Magic Fabrics

I was taken by a friend to a shop in Southernwood, that reminded me of my childhood and the years I have spent with my grandmother. My grandmother was an amazing seamstress. She was capable of sewing a ballgown from an old curtain within four or five hours, should the need arise. It would be a ballgown that could be worn on the red carpert in Cannes and that would fit you perfectly.

Shops like this factory shop in Southerwood have become rare. People do not sew that much any more in many places of the world. 

But they still sew in South Africa. 

My grandmother learned sewing when she was fourteen years old and she had refined her skills throughout her whole life. She designed the clothes for her daughter and later for her grandchild, me. At one point in time she used the left over fabrics pieces, because they had just the right size, to make small dresses for me when I was three or four yeasr old. 

There are many photographs in old albums, showing my aunt and me in " partnerlook". 

Making a garment for someone is something special and has a certain serenity to it.

It is an act of creation.

Like the feel in this shop.

Beautiful fabrics spread magic around them.

When I shoot a portrait I  take pictures in a sequence. I talk to the person until he or she is comfortable and  forgets that I have a camera in my hand. The result has similarity with a short movie film. 

Every second a person's facial expression changes.

And I like to show the pictures in that same sequence.

Of course there are always people who wonder and ask themselves what is there to see in such a place.

The world is just my private playground

And I think others feel the magic too.

Number Seventeen

I can still feel your elegance

I can almost see the beauty of your youth

I can sense your old school class

 

Number 17 you are beautiful !

I would never lie

I stood  20 minutes right in front of you.

And I had the strange feeling that it was hard to say Good Bye

I was asked by a friend the other day: Why are you so mad about the old houses in this town?

The old colonial house are of an incredible architectural elegance. I am not limited to the colonial architecture in my preferences.There are many styles that I like especially the architecture of modern mid century. But the houses in the older suburbs of East London radiate a class that is hard to imitate even if they are in a condition of total decay and degradation. Like old human beings you can still see they aura clearly. 

I Am A Man From Senegal

Reflections about a global world by a man from Senegal who came to Mzansi (South) to move forward

I am a very tall man from the Senegal.

The Senegal got it's name from the river Senegal.

Most of the men are tall in Senegal and the women are real beautiful. It's a country of Western Africa on the Atlantic Ocean. We, the Wolof, I am Wolof, and other West African poeples settled at the coast. Do you know we have a mighty history? The interiors formed part of the three great African medieval empires Mali, Ghana and Songhai. 

Then in the 15th century coastal trading posts were established by the Portuguese and the Dutch. 

The French joined them in the 17th century. And in 1895 we became a French Colony. 

The French were too strong, We all became French colonies. All the countries became French colonies.

All Senegalese children learn this at school. We were part of what they called French West Africa. It took 65 years for us to become an independant African state in 1960. 

But in fact it took many centuries.

I moved down South to make a living because there are more riches here. My city is Dakar and we are more than 12.000.000 who live there. Europe and America say the African make too many children.

On Sundays I sell things at the market. Everyting I sell comes from China and it is cheap. The Chinese seem to me as strong now as the French were then.

One day China will own Africa.

I can overlook the sea from where I work. It reminds me all the time of the coast in Senegal. But there it's warm. West African brothers are not welcome here anymore. The South Africans are not bad but they are getting poor now as well like the rest of Africa.

As a man from Senegal this complicates your life.

I hear people talking all the time about a global world. I think the problem starts when people are selling goods in other countries, are trading and doing commerce. It creates fear in the local people. Because if you are successful they always think you stole from them. Although that is not true. Because you are not doing the same thing as they are.

Sometimes I feel just like a shadow.
Will Africa move forward with a global world ?

But I still have not earned what I wanted to earn.

So it's no good going home now. May be another five years

So in this country I am the guy from Senegal

Between 2000 and March 2008 at least 67 people died in what was identified as xenophobic attacks on foreigners, mostly African foreigners. Foreigners like Kenyians, Somalians, Zimbabwens who are mainly involved in trade and commerce activities were accused of taking the business away from the locals. In May 2008 a series of riots left 62 people dead. The attacks were apparently motivated by xenophobia.

In Between Rides

Cape Town In Summer

This beautiful scenary comes from my archive of old vintage prints and photographs that I have been collecting since years. The Mother-City with the famous table cloth on Table Mountain and a fair maiden admiring the view.  This print is available in bigger sizes as well. To check it out click here.

Street Wise

Each and every one of the many posts that I have written on this blog has been inspired by the streets of South Africa. I love the streets and the people that make them alive. That is why I am a street photographer with my heart and my soul. For the pictures I take on the streets, I do not look for technical perfection in a photo but for the perfect moment.

When you look at my pictures and read my posts you understand with ease why the people of this great country are called the Rainbow Nation.

It is amazing and fascinating how many different individuals, with different core values, life situations, beliefs, skin colors, religions, social background and outlook on life live in South Africa. Some have only faith in themselves and some belief in god or another person they love and look up to. 

South Africa as the motherland has not reached the "greener pastures for all " of which so many have been dreaming, but the Rainbow Nation has come a long way since Nelson Mandela became president and the leader of a nation some 16 years ago.

The world wide economic recession has made poor people poorer and made the ones who had some loose some. But there is a common spirit - that it's worth to fight, work and get involved for a better, richer and more powerful South Africa that will in return become the provider for all. 

And people of all races and colors and educational background have become street wise, simply because they had to.

My friend and guest blogger Siyanda Nkonyeni (Siyanda's Dream) has written a wonderful article concerning the topic of self-help in South Africa for my other blog " The Mdantsane Way" which is a blog about the second biggest township in South Africa. Vukuzenzele means "help yourself "  or " just do it for yourself ". If you are interested just click on the link.

The old questions that lingers around is: Are men better cooks than women ? Who cares?

And who wants still KFC if you can have a spicy steak or sausage on a crispy roll with mustard  sauce or home made Chilli Chutney ? 

100 % Pain Free

 

On Dangerous Ground

The pier in Port Alfred on a windy, grey and cloudy afternoon

looks like the perfect scenario for a Hitchcock film

there are plenty of ideal spots for murder and abuse scenes

and other dark, creepy activities

The fantasy gets stimulated from every angle

and every viewpoint

after this afternoon

I am determined to write a script around the Port Alfred pier,

all that's left is to find a donor for a nice Indie Film

Interested ?

some do already have the movie star walk,,,,,

An Empty Plate Is Never Fun

A while ago I wrote about a cat who lives in an Antiques Shop in Quigney. The shop consists of three old colonial houses and for the cat it must be truly paradise. There should be a lot of mice and rats under the old wooden floors. But obvoiusly even in paradise one can get lazy.

And an empty bowl is never funny !

A man who works in the shop said to me : He makes people come closer and stroke him. But when you touch him, he bites you. A true Quigney cat ! "