Essay: Nontsikelelo Veleko 'Wonderland'

Nontsikelelo Veleko’s Wonderland Essay
By Nadia Arnold

Gone With...
FDB Fashion Studios Rockville, Soweto, Johannesburg, Gauteng, 2008

Wafak’ingoma Phakathi
Kwam, Umdloti, KwaZulu Natal, 2007

Nontsikelelo Veleko was awarded the very prestigious 2008 Standard Bank Young Artist award for her Wonderland exhibition. She is the second photographer to win the award and her exhibition was displayed at the South African National Gallery. Wonderland is a photographic journey of the youth culture of South Africa. She portrays this culture by creating portraits of these people in their environment. She focuses on the fashion they experiment with and how they use art forms such as graffiti for expression. By demonstrating various labels she highlights how the culture is shaped by these products. She also uses herself, her identity and her success to understand herself and where she fits into this group.

Veleko was born in 1977 in Bodibe in the North West Province but grew up in Cape Town where she matriculated at the Luhlaza High School in Khaylitsha. Her father was a musician but her main artistic inspirations came from her art teacher Mr Ackerman and John Fleetwood at the Market Photo Workshop. She studied graphic design at Cape Technicon in 1995 and then photography from 1999-2004 at the Market Photo Workshop. (1. Anon, 2009) She came under the spotlight after being nominated for the MTN New Contemporaries Award in 2003 but it was at the 2006 New York exhibition of contemporary South African art ‘Judgements’ where she achieved international attention. She now lives and works in Johannesburg and the vibrant street fashion society is where her inspiration for her work comes from. (Murinik, T, 2007)

She uses fashion to highlight the issues of identity found in the vibrant youth of South Africa. She also questions the notion of beauty, by encapsulating her subjects and even herself, that have used fashion in way most people would think is too bright or just awkward. (Murinik, T, 2007) Her interest in fashion can be seen in Wonderland but also in other projects such as http://www.notblackenough.lol/ . In this project she used the clothes as tools to challenge identity based on aesthetics and historical background. In her project Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder she captures the edgy fashion of downtown Johannesburg and commented “I look at fashion and how it creates identity, because fashion plays with identity. It’s fun and it’s like play –my clothes aren’t me, I just have fun.” (Info Provided: Anon, 2009)

Identity is a common theme she uses to really question who these people are. With the influence of South Africa’s past it has created a way for the youth to break away and create a new form of identity. Now more than ever people are aware of their own identity or image. People’s identities are a vital part of who they are because it is a way for these people to be individuals in world of millions. Our identity and how we display this is done by fashion, how we dress is a way for people to express this individuality. At the same time that the fashion is an expression tool it can also be a way for people to judge you and place you into a certain box. Veleko portrays her subjects from the streets more as glamorous models but not so it can become a trend to follow but more to capture their individual uniqueness.





As seen in the above portraits the pose is very important Veleko has captured these people in way that represents something about themselves. The photograph of the lady is confident and strong. This image tells us that this is the type of women that knows she is sexy, because of the visible feminine top and pink bra. She has chosen to mix the sexy feminine elements, with tough male aspects, seen in her choice of shoes and baggy pants. The image has been taken in bright light with the streets in the background acting as her backdrop. The image of the man has a very different feel; Veleko has also captured a certain pose that is more relaxed. This man defiantly has a style of his own because he has deliberately matched his shoes to his jacket and his pants matches his top. With the choice of more softer light and shallow depth field there is more focus on the subject.

Veleko has used a playful selection of images in the Wonderland series, she incorporates portraits in environment, landscapes, she documents graffiti in surrounding areas and utilises self portraits to define her identity. Wonderland at first glance is a light playful place but by taking a deeper look into the images it is more than just a fun and amusing space. Wonderland is a representation of the identity of an important part of South African youth culture. This culture is vivacious and searches for a way to fit into the dynamics of the country.

She states 'In one of the (www.notblackenough.lolo) portraits... I look totally English: with this wig, standing in a pose looking high and mighty saying, "I am what I am. I'm all that you need". When people see that image, they don't think it's me. I notice this on a daily basis that people struggle to keep up with what I look like... I'm so much of a chameleon. So I'm ready to say, if people call me "coloured", or if people call me not black enough, I'm all this, I'm all that you need. This is Lolo.' (Murinik, T, 2007) Veleko describes herself as chameleon, illustrating that her identity is changing and evolving. She takes her personal problems with race, how people classify her and she tries to demonstrate that labels are not appropriate in the new South Africa. She is who she is and placing her in a category such as black or coloured is not the only thing that defines her.
After receiving comments like “you too thin for a black girl” and “you don’t walk like a black girl” from black people, she noticed that peoples’ judgements based purely on what you look like and not for whom you are. (1. Anon, 2009) These comments obviously inspired her to challenge these mindsets in her work. She incorporated critical comments into a piece for Wonderland, which she entitled ‘Self Portrait’. This was by far the best piece of the exhibition even though it is a more mixed media image the use of the graffiti styled text and drawings fits in with the concept of Wonderland. This is such a vital image because it displays her identity but the twist is that the identity has been determined by others. She has also used the use of race to refer to how South African’s past has programmed us to judge people depending on race.




Self-portrait,
Cape Town, Johannesburg, 2008

The choice of an incoherent layout where the images are all different sizes relates to Alice in Wonderland. Although there are no obvious references to rabbits, smoking caterpillars, mad haters or playing cards Veleko has chosen to transport the fictional characters of the story and create a contemporary twist on the popular tale. She has used the metaphor of a wonderland to transport her viewers into a world that is dynamic, colourful and has some mystery. (Bosman, N, 2009) She describes wonderland in this quote, “Wonderland is what you make it. It’s love, prejudice, tea, coffee; it’s anything. It’s a transitional state. It’s about young people en route – en route in life, into adulthood and in this country, which is itself en route.” (Bosman, N, 2009) She mixes the spaces of both public arenas to intimate settings by displaying anything from a private element of a bedroom to the public domain of the street. As Alice falls down the rabbit hole and finds a world of strange things, Veleko has found her very own Alice in Wonderland in and around every angle and bend of South Africa.
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After accepting the Standard bank award Veleko said, “This award means that someone in my own country has noticed and acknowledged my ideas that I would like to convey to the world about Africa and Africans. Therefore I am looking forward to collaborating with many Africans to tell our side of the story. I know that Wim Botha, Kathryn Smith and William Kentridge have won it in the past so it shows me that I am on the right path.” (Info Provided: Anon, 2009)

Her work can be compared to other artists such as Wim Botha and Pieter Hugo because both artists have focused on certain groups of South African Culture. Wim Botha has concentrated on the Afrikaans culture 'Commune: Onomatopoeia' where he uses his sculptures of furniture and the symbol of hyena to portray the culture. Whereas Pieter Hugo has captured the community of Messina in his work Messina /Musina, which documents the different people of this place. Veleko work is different to these artists and can be seen as something innovative and different. She has focused on a group of people that has not been captured before and is why they chose to honour with the Standard bank Young Artist award.

Veleko utilising fashion, graffiti and portraits in wonderland to describe an dynamic new youth culture. She is able to encapsulate this culture and demonstrate her role not just as a photographer but as a part of the collection. By using herself she is able to demonstrate issues of race, beauty and prejudice. She reveals how people can judge and place others into various categories all based on their outer exterior. She has used the story of Alice in Wonderland to create her own realm where she can escape to. Even though this world is a form of fantasy a place that Veleko has created the elements of reality such as the South African Apartheid past lurks in the very distance.



Bibliography

Information Provided:
Anon, 2009, ’Wonderland’ Standard bank young artist for visual art 2008: Nontsikelelo Veleko

Online Resources:
1. Anon , Nontsikelelo Veleko, Available Online: http://www.afronova.com/Nontsikelelo-Lolo-Veleko.html, last viewed: 12 July 2009

2. Anon, 2009, Standard Bank Young artist for Visual arts 2008, Available Online: http://www.standardbankgallery.co.za/youngartist/featured.asp Last cited: 26 July 2009

3. Bester, R, 2007, Nontsikelelo Veleko, Available Online: http://artsouthafrica.com/?article=379, last viewed 12 July 2009


4. Bosman, Natalie, 2009, South African ‘Wonderland’, Available Online: http://www.citizen.co.za/index/article.aspx?pDesc=98392,1,22, last viewed 26 July 2009

5. Chemhere, M, Nontsikelelo’s Fashion Photography, Available Online: http://zimbabwe.africancolours.net/content/10088, Last Viewed: 12 July 2009

6. Gxolo, N, 2008, Wonderland scrutinises street culcha, Available Online: http://cue.ru.ac.za/visual-arts/2008/wonderland-scrutinises-street-culcha.html, Last viewed 12 July 2009

7. Keylock, M, 2009, Wonderland, Available Online: http://www.theguide.co.za/arts_detail.php?artsid=4039, last viewed: 12 July 2009

8. Murinik, T, 2007, Nontsikelelo ‘Lolo’ Veleko, Available Online: http://www.artthrob.co.za/07feb/artbio.html, last viewed: 12 July 2009

Essay: Paul Strand

Paul Strand Essay
By Nadia Arnold

Paul Strand was a photography pioneer and was responsible for creating the genre straight photography. He broke away from the soft style of the Pictorialists and created a new genre that focused on everything in the image have a large amount of detail and deep depth of field. By breaking away from the norm he was able to the abstract objects and capture the hustle of the rising metropolis New York. His love for photography led to a career in film as well. He was interested in capturing the social problems of the time and highlighting the plight of the people who weren’t able to voice their plight. His work was based at a time of deep despair and depression and Strand was focused on creating work that was socially aware. It was very essential that people looked like they were unaware they were being photographed and he even used fake lens to capture the real essence of the people. By doing this he was able to capture the rawness and reality of these people.

Born in New York on the 16 October 1890 he began his love for photography when his father gave him a camera at age 12. He attended the Ethical Cultural School where he was influenced by one of his teachers Lewis Hine. (Oden, L, 2004) Lewis Hine had been photographing immigrants arriving at Ellis Island and Hine was inspired by this social project and instilled this social awareness into Strand. A field trip to the 291 art gallery which was owned by Alfred Stieglitz opened Strand eyes to the modernist painters and photographers such as Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Steichen who was part of the group called the Photo Secessionists. The exhibition made him realise that photography was not just a simple hobby and he could have a career from it. (Wikipedia contributors, 2009) Even though he wished to make a living from photography his father did not agree and when he finished school he went to work for his father as a clerk in the family enamel ware import business. He continued to do photography as a hobby until he finally he decided in 1911 to open up his own commercial photography business. (Oden, L, 2004)

During this time many photographers were inspired by the Pictorialist genre. Strand produced work that concentrated on the Pictorialist elements such soft focus and he did this by using gum bi chromate printing to capture the paint effect of the Impressionist. (Oden, L, 2004) With the help of his mentor Alfred Stieglitz he was able to break away from the current trends and focus on more sharp and crisp images. Stieglitz’s gallery was a platform for Strand to view the modern works of Europe such as Cézanne, Matisse and Picasso. These works inspired strand to focus on abstract everyday objects and capturing the shadows of that object in an innovative way. He focused on capturing the image as it was in the view finder and not manipulating the image in the dark room. With the use of a large format camera he was able to capture maximum detail by using a 64 aperture. The themes in Strand’s work changed drastically and he focused on movement in the city, abstractions and street portraits. (Department of photographs, 2004)

New York had become a vibrant city filled with different types of people jamming the streets with pedestrians, carriages and automobiles. New York became the new representation for transformation and modernity. At first Strand did not want to encapsulate the chaotic elements of the city he want to capture more slow movements usually using only one person. After some time his images became more complex and the tempo increased with his compositions featuring the crowds of downtown. (Department of photographs, 2004)

Strand said “how you build a picture, what a picture consists of, how shapes are related to each other, how spaces are filled, how the whole thing must have a kind of unity.” (Department of photographs, 2004) Strand focused on these points at his summer cottage in Connecticut. He used everyday items to experiment with framing and positioning the object in ways that they become abstract and you are no longer aware of what the object really is. Strand was the first to create abstract images with a camera.

Despite his love for photography Strand was also an avid film maker with the use of narrative he was able to tell the stories of the disadvantaged. In 1921 he collaborated with Charles Scheeler on his first documentary film called Manhatta. This film was silent but it was able to portray the everyday life in New York and it was very similar to his photograph “Wall Street” that illustrates the movement of the people. (Wikipedia contributors, 2009) During the years of the depression Strand became more involved in politics and was a socialist. He worked with the Group Theatre that was formed by Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford and Lee Strasberg in 1931.The members of the group did have left wing political views and wanted produce plays that dealt with these issues. In 1932 Strand decided to make film in Mexico which was based around Mexican fishermen called “The Wave”. He returned to America and worked on “The Plow that Broke the Plains” (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2009)

Once World War II had finished Strand left the US and moved to France this was where he worked throughout Europe. He produced many books and this became his new forum of expression he enjoyed the narrative format of the books. He also utilised text with the images to expand on the narrative in the images, he wanted to mimic the narrative elements of film in his books. (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2009) Strand stayed in France till his death on March 31 1976. (Wikipedia contributors, 2009)




“Wall Street”
Strand was able to capture the morning mood of Wall Street. The city was known as a chaotic and crowded place but the opposite is achieved in this photograph. The long shadows of the people and how they are completely frozen in time gives the essence that these people are not in hurry at all. The scale of the people compared to the huge windows that are full of darkness creates a sense of abstraction. The flat shapes of the people and the square frames are so solid that the lines and shapes is all that is left.



“Porch Shadows”

This is another example of Strand use of abstraction where we are not even sure what this object is. The use of the shadows and the crisp diagonal lines generates a strong contrast between the light elements of the image and the dark. The sharp crisp nature of the photograph is nothing like the soft romantic images of the Pictorialists. There is so much detail captured in the image we are even able to see the cracks in the porch this element of deep depth field is what straight photography is based around.

Paul Strand was an innovative photography legend and the work he produced influenced many artists after his time. He was able to break away from the Pictorialists and create a genre of straight photography. By focusing on the city, street portraits and experimenting with abstraction he was able to be the first person to abstract with the use of a camera. His mentor Alfred Stieglitz is the person who influenced him the most and he encouraged Strand to break away from the norms of society. He used his photography to break into the film market and cater to a broader audience and educate them about the social problems of that time.





Bibliography

Online Resources:

1. Encyclopædia Britannica Online , Paul Strand, 2009, Available Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/568003/Paul-Strand, last cited 31 May 2009

2. Department of Photographs, 2004, Paul Strand (1890–1976), Available Online: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pstd/hd_pstd.htm, last cited on 31 May 2009

3. Oden, L, 2004, Paul Strand (1890 – 1976), Available Online: http://iphf.org/Hall_Of_Fame/Inducties_Bios/Paul%20Strand_Bio.html, last cited on 31 May 2009

4. Schjeldahl, P, 2004, 20th-century strand, Available Online: http://www.artnet.com/Magazine/features/schjeldahl/schjeldahl4-3-98.asp, last cited on 31 May 2009

5. Simkin, J, Paul Strand, Available Online: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAPstrand.htm, last cited 31 May 2009,

6. Wikipedia contributors, 2009, Paul Strand, Available online: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Strand&oldid=287834613, Last cited 31 May 31, 2009

Essay: Pieter Hugo

Pieter Hugo Nollywood
By Nadia Arnold

Pieter Hugo the controversial Cape Town based photographer has produced a series called Nollywood. Like all Hugo’s work he challenges the subject he is photographing and the way we as the viewer view his work. As with his other work he uses portraiture as a genre to portray his ‘models’, although in the Nollywood series he pushes the boundaries of a portrait and documentary photograph. He does this by constructing the actors in poses that each has an intention and purpose. At the same time he is documenting the actors as if they were portraying the character. The context of where it was shot is very important; the fact that these posed shots were shot in Nigeria play a role. This refers to the Nollywood industry but also commenting on Africa and the way Africa and people from Africa have been made as an ‘other’. He plays with these very issues in a dynamic way by linking the themes and underlying issues in the images. I did enjoy this exhibition I found that his work does push and challenge various boundaries. I think it is brilliant to be different but in the photography industry we have to decide how far is too far?

Hugo’s Nollywood series is a series of actors’ portraits but what makes the photographs so different is that they are Nollywood actors in full costume. He physically constructs the portraits of the actors by placing them in the clothing they would wear as that character. He arranges them in the centre of the image looking straight at the viewer with a specific background behind them. He plays around with the ideas of props either that the character would utilise in a film or a mask that communicates who this iconic character is in the Nollywood industry. These props and masks are very prominent in the photographs and they almost define and explain to the viewer that this is not a real person it is a portrayal of fictional character in very dramatic and exuberant industry.

Hugo has emphasised the gory and dramatic elements of the African film industry for a reason. By portraying the blood, guts and nudity so obviously, it demonstrates the culture and tastes of the people who watch Nollywood films. Hugo highlights that there is a major difference between Nollywood, which is a representation of Africa and Hollywood, which is a representation of the Western culture. Nollywood is the third largest film industry in the world, releasing between 500 and 1 000 movies each year. It produces movies on its own terms, telling stories that appeal to and reflect to the people of Nigeria. (Anon, 2009 No 3) It provides a way for Africa to demonstrate that they too have culture, tradition and certain ways of story telling. These films are a modern day way for them to convey the stories from the past and present. African traditions have always been rich in the act of story telling either orally or through written fiction. These stories have never been communicated through mass media before. Nollywood actors are local actors and the plots challenge the public with familiar situations of romance, comedy, witchcraft, bribery and prostitution. The narrative is over dramatic, refuse to end in a happy way and generally very tragic. The aesthetic is loud, violent, and excessive; nothing is said, everything is shouted. (Anon, 2009 No 3)

At the same time he is playing with documentation and blurring the lines of what is documentary and portrait photography. The questions that he poses the viewer is whether what we see in the photographs are reality or just a fictional character that an actor is portraying. This is demonstrated in the use of the titles, which are the actors’ names, but we are not sure whether this is their stage name or their real names. The fact that Hugo hasn’t chosen to photograph the actors when they are making a movie as that character is vital. Hugo has used the actors as if they were models for a portrait but at the same time he is playing with documenting them as this character. By doing this Hugo is blurring the lines of documentary and portrait photography and creating a new visual language. As Sean O’Toole said 'Instead of speaking in words that court emptiness and the void, Pieter Hugo's images confront viewers with the necessity of speaking in a new vocabulary, one that celebrates the fullness of being.' (Young, E, 2006)

Hugo was born in 1976 and grew up in Cape Town. He underwent a two-year residency in 2002-2003 at Fabrica in Treviso, Italy. He has won numerous photography awards and become a famous South African photographer who challenges the genres of photography and the subject matters such as race. He has held solo exhibitions at Michael Stevenson in Cape Town; Yossi Milo, New York; Extraspazio, Rome; the Museum of Modern Art, Rome and Fabrica Features; Lisbon. (Anon, 2008) Hugo stated himself 'I am six foot tall. I have blond hair and blue eyes. I stick out like a sore thumb in the locations I visit. I quickly realised that the traditional photojournalistic approach of capturing a fleeting moment wasn't going to work for me. Firstly, my reflexes are too slow, and secondly I am not a fly on the wall, I have a presence.’ ‘My work stretches, re-interprets and often subverts the traditions of documentary and portrait photography. My eye is drawn to the peripheral, particularly in Africa, and I negotiate contexts where the cultural nuances of our time are amplified.' (Young, E, 2006)

The 2 images I chose to discuss are Escort Kama and Gabazzini Zuo. I chose these two images because both images had something shocking in them but also something that made me look at the image for longer and really think about the underlying layers. The photograph of Escort Kama was my favourite image of the series because of how Hugo has used motion blur in the background to show the movement of the cars but the his model is frozen. The contrast between blurred and in focus heightens the drama and emphasises the actor dramatically. What he is wearing is also plays a vital role in why the image works. It seems that he is only wearing a black trench coat, his mask, fake pink ears and hat. His clothing heighten a certain fear in the viewer his clothing is very menacing and illustrates that the actor is portraying a serial killer character. The mask, hat and ears are an unusual combination. The hat is something unexpected but paired with the ears is almost comical. It is the mask that truly tells us that this is a menacing and dangerous character because from watching movies like The Silence of the Lambs we are able to identify with the symbol. The weapon an axe heightens the fear and drama in the photograph almost making the viewer feel like he might jump out of the photograph and kill you. 'Escort Kama'

The fact that the background is also very much in focus again heightens the contrast in movement. I think the reason why Hugo chose to keep his background in focus is because he wants the viewer to read the sign that is advertising a vacant board. Compositionally the board is very prominent part in the photograph, obviously the model is the most important part but the board has been placed there for a reason. This reason could be because Hugo wants to highlight the fact that the photo was taken in Nigeria. He wanted to show how something like a billboard is advertised in Nigeria. This vacant board could be a metaphor for Africa and how some way Africa is a vacant board full of potential for use. Like this vacant board that is ragged and not attractive to look at, Africa too has been neglected and damaged through history and most of the countries on the African country are still developing or still in third world states. This context is what Hugo alludes to he wants to challenge how people see Africa by still showing that Africa is struggling with terrible issues. The people are able to establish their own identity based on the cultures, traditions and this is why Nollywood is now the third biggest film industry.

The photograph entitled Gabazzini Zuo is one of the most gory and bloody of the images. I felt it was the most difficult photograph to look at because of the way Hugo has placed the bull in the foreground showing the violent way the bull legs have been tied together and the organs have been placed on the actor’s shoulders. The way the blood is pouring out the animal has also been considered in terms of composition. Hugo has utilised the brightness of the blood and repeated the colour at the open wound, the organs on the actor and even the blood placed on the actor’s face. Even the massive bones in the background bring a very sombre and element of death the very kinds that Nollywood films are based on.

'Gabazzini Zuo'

Hugo’s Nollywood series does challenge the ideas of what is documentary and what is portraiture? It also focuses on the various issues around Africa and especially the Nollywood film industry. He uses this industry and the actors to challenge the viewers’ idea of what is real and what is fiction. By challenging us as viewer he creates a new form of visual language that is full of complicated and overlaying issues. He is able to use the Nollywood actors to convey the same issues that the actors portray in their films. With such dramatic and some would even say offensive images Hugo work always with some air of controversy plays with what is acceptable and blurs the lines of the traditional portrait.


Bibliography

Online Resources:

1. Anon, 2008, Nollywood (Nigerian-Hollywood) Captured By Pieter Hugo, Available Online: http://slamxhype.com/art-design/pieter-hugos-nollywood-nigerian-hollywood-photography/ [Last cited on 2 March 2, 2009]

2. Anon, 2009, Pieter Hugo Nollywood, Available Online: http://www.michealstevenson.com/contemporary/exhibitions/hugo/nollywood_index.htm [Last cited on 26 February]

3. Anon, 2009, Pieter Hugo: Nollywood, Available Online: http://www.whatson.co.za/details.php?id=11772 [Last cited on 2 March 2009]

4. Ben, 2008, Pieter Hugo’s “Nollywood”, Available Online: http://www.snappertalk.com/index.php/20080811/pieter-hugos-nollywood/

5. Fell, S, 2009, Pieter Hugo Nollywood and the death of photography, In One small seed, (14), pp. 32-37

6. Kimberly, Pieter Hugo, Nollywood, Available Online: http://www.photographyboard.net/pieter-hugo-nollywood-176.html [Last cited 2 March 2009]

7. Mcintosh, T, ‘Disguise’ at Michael Stevenson, Available Online: http://www.artthrob.co.za/08jun/reviews/stevenson.html [Last cited on 26 February 2009]

8. Raul, 2009, Pieter Hugo’s Nollywood, Available Online: http://www.mexicanpictures.com/headingeast/2009/01/pieter-hugos-nollywood.html [Last cited 2 March 2007]

9. Young, E, 2006, Pieter Hugo, Available Online at: http://www.artthrob.co.za/06apr/artbio.html [Last cited on 2 March 2009]

Newspaper:
10. Angelucci, F, 2008, Blood and guts in Nollywood, Mail & Guardian, 16 May pp. 3

It has been ages

Haven't posted anything in a long while June has been such a busy busy month it was just crazy.
Been on holiday for quite some time so now that I have cap I will post some more stuff up pics from the exhibition, some more of my work. Seeing so much movies so time to review some things..