Jo'burg 6 years later

wow. wow.

6 years ago I visited Southern Africa at the invitation of curator/artist Marcus Neustetter who had organized the first digital arts show in Africa here in Johanesburg South Africa. There was a wonderful show called Urban Futures that took place throughout the battleground of a city center that Johannesburg had become as a result of extremely rapid and profound white flight in the early 1990s when the Black majority population was first allowed to live anywhere in the city (not just the townships). I met some amazing people, many of them really exciting artists who were transgressing the racialized limits and boundaries that were being harshly redrawn in the city territory, even as apartheid had ended. The city that I witnessed then made a big impression - it was both intensely dynamic and fraught - many buildings were being squatted (including vibrant areas by artists), streetnames were changing, and it was seemingly abandoned by any type of government or authority; existing outside the rule of law.

What has been happening here since then is nothing short of amazing, and the really inspiring thing about it for me is to see the way that artists have been working at a very ground level on helping to intervene and transform the ways that the city is thinking about its development and its future. I can't describe it in detail here, but you should check out the work of the trinity session (which started out as an artist's trio of three, but is now a partnership between Neustetter and Stephen Hobbs) to understand some of what is being attempted.

Marcus was kind enough to invite Hung & I to join him at some artists' friends house where an SA artist named Sean (who recently relocated to NYC) was visiting and cooking bean curry for everyone. Very nice crowd who gave lots of advice to Hung about visiting Zimbabwe (bring food!ack!) and included a sports journalist (about to cover the world cup), an expert printer, and an advertising exec.

Afterward Marcus drove us around this huge city (of almost 11 million) in a whirlwind nighttime tour from deep in the "nogo zone" ghetto of Hillbrow through the Las Vegas-like Northern wholly interiorized suburbs of Melrose Arch and Sandton. I was shocked at how much change had happened throughout the city, and Hung was treated to a great overview of the city by someone who is intrinsically involved in the politics of its transformation. It was a wild ride that ended with a few drinks at the superhip "Capital" lounge in Rosebank. The spot is the center of the wonderful Kweito music scene, which was born here from the contradictions and histories of this particular city. Very smart scene: djs, vinyl settees, padded walls, very chill, with a recording studio in the basement and a good-looking upscale african crowd drinking, dancing, and chatting each other up while smoking the occasional cigarette or spliff. A wonderful way to finish up our trip.

I left Hung at the Park Station bus depot this afternoon so he could catch his 14:00 Citiliner (taking you everywhere in semi-luxury!) to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. I'm trying not to worry too much. I'll catch my flight back to the states this evening. Later this week I'll write a final reflection or two and also upload the images that are so sorely missing from this narrative.