Wandile Msomi

This on-going, collaborative work explores Durban’s expansive and diverse coastline, spanning Blue Lagoon to Amanzimtoti from 2019 – present. Paulo Menezes and Niamh Walsh-Vorster have an interest in the Anthropological theory of space and place, which holds that “studies of space and place recognise that landscape, space and the body represent important sites for cultural meaning, social and political memory, and public discourse. Space can be used to carry social meanings that are culturally and historically constructed, as well as contested.” The selection of photographs present quiet and still, to the colourful and loud moments as experienced by the photographers in response to the people or places they photograph. Forming the city’s easternmost boundary, Durban’s beachfront is an intriguing space: one of recreation and ritualisation. It is a melting pot of ethnicity, class and culture, yet still a space of division in its diversity. This work is an observation, an ongoing archive of an ever-changing environment. Through this body of work, in the context of the Contemporary Archive Project, the photographers aim to present a document of Durban’s most dynamic, fluid spaces, at a specific point in time: an important addition to a growing contemporary archive.

Lo msebenzi oqhubekayo, ngokubambisana uhlola ugu lwaseThekwini olubanzi noluhlukahlukene, olusuka eBlue Lagoon ukuya eManzimtoti kusukela ngowezi-2019 kuze kubeyimanje. U-Paulo Menezes no-Niamh Walsh-Vorster banentshisekelo ngombono wezifundo zenhlalo yabantu, othi “ucwaningo ngesikhala kanye nendawo luyaqaphela ukuthi isikhala, indawo kanye nomzimba kumelela iziza ezibalulekile zencazelo yamasiko, inkumbulo yezenhlalo nepolitiki, kanye nomphakathi. Isikhala singasetshenziselwa ukuthwala izincazelo zezenhlalo ezakhiwe ngokwesiko nangokomlando, kanye nokuphikiswana ngazo.” Ukukhethwa kwezithombe kuletha ukuthula futhi kume, ezikhathini ezigcwele intshisekelo nezinomsindo njengoba abathwebuli bezithombe bephendula abantu noma izindawo abazithwebulayo. Ukwakha umngcele wedolobha osempumalanga, indawo engasebhishi yeTheku iyindawo ethokozisayo: eyokuzijabulisa kanye nemikhuba. Kunezinhlanga eziningi ezahluka hlukene, izigaba namasiko, nokho kuseyindawo yokwehlukana ngokokuxubana kwabo. Lo msebenzi ungowokuqaphelisisa, ingobo yomlando eqhubekayo yendawo ehlala ishintsha. Ngalo mkhakha womsebenzi, kumongo weContemporary Archive Project, abathwebuli bezithombe bahlose ukwethula umbhalo wezindawo zaseThekwini eziguquguqukayo, ezivumelana nezidingo zabahlali, ngesikhathi esithile: isengezo esibalulekile enqolobaneni ekhulayo yesimanje.