Guerilla interventions in Pretoria August – November 2014

The Gill Marcus portrait is a work that I put up for spinsters. The childless woman might look differently at life as a woman with children and society benefit from their contribution. Marcus in November 2014 resigned as Governor of the South African Reserve Bank. The 150mmX180mm work is directly across from the bank’s entrance. By installing artwork in public space I have authentic conversations with people in the area. By listening to what is going on around me, I try to draw a wider audience and thus move further than the work itself. For example , Sunday who works at the hairdresser there, sent me a picture the day after the installation via WhatsApp, to show how many people are coming to look at it . The communities where I install works share the truth of what is going on in our country at that time. The more such interventions I do the more I feel connected to my country. I asked Sunday if pedestrians don’t become irritated with them calling out to get their hair cut. He said if he called out a 100 times a day and four new clients come cut their hair he has four more new clients whom next time he will not have to call. Listen to it as you go to see the artwork.

Die Gill Marcus portret is ʼn werk wat ek opsit vir oujongnooiens. Die kinderlose vrou kyk dalk anders na die lewe as ʼn vrou met kinders en die samelewing kan baat by hul bydrae. Marcus het in November 2014 uitgetree as die Goewerneur van die Suid Afrikaanse Reserwebank. Die 150mmX180mm werk is direk oorkant die Reserwebank se ingang. Deur die werk in die publiek op te sit, knoop ek outentieke gesprekke met die mense in die omgewing aan. Deur te luister na wat om my aangaan, probeer ek ʼn wyer gehoor trek en dus verder beweeg as net die werk self. Byvoorbeeld, Sunday wat by die haarkappery werk het die dag na die installasie vir my ʼn foto geWhatsApp, om te wys hoeveel mense kom kyk. Die gemeenskappe waar ek werke opsit deel met my die waarheid van wat in ons land aangaan op daardie oomblik. Hoe meer sulke intervensies ek doen hoe meer gebind voel ek aan my land. Ek het vir Sunday gevra of voetgangers nie geïrriteerd raak met hulle wat heeldag mense nader roep om te kom hare sny nie. Hy het gesê as hy 100 keer roep op ʼn dag en 4 nuwe kliënte kom sny hare het hy 4 meer kliënte wat hy volgende keer nie hoef te roep nie. Luister daarna as julle na die werk gaan kyk.

 

 

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