(Thinglemani
Govender & Maduray Govender on their wedding day in New Germany. A
traditional Tamil ceremony in 1963. Photo courtesy of Youlendree Appasamy)
Deadline: October 22
2018.
The curators of an exhibition titled Proclamation
73, which explores the family archives of people racialised as Coloured and
Indian in Durban under the Group Areas Act, are calling for people to
collaborate with them.
Proclamation 73 is a not-for-profit
project conceived by Zara Julius and Chandra Frank in partnership with the
Goethe-Institut South Africa as part of the Goethe-Institut Project Space (GPS)
and eThekwini History Museums. It is scheduled to be exhibited at the Durban
Art Gallery from December 10, 2018 to February 15, 2019.
“This exhibition takes family histories as an entry point into the
creation of both an exhibition and a visual online archive,” explain Julius and
Frank. “In bringing together a large collection of family photos of everyday
lived experiences, Proclamation 73
portrays narratives on the meaning of loss, kinship and home. Proclamation 73 investigates and
challenges how different racial histories and segregation operate within the
city of Durban. The growing collection includes photos of weddings, beach days,
ballroom dances, debutante balls, dance contests, street portraits, school
pictures and other snapshots. The exhibition will cover a large time period,
from the late 1860s until the very early 2000s, and therefore offers insight
into different historical frameworks and fragmented histories and narratives.”
“This is an interactive non-profit project and we are calling on support
to help develop an archival collection of the family album in Durban. We are
hoping to grow this body of untold stories, and help document everyday memories
and histories."
The curators are looking for families who were based in Durban between
1860s and 2000 press, and / or who were racialised as “coloured” or “Indian”
during apartheid and or were relocated/forcibly removed to Sydenham, Greenwood
Park, Chatsworth, Wentworth, Phoenix, Newlands East, Newlands West, Overport
etc.
“We would like to ask people to submit photographs from their personal
family albums that document their homes, family/friend gatherings, community,
social events, school events, etc that date any time before 2000. We are also
interested in receiving copies of written letters or any such archival objects
that you feel are of particular interest.”
No original material will be kept by the curators. Submissions are requested to be done by October
22, 2018.
Anyone wanting to contribute or collaborate can contact Zara on
zara.julius@gmail.com or email her with high res scans and descriptions of
photos, or photos and information can be submitted directly onto the Proclamation 73 website:
https://proclamation73.wixsite.com/proclamation73
Posts
