24/02/2016
last year in Harare Square
(thanks to lesibamabitsela.wix.com for the reminder)
AFAI collaborated with various artists to create an Alternative Opening of Parliament Fashion Parade – as part of the Prince Claus Public Art Project. This highly performative fashion parade took place on Thursday, 12 February in Khayelitsha (outside the Harare Public Library) at the same time as the SA Opening of Parliament fashion parade and then again on Friday 13 February at Company Gardens.
Through fashion and performance, and as direct commentary to the annual State of the Nation Address (SONA), the artists reflected on the state of our nation post-1994. The garments – also paraded on a red carpet – reflectedon the lack of sanitation, the dismal state of the South African education system, extreme wealth vs. extreme poverty and homelessness (in the Western Cape in particular but within South Africa in general). While one of the outfits, created by Francois Knoetze and made of cellphone covers, critiqued the lack of communication between government and its people as well as issues of censorship, another piece – directed by Nozuko Madokwe – highlighted the violence inflicted on people by structures such as the Red Ants who continually evict families from their homes. Coincidently and sadly, the undemocratic proceedings in the SONA2015 – namely, the blocking of the cellphone signals in Parliament, the violent removal of the opposition party from Parliament plus the highly biased reporting of the SONA by the SABC (public broadcaster) – highlighted the seriousness of the issues raised in the alternative fashion show.
The overall fashion show was curated by Designer and stylist, Nonhlanhla Mditshwa. The actors/models as well as performance poet, Siphosethu Pikoli, are from Khanyisa Youth Development and the incredible designers involved in this project were Maurice Mbikayi, Nceba Jadezweni, Lesiba Mabitsela, Francios Knoetze, Chifunilo Mulusa, and Nozuko Modokwe.
last year in Harare Square
(thanks to lesibamabitsela.wix.com for the reminder)
AFAI collaborated with various artists to create an Alternative Opening of Parliament Fashion Parade – as part of the Prince Claus Public Art Project. This highly performative fashion parade took place on Thursday, 12 February in Khayelitsha (outside the Harare Public Library) at the same time as the SA Opening of Parliament fashion parade and then again on Friday 13 February at Company Gardens.
Through fashion and performance, and as direct commentary to the annual State of the Nation Address (SONA), the artists reflected on the state of our nation post-1994. The garments – also paraded on a red carpet – reflectedon the lack of sanitation, the dismal state of the South African education system, extreme wealth vs. extreme poverty and homelessness (in the Western Cape in particular but within South Africa in general). While one of the outfits, created by Francois Knoetze and made of cellphone covers, critiqued the lack of communication between government and its people as well as issues of censorship, another piece – directed by Nozuko Madokwe – highlighted the violence inflicted on people by structures such as the Red Ants who continually evict families from their homes. Coincidently and sadly, the undemocratic proceedings in the SONA2015 – namely, the blocking of the cellphone signals in Parliament, the violent removal of the opposition party from Parliament plus the highly biased reporting of the SONA by the SABC (public broadcaster) – highlighted the seriousness of the issues raised in the alternative fashion show.
The overall fashion show was curated by Designer and stylist, Nonhlanhla Mditshwa. The actors/models as well as performance poet, Siphosethu Pikoli, are from Khanyisa Youth Development and the incredible designers involved in this project were Maurice Mbikayi, Nceba Jadezweni, Lesiba Mabitsela, Francios Knoetze, Chifunilo Mulusa, and Nozuko Modokwe.
