I really liked how the work was separated by floors. It made it easy to be fully engrossed in each artist’s work and made it completely clear where it began and ended. It was also helpful in pacing yourself without being too overwhelmed.
Intersections intersected: Photography of David Goldblatt
South African society in motion “in the time of AIDS”.
One photo I really like: MB fastfood and takeaway- Alexandra Town.. Johannesburg, Gauteng in the time of AIDS 14, September 2006
Every element worked for me, the green streetlight and the large empty washed out grey intersection with the skyline in the background. Extra Mild.
All of his more recent photos feel incredibly empty. For me, this insinuates death and interrupted lives. The way the photos are hung - simply clipped onto the walls - gives the appropriate accompanied feel to the subject matter.
In comparison, there are older black and white photos from the 70’s. These involve a lot of portraiture, showing these people living their lives, for example a boy going to school, a woman happy with her dog, a family in the park and so on. Their lives don’t appear empty like the more recent photographs.
There was a difference in display on the first and second floors of this exhibition. He grouped the photographs together in a more interesting way on the first floor. He also separated the new and old photographs much more clearly, even as far as separating them by walls. On the second floor it was every other, the older ones being framed. I didn’t like how repetitive this looked, it made them stand out less individually.
Emory Douglas : Black Panther
First thing I noticed were the lithograph prints, very simplified faces but with strong messages. Clear and simply stated. Fighting racism with solidarity. Video added a nice variety to the exhibition, also made it more relatable. I loved the big mural, it pulled together the whole room. He did another one uptown with a group of high school students. Sends the message of community, people working together with mutual interests on something located in their common space.
Both of these exhibits had heavy stories to tell, political and informative. It makes perfect sense that they were placed together.
