©Chris Ledochowski Voters' choice, Mitchell's Plain 1994
KijK Galerie 10 Rue des Jardins Saint Paul 75004 Paris France
«In the townships, I focused my attention on capturing -through photography- the dignity with which people were surviving and challenging their oppressing living conditions. The energy and and soul of this struggle drew inspiration from the growing climate of political defiance. A collective desire for change gave people purposes and direction. I found that even in the midst of the modern political struggle, people still drew primarily on their traditional cultures and religions convictions, using them as outlets for creative expression. This project attempts to capture expressions of that process.»
Chris Ledochowski
«Cape Flats» refers to the vast stretched of exposed sandy wetlands that lie north of Table Montain and which now forms a large part of metropolitan region of Cape Town. Racked by the harsh south-easter and frequently flooded in winter, the Cape Flats is highly unsuitable for residential purposes. But today it has become home to close on a million people. Since 1994, he has covered the townships almost exclusively in colour for political, aesthesic and documentary reasons.
©Chris Ledochowski, Shop front of Bra Z's photographic studio
At Bra Z's 'Simunye Grooves' photographic studio and shop you can buy a variety of items, order individualised greeting cards or have your picture taken. The word simunye means 'we are one', referring to a popular slogan coined by a national television channel. His use of this name, together with the new South African flag, promotes a sense of enthusiasm and spirit of entrepreneurship. A sign (top left) alludes to a Xhosa proverb about how the dassie asked the monkey to fetch him a tail. The moral of the story is that one must grab the opportunity before it is too late, interpreted here as: «Have your greeting cards made now while the price is right or you may regret it later!»
© Chris Ledochowski, Unfinished mural, eZinyoka, Philippi 1992
One of artist Jackson Nkumanda's commissioned murals on a shack home, stands unfinished due to lack of funds on both the client's and artist's part. Producing art for the local community has its drawbacks, as clients are only able to pay in weekly or monthly instalments, often delaying payments due to financial constraints. This impacts on the artist, who is relying on a deposit from the client at least, to buy the paints required to execute the work, creating a classic 'catch 22' situation. This is why he eventually succumbed to the white market in the city.