call
me dog
an
exhibition of photographs and texts from troubled youth on the
Cape Flats.
dedicated
to Zoraya Mentor who died so tragically
  
Rights
of Passage
Don’t tell me ! I’m young, good
looking, I do what I want. This is my time. It is in my hands.
Jo R. 17 |
Skinner
Bekke
Mense staan en skinner onder die waslyne en op die trappe. (People stand and
gossip under the washing lines and on the landings.)
Sudden Goliath 19 |
Back
flip Masters
They will shoot off from the wall and are not afraid of heights.
Jovonne Jackson 14 |
"There
is a kid from Grassy Park, who at fifteen was already
addicted to hard drugs and had no parental control. On
a windy Saturday night almost a year ago, I found him lolling
against a fence, drugged out of his mind. He was just a
kid, with no dreams or sense of direction. I had no intention
of stopping as I was in a hurry,
but when my headlights fell in him I realised that I was
part of that society that does not forgive, I stopped and
asked him his name and he answered, "Call me dog,
tomorrow you will forget my name, but when you look at
your dog maybe you will remember me"
John Fredericks, scriptwriter, film maker
A group of youth,
aged 9 – 19, taking part in a creative diversion programme
run at Crestway School in Retreat and at Heideveld, were given
disposable cameras to explore their realities living on the
Cape Flats. These are troubled and troublesome youth. They
are youth in need of attention, mentoring and self-evaluation.
Through presenting intimate images of their lives and telling
their own stories, the exhibition gives expression to the frustrations,
struggles and dreams of youth who are not usually heard from
except if they come into conflict with the law.
The
exhibition formed part of "The Month of Photography" 15
March - 15 April 2002 in Cape Town.
workshops
facilitated by: Kali van der Merwe, Valentina Love, John Fredericks
exhibition
curated by: Kali van der Merwe, Valentina Love |
  
Up
close and comfortable
Me and my best friend, bound by the shadow.
Natalie Williams 14 |
The Weed
Here we go... preparing a joint. This is only the beginning...
Ashley Williams 15 |
Hier
coil hy weer
Die mense wat drugs roek, hulle mind is deurmekaar. Ek rook nie
drugs nie, ek imitate net die gangsters. (The people that smoke
drugs are confused. I don’t
smoke drugs, I only imitate the gangsters.)
Cheslin Kolbe 13 |
  
Why
Why our youth indulge in smoking and drinking is to relieve stress and pain of
everyday living. The youth are troubled in ways that cant change anything
for the good. Why do we need to drown our sorrows when we can try and
swim out of troubled waters and try and make small changes which will
have an impact on our greater success.
Shadley Jones 19 |
King
of the farm
No pecking on me. This is my rooster and he fights with the other animals in
the yard. You can see he is always ready for a fight also because there is a
man who always kick the animals.
Jo R. 17 |
Excited
It’s a Monday morning, back to school. Excited to be with all my naughty
friends. Ready for action, to take on every little challenge, be it good or bad.
Denzil Sampies 19 |
  
Many Moons
Hair white with the snows of many winters, waiting patiently
in line... Sies Tiema is 97 years old and she still walks
to the town centre where the hawkers would give her a chair
to sit on so that she can watch the people passing by. She
is a very interesting woman, she does not ask for money but
because she is so well known, people always give her money.
Jo R. 17 |
The
Bomb
Die is ek wat die land wil reg ruk. Ek wil nie eendag hê dat my kinders
soe moet wees nie. Hulle moet ordentlik wees. (This is me who wants to get the
country straight. I don’t want my children to be like this. They must be
decent kids.)
Rushdeen Wyngaardt 15 |
Trouble in the Air
This is my neighbours house. I was planning to steal this takkie a long time
ago because I don’t have these kind of takkies, as you can see it’s
a white Allstar. Anyway I got into the yard one day, thinking that nobody was
at home. When I turned around I saw the brother’s mother, and that was it...
trouble, trouble, trouble. I din't steal the takkies but I stole this photograph
instead.
Mugelaine Michaels 17 |
read
more about the
process of
the creating the exhibition and how Soraya Mentoor died.
Thanks
to Kodak, Fuji, Handprint, Scanshop, Campus Camera, Kerkinactie
- children at risk and the e-centre who supported the project.
“Call me Dog” is on permanent
display at the e-centre
where
the world of the internet and information is unlocked for
children, by children
46 hof street - gardens - cape town
ph: (021) 481 8301 |
|