A Disposable Camera in Cape Town - Table Mountain.

Walking to work through District 6; daily view of the mountain.

On top for the sunset.

This evening excursion after work to the top of Table Mountain feels like forever ago.

See Cape Town street art here, and memorials here.

Freedom To Create (Cape Town 2011).

When I was in Cape Town in November/December, I walked through the Company's Garden and was lucky enough to see the Freedom to Create 2011 Exhibition, shown on panels along the main pathway.

Freedom to Create is a non-profit organisation investing in the cultural foundations of societies to foster harmony and understanding. It focuses on regions of the world where there is the greatest need to change mindsets, believing that freedom of creative expression is key to a just society.

It was an incredibly moving exhibition, and as I walked through the gardens it was touching to hear snatches of conversation sparked by the artworks - and to share my own thoughts with the friend I was walking with.

I've included a couple of the pieces from the exhibition below. I would encourage everyone to take a look at the full selection over on Freedom to Create's facebook page (where the images and information below are from).

Nermine Hammam
Egypt
Metanoia
Mixed Media

Nermine has spent her life trying to reveal the underbelly of society, searching to show what usually goes unseen. For ‘Metanoia’, she spent three months living, eating and sleeping with the patients of a state-run mental asylum in Cairo, pushing herself to the limits of her creativity and endurance to tell this story to the world – a story that the Egyptian government tried repeatedly to ban, further dehumanising the inhabitants of the asylum.

Nermine hopes that her pictures will provide a window into a completely unknown Egypt, drawing attention to the atrocities going on behind closed doors across a country continuing to go through turmoil. Through her creativity, Nermine is looking to provide a transparent and honest dialogue to ensure that Egyptians continue to change and grow post Revolution.

Ayad Alkadhi
Iraq
Pieta II (from Widow Nation series)
Painting

Ayad’s work depicts the human condition under extraordinary political and social circumstances, in particular the drastically changing political background of the Middle East. This image (after Michelangelo’s ‘Pietà’) depicts an Iraqi mother in traditional robes holding a picture of her dead son – a negative of an image of a real victim of the Iraqi war, a translator for the American troops, who was beheaded on tape by Al-Qaeda. Ayad’s work focuses on the mothers and wives of those who died during the Iraq war, each one as much a victim of the atrocities as the loved one in the portrait which they hold.

Ayad hopes with his work to tell the story of those living under extreme circumstances, gently alerting each viewer to the suffering of their fellow man or woman and igniting a spark of compassion for people to support and campaign for a better life for everyone.

A Disposable Camera in Cape Town - Memorials.

A while back I posted some pictures from my trip to South Africa.

I spent some time debating with myself over whether or not to create this second post.

One of the main reasons I started this blog was as a release from the stress and sadness my studies can induce, and to give myself a space dedicated entirely to aesthetics. However, as my course progresses I have begun to consolidate a belief that undertaking a degree in human rights entails a certain kind of world view, and it isn't one that you can just switch off. This is one of the reasons I have decided to share these photos.

When I was in Cape Town, I visited several memorial sites to shootings and killings that occured during the apartheid era. For me, these memorials present a deeply significant intersection between art and human rights, and between aesthetics and grave abuses.

The monument in Langa township, dedicated to the memory of anti-pass law protesters who were killed by the apartheid security forces.

The Amy Biehl memorial in Gugulethu township. A white university student and anti-apartheid activist, she was killed by a group of black male protesters returning from a rally. They were pardoned by the Truth & Reconcillation Commission, Biehl's parents supporting the decision and forgiving her murderers.

The Gugulethu Seven memorial, in Gugulethu township - marking the spot where seven anti-apartheid activists were shot. There used to be plaques with names on, but these were no longer there, possibly stolen to be melted down for money. There was an intense tragic irony to this memorial - glossy marble next to shacks.

The Trojan Horse memorial in Athlone township - dedicated to the memory of three youths (aged 11, 15 and 21), and located at the sight of the ambush where they were killed by security forces. This monument was extremely moving in that it "fit" in its surroundings, and incorporated the original graffiti with the names of the victims.

22 Years Ago Today...

I was born.

Excuse this sentimental aside...

But I am so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my world.

Above: a white orchid sent to me by my mother.

(And a postcard of District 6, Cape Town, pinned up on my cupboard).

Sunday Soundtrack - 1Q84.

Leoš Janáček - Sinfonietta

Ella Fitzgerald - It's Only A Paper Moon

I have spent this very frosty morning immersed in Book III of Haruki Murakami's 1Q84. In the UK, they have tried to imitate the experience of his original Japanese readers by publishing Books I & II together, and Book III in a separate volume (as it was originally released as a surprise, a year after the first two). I was reading Books I & II while I was in South Africa, and during a trip to a rather amazing bookshop, I noticed they hadn't done that there... I think they've published it all as one volume in the US, too. Something a little strange I've noticed is that Books I & II were translated from the Japanese by Jay Rubin, and Book III by Philip Gabriel. It seems like an odd decision, but while it's noticeable it isn't necessarily jarring. Either way, my essays contributed to my further breaking up the reading experience - what with working on those, and reading another book, I was excited to start Murakami's Book III.

Regardless, I look forward to reviewing it in its entirety soon; and as anyone who has read it will know, the two pieces of music above feature prominently in the narrative. I am utterly engrossed, and can highly recommend this surreal, slightly sinister and carefully crafted story.

A Disposable Camera in Cape Town - Street Art & Graffiti.

As anyone who has ever read anything on here will know, I do not own a digital camera, and have to settle for using a webcam, or sneaking shots with friends' cameras.

I brought a couple of disposables to Cape Town.

Here, a brief interlude on how much I love disposable cameras.

With only 27 exposures, you pick your photos more carefully - you can't just delete rubbish ones and make more space. When taking photos of friends, you avoid all the fuss of, "Oh, let me see it, oh it's so ugly, delete it!" Too bad, you can't tell until it's developed. And finally, I really enjoy the feeling of carefully flicking through a fat pile of actual photos - a sad side of the digital camera era is that too few photos are ever printed off.

However, for only £2 extra, I had my pictures put onto discs.

The streets of Cape Town are covered in beautiful, colourful creations. Most of these were taken in and around District 6, where we were staying.

Walking into the city from District 6.

On Buitenkant Street.

Walking into the city through District 6.

District 6 - near the Walmer Estate. View of Table Bay.

District 6.

Jewelry Junkie: South African Market Stalls...

While I was primarily in Cape Town for work, I did manage to pick up a couple of additions to my ever-growing jewelry collection.

From Green Point Market, Cape Town.

Green Point Market is a wealth of wonders.

This was "chosen for me" by the lady running the stall, and I simply couldn't refuse. Loved the fang-like shape and soft feel of it.

From a stall in a square just off Long Street in the centre of Cape Town.

I fell head over heels for this necklace as soon as I set my eyes on it; a friend had bought one with turquoise rather than coral, and with her instructions I sought out the stall as soon as I had a chance. This was handmade by a very friendly and incredibly talented Ethiopian man called Daniel. Lightly waxed and beautifully braided brown cord, with clusters of coral and little gold beads. I had never seen anything like it, and absolutely adore it.

Return from Cape Town; Radio Rats.

Back from a fortnight of fieldwork in South Africa - the dramatic drop in temperature when I got off the plane this morning, was, as expected, pretty painful.

After about 21 hours of constant traveling, a proper post is beyond me; still, I thought I would share a South African band I stumbled across in an awesome record shop on Long Street.

Soaked to the Skin.

Walking home this afternoon I was caught in a freezing downpour.

A change of clothes and a cup of tea later, sat at my desk looking out of the window, these photos I took a few years ago came to mind.

These macro shots were taken on a similarly gloomy November afternoon, back at home in Italy. Being stuck inside because of the bad weather, I was lying on my bedroom carpet playing with the settings on my camera, and ended up with this pair of photos. I like the layers to them; the stark skeleton of the wintery trees behind the rain-spattered glass.

What an "English" post this is - the British being so famed for their endless ability to discuss the weather.

Looking out at the dank, dark afternoon, it's hard to imagine that tomorrow night I'll be headed for Cape Town, where it's currently summer, for a fortnight of fieldwork.

Wishing everyone a good couple of weeks, and hoping that the weather doesn't worsen too quickly. I'm going to try and pack, to the peaceful notes of Bert Jansch.

Bert Jansch - Rosemary Lane - Tell Me What is True Love