like a rabbit eating its carrots.

When its Thursday, my feelings change about you.

You turn into a pack of angry dogs.

You make me angry like a chicken whose chicks have been

taken away.

When its Thursday Diepsloot, you act like a bunch of baboons.

You forget I need to hunt like an owl, searching for knowledge,

working at night.

When its Thursday Diepsloot, you let my prey escape me.

Dear Diepsloot, I love you, but you break my heart.

 

The festival referenced the animals described in the poem:

Photo credit: Stephen Hobbs

The performance paraded through the main road in Diepsloot, attracting followers throughout the procession.  What was initially an awkward gathering of obvious outsiders, primarily white, turned into an eclectic and vibrant group enjoying some impressive dancing and performing.

Photo credit: Stephen Hobbs

I received a shirt that says “I ♥ Diepsloot” at this event.  When I wear it around Johannesburg, I get very interesting responses.  Most people ask me if I even know what Diepsloot is.  I tell them that I got the shirt in Diepsloot, and yes I had been there.  Most will say oh, it’s a very rough area, it’s a bad place, there’s so much crime, it’s dirty.  I usually ask if they have been there, and most of the time, they never have.  It’s very similar to the reactions I get in Accra when I tell people I work in schools in Jamestown, or New York, when I go to our after-school program in Washington Heights.

Now, I am not saying that I know Diepsloot by any stretch of the imagination – I have only been there once in my life.  However, I do feel that I got a taste of the vibrancy and community that exists in the area.  To convince someone to love a place in a few hours is a pretty incredible feat, and to use that experience to challenge people’s pre-conceived opinions through passing conversations is exciting.

Art is powerful.

In solidarity,

Alex

*To learn more about Diepsloot, you can read Anton Harber’s book, Diepsloot.

Where are we now?

I still cannot believe that it has been over a year and a half since Art for Global Justice was created. Over the years, we have gone through a lot of trial and error with team structure, projects, mission, etc. We have been through many website re-designs, the latest of which you can see above (visit the new site at artforglobaljustice.org). From art exhibits to youth workshops, poetry slams to fundraisers and international projects, we have organically shaped our efforts into what is becoming a streamlined mission and plan for the future.

As many of you know, we believe that art is a powerful weapon for change. From our experiences over the past year and a half, we have learned that we are most passionate about bringing workshops, education, and opportunities to those who don’t often have access to art and forms of expression. This passion has moved our efforts and focus towards education projects with an emphasis on the arts.
With that, we present our new mission statement: Art for Global Justice is a nonprofit organization focused on education for children around the world. Rooted in the arts and social justice, we work in collaboration with local communities.

We will move forward to expand and improve our most successful programs:

Jamestown
Accra, Ghana

Our very successful “Possibilities” program in Jamestown last year has opened up doors for exciting plans for the future. Art for Global Justice, in partnership with JayNii Streetwise, is in the initial phases of opening a school in Jamestown in 2013. This school will be free of cost to local students, only employ local Ghanaians, and emphasize the arts, social justice, and global awareness. A blog post with more detail is coming soon!

Washington Heights
Manhattan, New York

We will continue our “Expressions of la Comunidad” bi-lingual after-school arts program for the upcoming academic year. Integrating lessons about local heritage and global perspectives, this program not only provides access to artistic expression in the classroom, but also includes field trips and professional artist visits. We look forward to another successful year in partnership with the ACDP Beacon program.

Meet Me Here
Photography, Global

Photograph taken by MMH participant Brayan, from Jalapa, Guatemala

The “Meet Me Here” project has brought photography to children in Ghana, Guatemala, and New York, and aims to give youth the opportunity to share their points of view and express themselves. An upcoming MMH program in South Africa is in the works, I look forward to sharing more information soon!

Eventually we would like to expand to create more schools and programs around the world. As our funding and scope grow, we will embed artist residency programs and community development initiatives in each location.

This blog will serve as a platform for highlighting our work, and work of other great arts programs around the world. Look out for upcoming posts about some amazing things going on in South Africa, where I am living right now.

I hope you are all as excited about this new way forward as I am! If you have feedback or suggestions about our initiatives, feel free to comment on this blog post, and I will be happy to respond and take your ideas into consideration.

Much love,

Alex

A Visit to El Museo del Barrio!

This Friday was very exciting  and tiring for our students who visited El Museo del Barrio for the first time. Located in East Harlem, El Museo del Barrio is one of New York’s leading Latino cultural institutions, as they are dedicated to presenting and preserving the art and culture of Latin Americans in the United States and abroad. Given that our students come from Colombian, Dominican, and Puerto Rican backgrounds, we thought El Museo del Barrio was an ideal place for them to explore artistic expressions and the creative process. For most of our students it was also their first time going to an art museum, therefore we found it extremely important that part of their exposure and first experience be relatable culturally and aesthetically since we have focused a lot on their personal backgrounds and communities as sites for inspiration.

Ashley, Anthony, and Stephanie

Even though getting to El Museo del Barrio turned into a workout routine as our students walked/ran several blocks (8 to be precise) and arrived out of breath, I was extremely impressed and proud of their engagement with our tour guides, Franklin and Meghan. Sharing their knowledge on the origin and background of artists and their works, Franklin and Meghan focused on the creative process of an artists and the use of material in creative works. Discussing minimalist art, juxtaposition of sound and moving images, interactive art, and meanings/purposes of titles, our students learned, interpreted, and questioned expressive, conceptual, and lyrical pieces.

Gallery 1: Voces y Visiones

As their teacher I was blown away and full of pride with the level of engagement they demonstrated. Hearing them deeply analyze and interpret artworks visually and conceptually, I felt as if the students I met at the beginning of the year had grown into professional art critics and critical thinkers. I was mainly impressed with the mature, descriptive, detailed, and confident manner they described their ideas, opinions, and interpretations. Proud of their participation and contributions during the tour I treated them to a few sweet treats, which gave them the energy to make it back to school just in time for their parents to pick them up.

Gallery 2: Luis Camnitzer

We are very thankful for Franklin and Meghan’s time and tour at El Museo del Barrio and hope to visit again soon since our students enjoyed the experience and didn’t want to leave once the tour ended.

-Brenda

Inspiring Through Art

The past few weeks our students have been exploring with watercolors, paper constructions, and mask making. They have celebrated Carnival, Women, and their creativity. Through culture and female accomplishments we have travelled the world, discussing celebratory customs and social concern/activism. Together our students have explored their personal interests and have been challenged to think about their role models and future aspirations. In defining themselves, conversations of an urban identity and culture have risen. A culture that is young, edgy, fearless, and “of the streets,” as described by our students. For this reason, Friday was particularly exciting and special since they were “finally” going to be able to experiment with graffiti, a public art form that they considered to be “urban street art” due to its accessibility and wide exposure in the public spaces they are accustomed to.

Miles teaching the students how to outline letters.

Given that they have been enthusiastically and patiently waiting for a graffiti workshop, we decided to bring in an expert, Miles Wickham (known as Reskew; www.mileswickham.com), to teach them the techniques needed to be an amazing graffiti artist. Stressing the importance of practice, commitment, and free flow (not thinking too much about design and detail, and simply letting oneself go in the creation process), our students learned about “graffiti basics” and the legal background on public art. Many were surprised to find out that some of the graffiti work they see on the streets is actually illegal, since permission is required to display artwork on public spaces. Nonetheless, they were eager to learn from Miles since some of them wanted to practice what they learned on their bedroom walls at home.

Painting with Miles

Keeping up with our semester of inspiration and empowerment, our incredibly talented students decided to create a banner saying “DREAM BIG.” Impressed by the color, boldness, and motivation transcribed onto their artwork, the school administration asked us if the banner could be displayed in the school’s main hallway to inspire other students to achieve their goals. In this way, through art, our students voices of encouragement, self-belief, and self-empowerment will be echoed throughout the school to inspire others to succeed and dream.

Much Love, Brenda

Exploring “Caos y Paz” Through Photography in Monjas, Jalapa, Guatemala

Extremely impressed and proud of the photographs our students from Buduburam produced after a one day photography workshop in Ghana, the Art for Global Justice team decided to continue the “Meet Me Here” Photography Workshop Series by extending it to other regions and age groups and expanding its length. Given that we had a month long break from college, we decided to travel to Guatemala, my native country, to listen to the the stories young teenagers had to tell about their small town and beautiful country.

Partnering up with a local church youth organization, Jadash, we worked for two weeks in my hometown of Monjas, leading a five-day photography workshop where we taught techniques, analyzed photographs, and spoke about perspective. We based our program around the theme of “Entre Caos y Paz” (Between Chaos and Peace). Living in one of Latin America’s most violent, corrupt, and impoverished countries, we wanted our students to voice their daily experiences by documenting the nuances of their personal lives, thus photographing and juxtaposing moments of abruptness and tranquility. Focusing on “Coas and Paz” our students aimed to reflect on Guatemala’s long history of internal war and a people’s efforts to achieve peace by continuing to live their lives to the fullest with their families and friends, taking in the beauty that is sometimes ignored through mass media attention on organized crime. Leading discussions on media visual interpretation of Guatemala and personal narratives/perspectives, our students became protagonists of their own histories by voicing their reality of Guatemala and depicting how “Paz” exists within “Caos,” even though media represents the two as separate and incompatible.

Discussing Photographic Techniques

Practicing with Digital Cameras

Looking over the images taken.

Once again, we were blown away by the initiative, control, and overall work our students: Moises, Alvaro, Ingrid, Stephanie, Gerson, Gustavo, Osvaldo, Josue, Karla and Abel, produced. Even though it was the first time many of them used a camera, the use of technique learned, personal voice, and creative expression were more than evident in their photographs. The most rewarding part of all however, was seeing how much fun they had taking photographs and how proud they were to view and keep their work!

Our Students

So Proud and Excited for Their Work!

The success of our program in Guatemala could have not been possible without the help of our partner liason, Sofi Gonzales, who drove our students from their homes to our house and helped with discussions and translating to Spanish. We also have to thank Jazmin Molina and Alex Bennet, Co-Chairs of La Hernecia Latina and members of L.U.C.H.A at New York University for motivating and encouraging L.U.C.H.A members to donate to our Guatemala initiative. We are very thankful and appreciative for all the support since without it our students would have not been able to enjoy themselves producing photographic works. Thank you all for being part of our program and helping our students be able to tap into their talent!

In Sofi's car going home.

At the end of the year the photographs of our amazing students will be exhibited so stay tuned for more information on the exhibit. Additionally, we will continue the “Meet Me Here” Series by leading a week photography workshop with our students in Washington Heights in April. If you would like to contribute to the continuation and success of our youth programs, you can visit our website, www.artforglobaljustice.org, to make a donation.

Love & Peace,

Brenda