Jayne Cortez

Jayne Cortez dies at 78

Described by the New York Times as “a poet and performance artist whose work was known for its power its political outrage and above all its sheer, propulsive musicality”, Jayne Cortez has left a chasm in the art world and the hearts of many. She died of heart failure in her Manhattan home in New York.

Born Sallie Jayne Richardson on an army base in Arizona in 1934, her father a soldier and her mother a secretary. She moved to Los Angeles at the age of seven and even at that young age she enjoyed listening to her parents’ jazz and Latin recordings. In high school she studied music, drama and art. After graduating from high school she attended Compton Community College. In her early years of her artistic career she changed her surname to Cortez, her grandmother’s maiden name.

Cortez is the author of a collection of poetry books and has performed her poetry and music on nine recordings. She has presented her work and philosophies around the globe at various universities, museums and festivals.  Her poetry has been translated into 28 languages ‘and her work can be seen in anthologies, journals and magazines such as Daughters of Africa and Poems for the Millennium. In 1991 she co-founded Organization of Women Writers of Africa with Ghanaian writer Ama Ata Aidoo, of which she was president of. She was organizer of "Slave Routes: The Long Memory" (2000) and "Yari Yari Pamberi: Black Women Writers Dissecting Globalization" (2004), both international conferences held at New York University. She has also had her stint on the silver screen appearing in Women in Jazz and Poetry in Motion. She also went behind the lens and directed Yari Yari: Black Women Writers and the Future.

In 1954 she married Ornette Coleman and later divorced him 10 years later. They have one son, jazz drummer Dernado Coleman. In 1975 she married sculptor Mel Edwards. Both she and her husband contributed to Art for Humanity’s, Dialogue Among Civilisation portfolio in 2010. Though she may be gone she shall forever live through her words.

Dialogue

Jayne Cortez

 I’m pulling away from availability of weapons & war
to have a dialogue with
chemicals leaking from apples & bananas while
a seascape sings its great sewage song of tomorrow
So back off
It’s not only space debris, iceberg floes & toxic waste in
squid ink of my insomnia
I’m pulling away from the ideology of class & religion to
wiretap water supplies & have a dialogue concerning
sanitation & human dignity
& as colonies disappear to reappear like blank pieces of paper
I scrub my tongue
I rinse my spirit
I dust off my poetic imagination to kiss the sunshine
& send a message to the earth in
the transformative foam of six thousand languages

A Gemini of Colours

By Nicole Bernadette Hodnett

She describes herself as a “Gemini” through and through. Sabelo Zama Guliwe was born in Ladysmith on June 3^rd 1987.Being recently accepted into the Bachelor of Technology for Fine Art, she talks about her experiences as an art intern at an international human rights organisation in Durban and her recent exhibition that took place at the Durban University of Technology ,City Campus.

Interview with Sabelo Zama Guliwe-3^rd Year Fine Art Student

1 Tell me of your activities in the morning before your exhibition?

I had excitement that exceeded boundaries that morning. All my thoughts were on perfecting my 

appearance before the big hour approached.

2 Describe your art?

I was dealing with geometric shapes and line, by use of simplicity in colour and concept.

3 Where do you see yourself in a few years?

I see myself as a gallery collector of art

4 Who inspired you to do art?

My mother inspired me to do fine art as my first choice was fashion and she was worried I wouldn't get a job.

5 What’s your favourite colour?

My favourite colours are blue as we are surrounded by “Blue skies” and the colour black as it symbolises power.

6 Describe you artistic journey?

My inspiration comes from home and I am fascinated by the way houses are made, cities are just tall buildings. Everything 

Durban City-Scape

Artist Statement

The aim of this artwork is to create an installation of  tiles that are simple in line, shape and colour. My work is inspired by Piet Mondrian, he contributed to the De Stijl art movement during the early 1900s. His work consisted of geometric lines (vertical and horizontal) and primary colours, which are colours that created others. The element of line is brought into my work in order to create a continuous mark, as if one is walking in the city and being surrounded by buildings. These lines will continue to my final exhibition, where line will create a feeling of oneness or one piece made from individual pieces.

Into the Mind of An Artist

 By Nicole Hodnett

Artist –Uche Uzorka

1 As a Dialogue Amongst Civilisations artist, what was your inspiration for you latest piece of artwork?

My influences have come from  the litter of posters in urban centres.
 In the present body of work, I have begun to trace  not only the origin, but also the karmic effects of stains on defaced surfaces in urban spaces. By drawing a line between the cause and the effect, i hope to establish the creator power in all who live in a defined, organized and governed urban space .Apparently we are all involved to different dimensions in shaping or influencing the social scape .I believe this  influences can occur to a high degree in clustered urban centres like Lagos and Abuja, in Nigeria for example. This has been my focus for this exhibition.

2 In general, what inspires you as a person??

  There is a massive amount of human energy on our planet today. For me, it is difficult to ignore the creative power of the individual human .I like to explore how this potent  creativity is utilized especially in situations of human relativity, interactions and tolerance.

3 What does Art For Humanity mean to you??

 A.F.H  represents for me, a clear choice and a clear opinion. I think that sometimes we make unconscious choices, in doing this, regardless of the methods of choosing, a person must realize that there will be consequences any how. It is important to consider yourself as a contributor in every situation.

4 What are you views on Freedom of Expression worldwide??

 philosophy and indeed connote ignorance , especially in a world of multiple opinions, but I do not believe that any one person has the  sole right or the freedom to think, and transfer those thoughts into action, neither does any one have the right to be ignorant enough to become  freely influenced.

 Without the benefit of self discipline  and mastery, without consideration for the position of the  second or third person, any thought coming from a single individual, must be constrained before action .
It is difficult to think a perfect thought and also to execute an action perfectly especially in our world ,where one reckless word, letter or symbol  can lead to a  multiple of reckless actions

5What is you advice to artists who wish to enter the industry of Art

Having an opinion as an artist is important, because it gives you  a perspective from which other people can approach you for a conversation. Art can be a tool for protest, whether it is reactive or proactive. Art can be like prophecy, it even  acts as a catalyst sometimes by inadvertently setting things into motion .I think that amongst these frames , you could see that many artists have found their work falling into one or more.
  I am not sure if one artist can have a singular opinion through out the entire span of their career. but i believe it is important to be consistent in your thought process, so that if when your stories change, it can still be seen to come from the same person

UCHE UZORKA (ARTIST) AND ANIETIE ISONG (POET)

 Poem by Anietie Isong 

  A Simple Life

“Noises on my wall “Digital Print  650mmx440mm

I am a woman who just wants to live a simple life.

I am a simple woman who just wants to live a simple life.

He was conceived in May.

Perhaps his father was the

junjaweed who sliced my left ear.

Or the peacekeeping  soldier whose teeth were the colour of rotten pear.

Maybe the boy’s father was even the frail aid worker

who cried: “Forgive me, it’s this war. Pray, let it be over!”

He was born in January.

I dug his grave, and lowered him in tenderly.

The baby cried. I cried:

“Forgive me, dear. It’s the bloody war. Oh, Lord I’ve tried!”

His elegy is engraved on my heart:

‘Here lies a child of many fathers, a child of Darfur, a child of hurt.’

Let the rains fall, oh Lord, let it fall.

Let the flood wash away the sins, the blood.

Here I am at your doorstep, in search of refuge.

An immigrant, not a piece of refuse.

Please, let me come in.  Let me stay.

It will be well with you household, I pray

Jan Jordaan represents AFH at the Art and Social Justice Conference in Spain 2012

Nomfundo Mgabadeli

Guernica Picasso

Art for Humanity director Jan Jordaan attended the 3^rd annual Art and Social Justice Conference which took place in Spain this year. The conference fell over a 3 day period in early October at the Gernika Peace Museum in Gernika-Lumo.  It was organised by the Gernika Peace Museum, Gernika Gogoratuz Peace Research Centre and the Culture House of Gernika.  In collaboration with Art for Humanity, Durban University of Technology and University of Nicosia where the previous conferences were hosted in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

The theme for this year’s conference was Arts, Crisis and Social Transformation, the choice of Gernika as a host was symbolic as this year signals the 75^th anniversary of the bombing of “Guernica” as well as the “creation of Picasso’s masterpiece” of the same name.  According to the Gernika Gogoratuz Peace Research Centre, the theme was brought about by the current crisis in western societies, where largely a result of the greed of the banking system and different forms of political corruption and mismanagement.  These issues are not only central to Human Rights as contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but recurring themes central to the arts in general.

“The conference was attended by 30 delegates from Europe, USA, Africa and Eastern Europe. The conference as the previous conference underscores the importance of the art in promoting social transformation and the arts being a primary form of cultural expression proves through the many examples presented at the conference to be an effective medium in promoting social transformation.” Jan Jordaan said.

The delegates engaged in presentations of specific papers, workshops by arts practitioner, circle discussions at the end of each day and performances and displays of artistic work. Although there was no time for sightseeing as their day would run up to 9pm, delegates got a chance between shuttle drives from Gernika and Bilbao to see the beautiful landscape. 

“I didn’t get to see a lot of Spain but the conference one does get to network; it was brilliant in terms of meeting cultural activists, academics and artists sharing a common interest and common concern.” Jan continued to say.

Although the initiatives concerning art and social justice are “uncoordinated and often not recognised by governments across the globe, it has proved to be a sustainable and effective medium of social activism”, which was a clear outcome at the conference. Artists have and always will continue to “play a key role in transforming people, societies, and cultures simply by reflecting on what is going on around them”.

Poetry Africa 2012

Nomfundo Mgabadeli 

Image courtesy of houseonmag.com

The 16^th international poetry festival, Poetry Africa, is a festival which features some of the worlds most talented poets brought to Durban by the Centre of Creative Arts to take part in their week long programme which includes book launches, workshops, performances and readings. And at the end of that week the festival’s finale takes place at the Bat Centre.

The finale’s festivities took off with the annual SlamJam which pits poet against poet to see who has the talent to be recognised as SlamJam royalty but this year things were done a little different, instead of the usual poet against poet, it was country against country. On the right side we had South Africa (Dashen Naicker, Ewok and Page) and on the left Sweden (Henry Bowers, Oskar Hanska and Laura Wihlborg). It was a tight match of verbal exchange but South Africa managed to win, with Dashen Naicker once again bagging the best individual poet.

Werewere Liking on the left (Image courtseey of hkw.de)

After a two hour interval the evening programme started with regrets from the hosts, some of the poets (Saul Williams, Tumi Molekane and Oliver Mtukudzi) had to leave early due to other commitments. But despite the absence of those poets the remaining gave a stellar performance with prelude poets Ingonyama, Puseletso Peterson and Celestial Mike.

Madosini (Image courtesy of examiner.com)

There was a sense of sombreness in some of the poems recited which juxtaposed well with the humour and frivolity of other poems, the crowd favourite Henry Bowers’ Ragdoll, Poppy Seed’s Hoity Toity and Nii Ayikwei Parkes West African Mosquito. Werewere Liking and Madosini showed us you are never too old to get down and dance whilst Tumelo Khoza hyponotised with her flute infused piece. Pedro Espi-Sanchis of Kideo took us back to the days when we were young especially with his rendition of Miriam Makeba’s classic with Jessica Mbangeni singing alongside him. Jamaican poet D’bi Young closed the evening off with an electric poem that got everyone on the edge of their seats. 

The evening programme was officially closed with vote of thanks to all staff, poets and supporters as well as news that long time Director, Peter Rorvik will no longer be at the helm as he has chosen another path in life to take. Thereafter the Vavanger(s) rocked the audience with their unique, eclectic, exotic sound that demanded everyone to their feet. The night ended with poets, staff and audience culminating on the stage to dance to a successful Poetry Africa.

Dear AFH Friends and Associates.

AFH sends warm greetings and hopes that you are having a pleasant year thus far.  Please receive our newsletter for the month of Sept/Oct. All comments and letters are welcome

 

Art for Humanity: what is art?

AFH defines art as that which is created to inspire all of humanity with freedom of expression, the quest for excellence, pride, dignity, and respect for individual rights, reflection and heritage.

 

In this month’s issue:

TOP NEWS                                                                                                                                                                      

In this Issue

Mowat Park speaks Art and gender violence

World renowned researcher says her bit

for women's month

Breaking the Silence on abortion

AFH says goodbye to Thireshni Sanasy

School Workshops continued

 

Click HERE to view our Sept/Oct 2012 Newsletter

 http://www.dut.ac.za/sites/default/files/faculty_arts_and_design/afh_september_newsletter_2012.pdf

Warm Regards,

Nicole Hodnett & Nomfundo Mgabadeli

AFH Media Team

 

Art for Humanity

(formerly Artists for Human Rights)

c/o Fine Art

Durban University of Technology

City Campus

Box 953

Durban 4000

South Africa

Tel: +27 (31) 373 6610

Fax: +27 (31) 373 6644

Website: www.afh.org.za

Email: afh@dut.ac.za

Art for Humanity...'the art of human rights'

INTERPRET DURBAN

Nomfundo Mgabadeli

Interpret Durban is a contest for the creative mind that runs through the whole of September, the main event is usually at the end of the month which brings together an award ceremony, exhibition of some of the works and stellar performances from some of Durban’s musical acts such as Fruit and Veggies and Coals of Juniper. This year the event will be held on the 29^th of September at the Bat Centre with a whopping R160 000 worth of prizes. 

The theme for this year is “ENTER DURBAN” where you are asked to consider the city “from a tourist’s perspective as someone approaching Durban with fresh eyes” and the categories are video, photography and t-shirt design (which is by invite only). Entries do close today on the 25^th of September, so if you haven’t entered yet, now would be a good time.

The event is offering a free shuttle service to and from the Bat Centre on the night of the main event. The shuttle will begin the route from 6pm, starting at the KZNSA and making its way to “Cube” on Innes Rd and after it heads to the Bat Centre where passengers will be dropped off on the Esplanade and guided through the tunnel under the train tracks by INTERPRET DURBAN personnel. The shuttle will then go back around to KZNSA and start its rounds again.

Hope to see you there!

Commissioner Zulu on heritage, culture and the media

Nomfundo Mgabadeli

Professor Nogwaja Shadrack Zulu visited the Journalism department yesterday for a thought provoking talk on culture, language and the media. He is part of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural Religious and Linguistic Communities and a lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. In the beginning of his speech he spoke about the current state of the media.

Commissioner Zulu listening to comments from the audience 

“There are papers that I buy that are interested in headlines, there’s an act that’s developing, and we are reading these tabloids with big personalities. Some of the stories about the farm people who are working in farms that are still oppressed by these farmers, nobody talks about them, nobody, it doesn’t exist in the media.”

He preached about the importance of a person’s right to privacy and dignity referring to the revealing now defaced painting of President Jacob Zuma and the current case on the topless pictures of the Dutchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton. He emphasised the need for a balance in our democracy and a responsibility to each citizen not to abuse the rights enshrined in our constitution.

On the topic of language, he didn’t believe indigenous languages are facing any form of threat or challenge by virtue of the first newspaper being written in an African language and the first English newspaper being written by a native South African and the arrival of John Dube with his paper, iLanga laseNatal. But he did note the colonisation of South Africa has played a role in how we view and perceive our language and heritage.

He concluded by stating the need for people to understand that South Africa does not have one culture, instead it is a diverse country with different heritage, religions, colours and cultures. And not just in South Africa but Africa as a whole.

“We are connected, we are one because we are South Africans, we are the same and we are all human.”



A Fierce Epidemic

By Nicole Hodnett                             





Dominic Thorburn "Break the Silence"

Silkscreen print 418 x 598mm

Dominic Thorburn "Break the Silence" 

Silkscreen print 418 x 598mm

It happened as she laid wide awake at night.Thoughts souring in and out her conscience as she starts to tear up.If only her boyfriend loved her enough to tell her the truth about his status ,if only he loved her enough to use protectection


'If only'

Hiv/Aids has grown to be a fierce academic in the republic of South Africa and if the youth of today fails to be educated enough the future of this beautiful country will be in dire strait.

Statistics of Hiv/Aids are getting fierce, impulsive comments are being thrown at our youth, policemen are pulling the trigger without a second thought and corruption in government is ever so fierce. We ought to fear for the future of this beautiful country.

 It all stems from apartheid. Like the devil in disguise the mind-set of our forefathers still stays etched within the depths of our psyche. Reasons for so much corruption amongst South African citizens today stems from 1 thing, poverty.

Today’s democracy comes with severe responsibility, especially with the youth of today. More and more young people are getting hit with the stigma of Hiv/Aids.

Based on statistics, sample of 32,225 women attending 1,424 antenatal clinics across all nine provinces, the South African Department of Health study estimates that 30.2% of pregnant women (aged 15-49) were living with Hiv in 2010.

South Africa has one of the fastest expanding epidemics in the world.

In our real stories gallery (www.realstoriesgallery.com),an organisation endeavouring to educate society about the Hiv/Aids epidemic that has instated a partnership programme with Art for Humanity.

I spoke to Isabella Malgas, 81, who had a lot to say about the youth of today and during her time.

‘We couldn’t even kiss our boyfriends without going to confession first, everything today is tainted including the food’, she said.

Art for Humanity initiated the Break the Silence Hiv/Aids print in 2000 to instil a greater sense of social morality within the consciousness of our society.

A break the silence artist, Dominic Thorburn expresses the responsibility of halting the horrific Hiv/Aids pandemic and needs to be communally shouldered through emphatic, coordinated and unified national intervention.

 

The Department of Colored Opportunity
By Nicole Hodnett

A man of 16 waits to complete his arithmetic exam for his apprenticeship. He has a heart of gold and the intelligence that had the potential to exceed boundaries. He has one thing in mind when completing it,

‘I am doing this for my family’

According to South African history, South Africa was colonized by the English and Dutch in the 17^th century .English of the Dutch descendants (known as the Boers and Afrikaners) resulted in the Dutch establishing the new colonies of Orange Free and Transvaal.

With the enactment of Apartheid laws in 1948, racial discrimination was institutionalized. Race laws touched every aspect of social life, including a prohibition of marriage between non-whites and whites, and the sanctioning of ‘white jobs only’. In 1950, the Population act required that all South Africans be racially classified into one of four categories, black, white, Indian and coloured.

According to South African History, long before the inception of apartheid ‘Coloured ‘people in South Africa occupied this precarious position between white and black South Africans. This position was intensified during Apartheid by the creation of a separate identity, reinforced by the various apartheid laws that strived to keep racial groups apart. Some of these laws included the Mixed Marriages act, immorality act and the Group areas act.

As a journalist of the arts I get inspired by everything I witness whether its good or bad. I still take it as an experience and inspiration for my future articles. My inspiration for choosing to be a journalist was an inspiration from my parents and everything they went through to get to where they are today. Apartheid was a true struggle.

I spoke to that man that was once 16 years old as he sits in his home.

“If I lived in your age of generation, I would of definitely went to University, but coloured men were limited with what they wanted to study’, he said.

Back in the day opportunities were limited for the person of colour. Nowadays with Democracy in our grasp, the world is our oyster.

A man of 60 waits at his daughters PhD graduation at the University of Cape Town .He has a heart of Gold and the intelligence that he passed down to his children. Even though opportunity was restricted for him during apartheid he always had this in mind,

‘I am doing this for my family.

His name is Stanley Hodnett and He is my father. I love you daddy!!!

 

 

Alleged Defiance of the Unmoved Miners

By Sphe Masondo

Tomorrow a memorial service will be held for more than 46 dead mine workers of Lonmin platinum mine in Rustenburg.

An eyewitnesses account published in the Sunday Times dated  August 19^th ,2012 highlights how 3000 miners ,who were defiant and “unmoved” had gathered at the koppie  which they had adopted as a gathering area demanding to see management “we want management to come talk to us ,’ thy demanded. Therefore the question is how did this demand urn into what has been labelled as the “bloodiest day in post –apartheid SA”? Which side to take whose action should be condoned and whose should be condemned?

According to an extract from the Sunday Times, the police had used all available alternatives before using live ammunition, in a section that reads “at 4 pm water cannons were used but this didn’t deter most workers. Then came the tear gas...then the first shots were heard.

On the frontline a large number of miners were walking and crouching along the pathway and moving from the koppie. This may have been a distraction, as a mob of workers, armed with rocks and bricks were seen heading towards the police –crouching low I the bushes like warriors in the middle of a war. It was then that the police opened fire-rubber bullets at first .then several shots of live ammunition were heard.

 Then for barely three minutes, all hell broke loose as what sounded like firecrackers that reverberated all around, with police firing their automatic weapons and pistols. When he dust settled blood soaked bodies lay on the ground”, these were dead mine workers who only wanted management to speak to them.

Looking at these circumstances its beyond obvious that people were robbed of rights and died fighting against an injustice. AFHs new project seeks to educate and promote human rights education in South Africa. It stated in its aims that: “in light of the many social injustices facing South Africa 15 years into our democracy” AFH seeks to embark on an Art and Poetry project whereby we wish to inspire all south Africans with a new realisation of the value and significance to us all of this very important document ‘the South African Bill of Rights.

Therefore believing that there is a way through art and poetry that we can unpack the social ills facing our south African society such as this of Lonmin mine workers who died whilst fighting social and economic problems which were leaving them in poverty through low salaries, deprivation which sets a struggle to the future wellbeing of all those the Bill of rights is meant to protect. South Africa has a young constitutional democracy that needs not only to be protected at all times but also needs to be continuously brought to the attention of all South Africans.

 The following observations illustrate the social, cultural and economic threats to our Bill of Rights.  South Africans comprise a divided society in terms of racial relations, economically between extreme poverty on the one hand and extreme wealth on the other. AFH bridges Human Rights and the Arts advocacy and educational objectives by making visible the ethical values as contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through the visual arts and the creative articulation as in poetry.

Therefore without choosing sides lets tackle these issues head with all possible avenues if the politicians and society weak, let’s make art and poetry be the platform that we can use to communicate these flaws in order to make sure that our Bill of Rights does not become undermined by those in power.

A Biblical Chapter

By Nicole Hodnett

I remember the story from Exodus. Where people in Egypt were enslaved, babies were killed and the cost of human dignity meant nothing to those in power.

According to an article by Ariela Pelaia, it happened at the end of the biblical book of Genesis. Joseph brings his family to Egypt. Over the following centuries, the descendants of Joseph’s family (the Hebrews) became so numerous that when a new king comes into power he fears what might happen if the Hebrew decides to rise against the Egyptians. He decides that the best way is to enslave them (exodus 1).According to tradition, these enslaved Hebrew people are the ancestors of the modern day Jews.

According to The Abolition project, slavery refers to a condition in which individuals are owned by others, who control where they live, work and do in their daily lives.

To be a slave is to be owned by another person. A slave is a human being classed as property and who is forced to work for nothing.

Although slavery nowadays is illegal in every country, it still exists according to BBC-ethics guide. There are likely more slaves now than there were victims of the Atlantic slave trade.

The last country to abolish slavery was the African state of Mauritania, where a 1981 presidential decree abolished the practice; however, criminal laws were passed to enforce the ban.

According to South African history, many South Africans are the descendants of slaves brought to the Cape Colony from 1653 until 1822.

It is a popular misconception that slavery in South Africa was mild compared to America and the European colonies in the Far East. This was not so, and punishments meted out could be very harsh.

The Universal declaration of Human rights state all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. These are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

A Permanent Stain

 By Nicole Hodnett

Deep within the depths of our human psyche, apartheid still stays etched within us. No matter how much we strive to look pass our differences; there is some narrow person that stays stuck back in that horrid time.

Apartheid was a system of legal racial separation which dominated the Republic of South Africa from 1948 until 1993.According to Wise Geek, mechanisms of apartheid were set in way before 1948, and South Africa continues to deal with the repercussions .Under Apartheid various races were separated into different regions.

According to an article by Heidi Burgess, stereotypes are generalizations or assumptions that people make about the characteristics of all members of a group based on an image(often wrong)about what  people in that group are like.

The other day I had an interesting conversation with my 81 year old grandmother about the stereotypes back in the day.

‘The old government was preferable to the new one as I feel the rife corruption in the midst of today’s people”, she said.

Will the after effects of Apartheid ever leave us? It seems like we will forever have to hide, run away from the fact that God made us in His own beautiful image and likeness. If the “white” man was superior, God would have made the entire world “white”.

After 1994 when South Africa turned Democratic, people had the freedom to explore the barrier of mixing with other race groups resulting in interracial relationships and marriages.

According to an article by Nadia Kareem, it’s also important to examine your motives for entering such a union.

According to a dictionary meaning, the meaning of tainted is to affect with decay or spoil.

I work for a Human Rights organisation. Art for Humanity stands for all things democratic; we touch base on what affects us in this ‘ever tainted” society.

Dialogue Artist-Kim Berman

I think of Kim Berman in her Art in the Dialogue project and how she shows a representation of what racism is all about.

We break silences on what couldn’t be broken back in the old days of Apartheid when our forefathers would get locked up in their fight for freedom of expression.

It started in the first grade when my teacher called me to the front of the class for news week.

"I would cringe".

 My name is Nicole Bernadette Hodnett and I am quiet. Many establish that through my inability to communicate at times. Whenever people get together I do my best to escape the situation, it used to be very overwhelming for me. I always stood in the shadows of my outspoken sisters. I am the youngest of five and today I describe myself as an outspoken and very irritating person at the best of times. My grade one teacher often describes me as a late bloomer in life.

Nicole Hodnett

It is believed by humankind that we are put on this Earth for a purpose and our purpose alone we shall serve. When we were born our parents looked at us through fresh eyes unaware of the future that awaits us being it good or murderous.

It all started in that legendary Garden of Eden where Adam given strict instructions by God not to touch the forbidden fruit, still went ahead defiant and ate that apple and influencing Eve to taste it too.

 It symbolises that yesterday, today and tomorrow will be forever tainted by influence.

Back in the day apartheid separated the different races and put us according to category. We got arrested when associated with a colour higher than us.

These days we meant to be free, have the ability to allow the apartheid era to leave us.

Last year I attended my oldest sister’s graduation. I felt proud of her and planned to focus all my holiday bonding with such a great mind like her. She always taught to see out my box and explore the world with an open mind.

An aunt of mine, my sister Godmother came to my father and started making all kinds of accusations about my relationship. I was told to leave him immediately or I will embarrass my family.

Is this all through colour? Is our South Africa still so caught up on racism?

It’s been two years on and we still very much together. It pains me that I could never have an open relationship with my mother when it comes to the person I have chosen to be within my years of study I was taught to be non-biased when it comes to judging a situation. I thank God I don’t see colour when it comes to other people. God made us in his own image and likeness, once we appreciate the beauty of humanity is the day apartheid will truly leave us.

Nelson Mandela

Through the conquering of my curves in life I aspire to be a journalist that inspires and changes the lives of people with my words. I thank my mother for teaching me the values of being careful in this world and my aunt helping me to develop a thick skin when it comes to criticism. I am glamorous through my drive to be different and that’s the best thing in life a person could ever be.

I look up to Nelson Mandela for his fight against the struggles of Apartheid and showing people that we have the potential as a rainbow nation.

 I feel it the duty of our ancestors not to pass the ills of the past to the generation where we are supposed to be born free.