Sidewalk Reservation Live: Wits Archi Film Fest
posted by Ismail Farouk at
Here are pics from the Sidewalk Reservation Live act at the Wits Great Hall. Murray and I used 7 projectors to create our massive projection surface. The performance was well received by about 100 people.
Sincere thanks to Eduardo Cachucho for organising the event and for facilitating our performance.
Labels: architecture, events, Murray Turpin, sidewalk reservation, video art, video installation, vj, wits
sidewalk reservation live: student archi filmfest 2008
posted by Ismail Farouk at
Thats right, The Sidewalk Reservation (Murry Turpin and myself) will be closing the Student Archi filmfest with a live video performance.
Date: 17th of July,
Time and Place: 20h00,Wits University Great Hall.
Labels: Ismail Farouk, Live, Murry Turpin, performance, sidewalk reservation, vj
Soweto Uprisings . com: Phase 3
posted by Ismail Farouk at
Phase 3 of the Hector Pieterson Research Project has just got underway. The focus of this latest phase of research is the completion of the school routes related to the Soweto uprisings of 1976. This work coincides with the annual June 16 activities at the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum.
For more information please visit the project website.
Labels: Projects, Soweto
Chris the Pussy: 2 June 2008
posted by Ismail Farouk at
More here...
Labels: 2 june 2008, Chris the pussy
Sidewalk Reservation Live at Wits University
posted by Ismail Farouk at
Labels: Christo Doherty, electro, events, Ismail Farouk, Live, Murray Turpin, performance, video installation, vj
Xenophobia and You
posted by Ismail Farouk at
My neighbour, Tara Polzer has produced this leaflet, which she has been distributing in the suburbs of Johannesburg:
DON'T TOUCH MY SISTER, DON'T TOUCH MY BROTHER You are not powerless in the face of violence and xenophobia around you. It is not only the responsibility of government and the police to respond. If you are horrified and saddened by the current violence, there are things you can do right now:
1. Speak with your local councillor, individually or in a group, and ensure that (s)he calls a ward meeting to condemn violence.
2. Start conversations with family members, friends, neighbours, colleagues, fellow learners and students, etc. about xenophobia and violence and about taking a public stance against it.
3. Call a meeting at your place of work and organise a discussion on the violence and on xenophobia.
4. Join your community policing forum and ensure that the CPF acts to protect foreign nationals and anyone else being threatened or targeted in your area.
5. Report any agitation or threats against foreign nationals or groups of South Africans to the police.
6. Check with police stations, community centres and churches sheltering victims of violence on what material donations are needed, and donate blankets, food and clothes, as needed.
7. Participate in any public forums you can access, including calling into talk radio shows, public meetings, writing letters to newspapers, etc.
8. Check that your foreign friends/ colleagues/ neighbours/ cleaners/ gardeners and their families are safe, and, if necessary, offer them refuge in your house.
9. If foreign nationals in your neighbourhood are likely to be targeted in their homes, organise a group of people to spend the night at their house so that a South African can open the door if someone knocks in the night asking about foreigners.
10. Encourage any public figures you know, including artists, sports persons, business people, teachers, etc. to speak out publically against racism, xenophobia and violence.
11. Do not let racist and xenophobic comments go unchallenged.
12. Pass this list on to everyone you know.
Labels: migration, refugees, spatial justice, xenophobia
Johannesburg Trolley Pusher Protest (2008)
posted by Ismail Farouk at
Trolley pushing activity in the city provides a necessary service for people wanting to transport heavy baggage through the city. Most trolley pushers charge a fee of R20 for a single load, but are seldom paid more than R5 by streetwise customers who know that trolley pushers are in no position to bargain. The problem with the activity has been the illegal nature of the trolleys used as they are stolen from supermarket chain stores. However, the trolley pushers are not responsible for the theft of trolleys. Trolleys are supplied to pushers on the street by gangsters for a fee of R50.
Harassment by the police is also a problem. Every time a raid occurs, trolley pushers are fined R300 and trolleys are confiscated. Lately, raids have been occurring on Fridays, with trolley pushers being arrested over the weekend.
The trolley pusher protest was orchestrated in collaboration with the the trolley pushers of Joubert Park. The objective behind the action was to mobilize support for the formalisation of a representative trolley association. The protest took place at the vehicular entrance of the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), a location synonymous with police activity. Since the protest, weekly meetings with the trolley pushers have been organised in aid of formalising their activities in the city.
Labels: Creative Response, Informal, JAG, Johannesburg, protest, Trolley Pushers, video art
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