Changing perceptions
Showcasing artwork to flaunt the beautiful side of Macassar
AN exhibition as part of a community outreach initiative and a “designbuild” experiment, is changing the image of the community of Macassar, near Somerset West.
UCT’s School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics and the Macassar community collaborate in the “Who We Are” exhibition.
Non-profit youth development organisation Studio Light conceptualised the idea in 2016, with the aim of presenting another side of Macassar’s community, away from rife crime, poverty and other social ills.
The exhibition was curated by lecturer and architect Clint Abrahams and John Coetzee, a principal technical officer in the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics.
Abrahams said young people created displays of objects found in the backyards of their parents’ homes, transforming ordinary spaces into extraordinary places.
“They reconnected with their neighbours, developing trust as they captured people going about their everyday business, and after two years the group produced a series of images that told a story of hope and promise,” he said.
The organisation held several workshops and discussions in Macassar living rooms, evolving into a photographic project in June 2017, for which the participating youngsters shot street scenes that countered the negative perceptions of the area.
The group attended a frame-making workshop at UCT, where they created frames from reclaimed timber, which they used to better show off their images.
Weekly meetings culminated in an idea for an exhibition in July this year, with visual installations spread across three sites – two private homes and the Macassar Public Library.
The home of Thomas and Enith Adonis, known locally as Bong’s Place, exhibited the display detailing the journey of Studio Light.
“Here was a shack, previously used as a shebeen, converted into a temporary gallery, paying homage to the generosity of the ad hoc structures used by the youth to produce the work,” said Abrahams.
The home of Paul Swartz was also opened to the public for viewing the many creative works made by this inspiring television repairman and sculptor.
Abrahams said visitors were confronted with the potential which citizens have to better their environment through the repurposing of found objects.
The structure, proposed as a permanent addition after an increase of 1 200 visitors during the exhibition, displays the photographic images captured over the past two years.
The project has sparked other plans that will be a collaborative effort involving local schools and other community organisations.