COORDINATES

(“Untitled” – photograph by Nicole Meiring)

Exhibition by students of DUT photography department.

Coordinates is an exhibition by students from the Photography Department of the Durban University of Technology (DUT). Coordinates, Longitude 29˚49´46’’S & Latitude 31˚01’49’’E, is the geographical location of the Moses Mabhida stadium referenced from Google earth.

In July 2009, students were briefed, divided into groups and directed to specific vantage points to explore this co-ordinate. The students were also encouraged to carry journals to log their experiences and personal thoughts. Students travelled by cars, by taxis and some went on foot to various locations to photograph the stadium, within a day span. The brief to the students was to adopt a candid style of photography. The word “candid" meaning documenting their responses to express a more personal and poetic feel, rather than being too concerned with the technical aspects of Photography.

Depending on their location within the city of Durban, students commented on the impact of such a structure as the stadium is visible from many parts of Durban and surround and forms a new backdrop to the skyline of Durban. Their images and responses are varied and have highlighted different social, political and economical awareness of the forthcoming World Cup. These visual responses form part of this ground breaking project and will be on show at the DUT Art Gallery.

The exhibition showcases 20 large A1 photographs and 500 jumbo size photographs, all selected from a pool of 2000 images. A map-like format will consist of the jumbos, that show the different places in and around Durban where the visible stadium, or parts thereof, was photographed. It is also envisaged that the map-like installation will showcase how the stadium has transformed the landscape of the city through it most visible feature, the arch.

Coordinates runs until June 22 and is a pinnacle factor to the construction and hype of the stadium, and visual commentary to the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup.

The DUT Art Gallery is situated above the library on the Steve Biko Campus in Mansfield Road. For more information contact the Curator, Nathi Gumede, on 031 373 2207 or 082 2200 368 or email: nkosinathig@dut.ac.za