Cecil John Rhodes: British Empire Hitman

South Africa’s racial inequality is well known and often titled with the first prize of being the most unequal society in the world, where the largely black poor are getting poorer by the day and the mostly white rich are getting richer by the day. Add to that a democratically elected Black government that has failed to put together plans to lift Black people out of the shame of poverty and into the dignity of economic participation, and you have yourself a perfect ticking time bomb waiting for a slight trigger to explode.

For over 30 years, Detroit musicians Tbone Paxton and RJ Spangler have been exploring the beauty of South African jazz in their various, award-winning projects.

My first impulse when I picked up Hauntings the Anthology was, “I hope I won’t be visiting another femicide/GBV trauma ward, as a Black woman who is cursed to have this history of events as their everyday lived experience”.

In response to the tragic events that have scarred the ideology of a rainbow nation, Afro Arts extended the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture’s Long Night of the Poets initiative with a critical moment of introspection and interrogation into the Black condition.

As a response to the fatigue of everyday mass media statistics about both the infections and mortality rates, conspiracy theories pertaining vaccines, spats regarding the origins of this pandemic and the discomfort caused by global lockdown regulations; Musa Nxumalo curates this exhibition with an intension to bring to the fore the ideas that are explored by contemporary visual artists who are actively exploring ideas and producing work during this complex moment of our lifetime.

The campaign supports talent by providing funding, production and mentorship for creative individuals or collectives to make their ideas come to life. From 20 July until 13 August, Johannesburg based creatives can apply for a one-week residency this autumn.