Robyn Perros

In this compilation of five bodies of work, Robyn Perros presents Below the Salt, Tes, Armed, Day at The Races, and Untitled. Photographing with analogue (35mm film using a Pentax K1000 or a disposable camera), Perros offers an eclectic perspective on Durban’s cultural landscape and provides an insider’s view of the everyday life of the city’s residents and its suburbs. Her images, often unedited, are textured with a dreamy overlay and high-contrast colours, frequently the result of using a hand-sized film camera. Playful yet political, her work explores themes of gender and class. Her process is careful and respectful, positioning herself as an equal to her subjects. She elaborates further in her statements: Below the Salt “I moved to Durban in 2015, and after many walks along the Durban promenade, began noticing a small group of men regularly filling up bottles of seawater for visitors. In 2016, I discovered that they were part of a small, informal beachfront economy “selling seawater”. Seawater selling involves sourcing and selling plastic containers to individuals who want to collect their own seawater to take home, and/or offering a seawater collecting service, for a tip. Despite its reputation as one of the world’s most polluted waters, visitors come far and wide to collect and even pay for Durban’s seawater, with 5 litres of it fetching up to R500 on the streets of Jo’burg! On a good day, however, the seawater sellers on Durban’s beachfront make about R50. There seemed to be a general negative perception of the seawater sellers with security guards often slashing their bottles because they do not have municipal permits to perform their business. When speaking to an eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, the seawater sellers were denied permits largely due to health risks. But certain health risks outweigh the health benefits of seawater for many it would seem… In many South African and African traditions, seawater is ingested regularly for cleansing and purification; it is poured in yards to ward off evil spirits; or displayed on a mantelpiece as a symbol of prosperity, among many other spiritual uses and symbolisms. For the seawater sellers, it is their livelihood. At the time of these photographs (2016), there were roughly 25 seawater sellers operating regularly on the beachfront but some of the information and circumstances of the seawater sellers may have since changed.” Tes “Tes” refers to the Tesoriere Public Pool in Umbilo, Durban, South Africa where I frequently used to swim. I encountered the women depicted in this series on my many mornings spent at the pool… The women are a dedicated group of elders – led by Candy Brunsdon of Aquatics SA – who at the time met to do aqua-aerobics as a form of exercise and socialising. The photographs aimed to depict the joy, liveliness, good humour, and solidarity of these women, as well as celebrate ageing and the ageing body which is so often hidden and shamed. Although the women in these photographs are not without their physical insecurities and fears, they graciously and bravely allowed me into their circle, with a camera.” Armed “On February 21, 2017, South Africa celebrated its Armed Forces Day in Durban. The event included a military parade by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, where then-President Jacob Zuma addressed the occasion. Notably, this Armed Forces Day also commemorated the centenary of the sinking of the SS Mendi. My focus, photographically, ended up leaning toward the women of the SANDF whose roles, contributions, and presence in the military are not as visible as that of men. It was rainy and windy on this day, and I photographed with my camera wrapped in a Checkers packet. The black shadow on the bottom left corner of these photographs was not intended and is a mystery imperfection.” Day at the Races “The Vodacom Durban July is a prestigious horse racing event held annually at the Greyville Racecourse on the first Saturday in July. Not only is the event about sport and winning bets, but it is also a glamorous-social-gathering-come-fashion-spectacle. I attended my first Vodacom Durban July 2017 when I agreed to model a garment for a friend-of-a-friend’s fashion show. This gave me free entry into the grounds, and after the fashion show, I wandered around with a full face of stage makeup, making photographs with a disposable camera. I did not have a clear intention with these photographs, but in retrospect, I was guided by the dark, desperate absurdity of the event and myself within it. Like the thick, heavily contoured makeup on my face, the Durban July’s façade of glamour quickly melted into a clown-horror: blistered feet in hot heels, exhausted waitrons, overflowing rubbish bins, showgirls hungry for their big break, false eyelashes clinging-on for life in a toilet bowl… It is not so much beauty, but perhaps the striving for beauty, that connects these images, and perhaps also us.” Untitled “This (ongoing) series was/is being photographed using a 35mm disposable camera/s. Because this series is ongoing, I do not have a definitive artist’s statement about the content yet. But what I can say is that this photo series is a documentation of ‘daily life’ encountered, namely through walking; walking the neighbourhoods and city I live in/have lived in (such as Berea/Glenwood/Durban between 2015-2018). The disposable camera has become my favourite (and pretty much only) camera I make photographs with nowadays. It’s lightweight, compact size means I can keep it in my pocket or bag whenever and wherever I walk. The naivety, playfulness, and low-stakes nature of the disposable camera ensures that I take photography seriously but I don’t take myself too seriously. Photography with a disposable camera means I am not fumbling with settings and lenses and low batteries, and I am not worrying about the thing getting stolen, or me dropping it in a pool. Instead, I am concerned with the moment, which (as is the nature of film photography more broadly), I cannot look at and analyse the image right away on a little screen. I stay there, in my environment, in my body, in the place, with the people and/or elements and entities I might be walking with… There is risk involved with such a gimmicky thing – your photo might not come out, imperfection is guaranteed, and people may be quick to label you a hipster. But there are greater things to be risked and worse things to be labelled. Nothing (except nostalgia) is really sellable with disposable camera photographs. It is never well-mannered. Never eloquent. I think this must be why I love it. It never has to grow up. It is this youthfulness that connects the photographs in this series.” Robyn Perros

Kulenhlanganisela yoluhla lwemisebenzi lwezihloko ezihlanu, uRobyn Perros wethula iNgaphansi Kosawoti, Tes, Ahlomile, Usuku Emijahweni, kanye nengenaso isihloko. Ukuthwebula izithombe nge-analogue (ifilimu engama-35mm kusetshenziswa i-Pentax K1000 noma ikhamera elahlwayo), uPerros unikeza umbono ohlukile mayelana nesimo samasiko saseThekwini aphinde anikeze umbono wangaphakathi wempilo yansuku zonke yezakhamuzi zedolobha kanye nezindawo ezingaphansi kwayo. Izithombe zakhe, ngokuvamile ezingahleliwe, zenziwe ngembondela ephuphile nemibala egqame kakhulu, ngokuvamile ewumphumela wokusebenzisa ikhamera yefilimu engusayizi wesandla. Edlala kodwa epolitika, umsebenzi wakhe uhlola izindikimba zobulili nekilasi. Inqubo yakhe iyacophelela futhi inenhlonipho, uzibeka njengomuntu olingana nekhono lakhe. Uchaza kabanzi esitatimendeni sakhe: Ngaphansi Kosawoti “Ngithuthele eThekwini ngonyaka wezi-2015, kwathi ngemuva kokuhamba kaningi emgwaqeni waseThekwini, ngaqala ukubona iqeqebana lamadoda elihlale ligcwalisela izivakashi amabhodlela amanzi olwandle. Ngonyaka wezi-2016, ngathola ukuthi babeyingxenye yomnotho omncane ongasebhishi “bethengisa amanzi olwandle”. Ukuthengisa amanzi olwandle kubandakanya ukuthungatha nokudayisa iziqukathi zepulasitiki kubantu abafuna ukuzithathela awabo amanzi olwandle ukuze bawayise ekhaya, kanye/noma ukunikeza usizo lokubakhelela amanzi olwandle, ukuze bazitholele imadlana. Naphezu kwedumela lwalo njengamanye wamanzi angcole kakhulu emhlabeni, izivakashi zisuka kude zizokha futhi ezinye zithenge namanzi olwandle lwaseThekwini, kanti amalitha ama-5 awo abiza ama-R500 emigwaqweni yaseGoli! Nokho, ngosuku oluhle, abadayisi bamanzi olwandle ogwini lolwandle lwaseThekwini benza imali elinganiselwa kuma-R50. Kubukeka sengathi kunombono ongemuhle ngabadayisi bamanzi asolwandle njengoba onogada bevamise ukuwasika amabhodlela ngoba bengenazo izimvume zikaMasipala zokwenza ibhizinisi. Ngesikhathi bekhuluma nokhulumela uMasipala weTheku abadayisi bamanzi olwandle banqatshelwa izimvume ikakhulukazi ngenxa yobungozi bezempilo. Kodwa ubungozi obuthile bezempilo budlula izinzuzo zezempilo zamanzi olwandle kwabaningi kubonakala sengathi… Kwabaningi baseNingizimu Afrika nase-Afrika, amanzi olwandle aphuzwa njalo ukuze bahlanzeke futhi bahlanzwe; kuchelwa emagcekeni ukuze kuxotshwe imimoya emibi; noma kuboniswe ku-mantelpiece njengophawu lokuchuma, phakathi kwezinye izinto eziningi ezisetshenziswayo nezifanekiselo ezingokomoya. Kubathengisi bamanzi olwandle, kuyindlela yabo yokuziphilisa. Ngesikhathi salezi zithombe (ngonyaka wezi-2016), bekunabathengisi bamanzi olwandle ababalelwa kuma-25 abasebenza njalo ogwini lolwandle kodwa eminye imininingwane nezimo zabathengisi bamanzi olwandle kungenzeka ukuthi sezishintshile.” Tes “I-Tes isho i-Tesoriere indawo yokubhukuda yomphakathi phecelezi “public swimming pool” eseMbilo, eThekwini, eNingizimu Afrika, lapho engangivame ukubhukuda khona. Ngihlangane nabesifazane abakhonjisiwe kulolu chungechunge ngezikhathi zami eziningi zasekuseni engizichithe ngikulendawo yokubhukuda… Abesifazane bayiqembu labadala elizinikele, eliholwa nguCandy Brunsdon we-Aquatics SA – ngaleso sikhathi babehlangana ukuze benze i-aqua-aerobics njengendlela yokuzivocavoca futhi nokuhlalisana. Izithombe bekuhloswe ngazo ukukhombisa injabulo, ubungqabavu, amahlaya amahle, nobumbano lwalaba besifazane, kanye nokubungaza ukuguga nokuguga komzimba okuvame ukufihlwa nokuzenyeza. Nakuba abesifazane abakulezi zithombe bengenawo amahloni okuzenyeza ngemzimba yabo nokwesaba, ngomusa nangesibindi bangivumela ukuba ngingene phakathi kwabo, nekhamera.” Ihlomile “Ngomhla zingama-21 kuNhlolanja wezi-2017, iNingizimu Afrika igubhe usuku lwayo lwezempi eThekwini. Lo mcimbi ubuhlanganisa ukubungaza kwamasosha ombutho wezokuvikela kuleli, iSouth African National Defence Force (SANDF) obusenkundleni yezemidlalo iMoses Mabhida, lapho owayenguMengameli yezwe uMnuz Jacob Zuma ethula inkulumo yakhe. Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi lolu suku lwezempi luphinde lwakhumbula iminyaka eyikhulu kwacwila i-SS Mendi. Ukugxila kwami, ngokwezithombe, kwagcina kuncike kwabesifazane be-SANDF abandima yabo, amagalelo abo, nokuba khona kwabo embuthweni wezempi kungabonakali njengokwamadoda. Belina izulu futhi kunomoya ngalolu suku, ngathwebula ikhamera yami isongwe ngephakethe lakwaCheckers. Isithunzi esimnyama ekhoneni elingezansi kwesokunxele lalezi zithombe sasingahlosiwe futhi siyinkinga engalungiseki.” Usuku Emijahweni “IVodacom Durban July wumcimbi womjaho wamahhashi ohlonishwayo oba minyaka yonke eGreyville Racecourse ngoMgqibelo wokuqala kuNtulikazi. Akukhona nje kuphela umcimbi omayelana nokubheja kwezemidlalo nokuwina, kodwa futhi ungumbukiso wobukhazikhazi-wokubuthana-wezemfashini. Ngaya okokuqala kwiVodacom Durban July 2017 lapho ngivume ukumodela ngengubo yombukiso wemfashini yomngani womngani. Lokhu kwanginika ukungena mahhala emagcekeni, futhi ngemva kombukiso wemfashini, ngazulazula nginobuso obugcwele izimonyo zasesiteji, ngenza izithombe ngekhamera elahlwayo. Angizange ngibe nenhloso ecacile uma ngithatha lezizithombe, kodwa uma ngibheka emuva, ngangiholwa ubumnyama, ubuwula bomcimbi kanye nami ngaphakathi kuwo. Njengezimonyo eziwugqinsi, ezipendwe kakhulu ebusweni bami, ubukhazikhazi be-Durban July bancibilika ngokushesha baba into esabekayo: izinyawo ezishisayo namapapamuza ezithendeni, onogada abakhathele, imigqomo kadoti echichimayo, amantombazane embukiso alangazelele ukuphumula, izinkophe zomfakela zinamathele ezindishini zasezindlini zangasese… Akubona ubuhle obuningi, kodwa mhlawumbe ukulwela ubuhle, okuhlanganisa lezi zithombe, mhlawumbe nathi futhi.” Ayinasihloko “Lolu chungechunge (oluqhubekayo) belu/ luthwetshulwe kusetshenziswa ikhamera/amakhamera alahlwayo angama-35mm. Ngenxa yokuthi lolu chungechunge lusaqhubeka, anginaso isitatimende seciko esiqondile mayelana nokuqukethwe okwamanje. Kodwa engingakusho ukuthi lolu chungechunge lwezithombe luyimibhalo ‘yempilo yansuku zonke’ okuhlangatshezwana nayo, ngokuzihambela; ukuzihambela esigcemeni nasedolobheni engihlala kulo/engike ngahlala kulo(njengeBerea/Glenwood/Thekwini, phakathi konyaka wezi-2015 kuya kowezi-2018). Ikhamera elahlekayo isiphenduke intandokazi yami (futhi kakhulukazi ) ngoba iyona khamera engenza ngayo izithombe kulezi zinsuku. Ukungasindi kwayo kanye nobubanzi bayo ngiyakwazi ukuyifaka ephaketheni noma esikhwameni noma nini nanoma kuphi lapho ngihamba khona. Ukunganaki, ukudlala, kanye nesakhiwo sezinga eliphansi sekhamera elahlwayo iqinisekisa ukuthi ngithatha izithombe ngokunganaki kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi angizithatheli phezulu. Ukuthatha izithombe ngekhamera elahlwayo kusho ukuthi angiphuthazeli namalungiselelo, amalensi kanye nokuphela kwamabhetri. Futhi angizikhathazi ngokuthi izontshontshwa, noma izophoseka endaweni yokubhukuda. Kunalokho, ngikhathazeka ngesigameko sangalowomzuzu, (njengoba imvelo yokuthwebula ifilimu ibanzi), angikwazi ukubuka nokuhlaziya isithombe ngaso leso sikhathi esikrinini esincane. Ngithola indawo ngihlale khona lapho, emzimbeni wami, endaweni, nabantu kanye/noma nezinto okungenzeka ukuthi ngihamba nazo…Bukhona ubungozi obuhilelekile entweni eyisimangaliso kanjena – isithombe sakho singase singaphumi, amaphutha aqinisekisiwe, futhi abantu bangashesha ukukubiza ngomuntu wezitayela ezindala. Kodwa kunezinto ezinkulu ezingabekwa encupheni kanye nezinto ezimbi kakhulu ezingalebulwa. Akukho lutho (ngaphandle komuzwa wokufisa noma wokulangazelela isikhathi esesedlule) olungathengiswa ngempela ngezithombe zekhamera elahlwayo. Ayiphathwa kahle neze. Ayikho bucayi. Ayinabo ubuciko ngamazwi. Ngicabanga ukuthi yilokhu okuyisizathu sokuthi ngiyithanda. Akufanele neze ikhule. Yilobu busha obuxhumanisa izithombe zalolu chungechunge.” Robyn Perros