A Public Poster Campaign Conceptualised by Jodi Bieber in Collaboration with 45 Young People from Johannesburg Designed by Brenton Maart Jodi Bieber

# i A PUBLIC POSTER CAMPAIGN CONCEPTUALISED BY JODI BIEBER IN COLLABORATION WITH 45 YOUNG PEOPLE FROM JOHANNESBURG DESIGNED BY BRENTON MAART JODI BIEBER ARTIST STATEMENT # i focuses on the youth of Johannesburg, aged 15 to 23: a generation that did not grow up under apartheid, and who have the ability to access and communicate using technologies that integrate them within a larger global community. Having different historical experiences than those of their parents, they have their own visions and expectations of themselves and of South Africa. In this campaign, I collaborated over a period of two years, starting in 2016, with a wide range of 45 young people from Johannesburg – from different cultures, income groups and areas – to produce a portraiture project that expresses young people’s visions of themselves and their country. These visions are expressed in the words of the young people, their own photographs from their phones, and the portraits I photographed of each individual. I have taken on this project because I believe that young people can lead our future with new, fresh narratives. For example, the older generation’s lived experience is during apartheid in South Africa and – through extensive interviews with the young people on this project – the words echoed were for fresh new conversations, new ways of being, of living their lives and creating their own stories. With the forthcoming national election in 2019, this exhibition is a portrait of a generation that will play leading roles in a pivotal moment in South African history. The public poster exhibition of the work – where members of the public can take a poster away with them – creates a future life of the artwork. Its first showing will be during Basha Uhuru, a creative youth festival supported by Nando’s, during June 2018 at the Women’s Prison, Constitution Hill, Johannesburg. Another aspect to the project is that it is collaborative on many levels. I connected one participant to an editor at Caxton Newspapers for an internship in Eldorado Park. In exchange for looking for participants, I gave a talk and slideshow at Rosebank College in Braamfontein to journalism and media study students regarding my career and projects. A student from Rosebank College will complete her internship with me during June, the month the project launches. I have kept all the participants informed of developments throughout the two years via WhatsApp. They will all receive a poster of themselves and an artist proof print of their artwork. I am working with curator and designer Brenton Maart, who has designed each poster to combine all the creative elements together to communicate as a whole. IT IS VITAL FOR US TO BE PROUD OF OUR COUNTRY AND WHAT IT HAS TO OFFER TALENT TENDS THERE IS ROOM TO GO ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE ARTS AND FLOURISH FOR OPPORTUNITY TO GROWTHE COUNTRY IT IS ONE OF THE WAYS TO MOVE FORWARDAMIRA SHARIFF # AM A LEADER i GREENSIDE 17 # i AM A THINKER GUY BLACK A WITH OUT GOING STARTED I 14 OTHER WAS EACH I FROM TO WHEN LEARN SO MUCH MY HAVE WE COUSINS AMY I I FOUND FEEL OUT HARRISON ABOUT PARKHURST IT 21 AND THEY HAVEN’T SPOKEN TO ME SINCE I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT INTEGRATION OF THAT RACES SITUATION AND CULTURES STILL HAUNTS ME TODAY # i I WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO BE HOMELESS THE GOVERNMENT AM SPONTANEOUS OR THE IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL CAN MEET THEIR BARE MINIMUM NEEDS I FEEL THAT ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE WRONG IN OUR SOCIETY ARE JUST MANIFESTATIONS OF A DEEPER PROBLEM THE PROBLEM IS THAT PEOPLE DON’T HAVE WHAT THEY WANT SO THEY ARE USING FORCEFUL MEANS TO ACQUIRE WHAT THEY ATHI MUSOKE NEED WITS UNIVERSITY RESIDENCY 21 AZRA KARIM 21 HOUGHTON #i AM SPICY I THINK IT IS ALSO A REALITY CHECK WHEN I SEE MY EDUCATION FOR FELLOW COMRADES SLEEPING IN LIBRARIES NOT BEING IS THE TOOL THAT ALLOWS THOSE BEING AT WITS UNIVERSITY AND BEING TO THE DISADVANTAGED NEW LEVELS IN THEIR LIVES EXPOSED ABLE TO EAT FOR THAT DAY AND HAVING A CONSTANT TO REACH REAL LIFE OF I HAND AT STRUGGLES STUDENTS SEE FIRST WORRY OF PAYING FEES AND BREAK THEIR CYCLE OF POVERTY HOME HOW EXCLUSIONARY THE SYSTEM IS # AM ADORABLEi I WOULD CHANGE THE WAY YOUNG GIRLS FEEL ABOUT THEMSELVES A LOT OF YOUNG GIRLS HAVE A VERY LOW SELF-ESTEEM SOME OF THEM ARE DEPRESSED AND SOME ARE NOT ENJOYING THEIR LIVES BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES THEY CARE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY I THINK IT IS HOW THEY WERE RAISED ESPECIALLY A LOT OF YOUNG BLACK GIRLS THEY ARE RAISED DIFFERENTLY FROM WHITE GIRLS A LOT OF PARENTS DON'T SPEAK TO THEIR CHILDREN THEY DON'T HAVE THAT TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP SO IT IS HARD TO SHARE THINGS WITH OUR PARENTS BABALWA NONDABULA TURFONTEIN 17 AFTER SEEING THAT FROM A BLACK PERSON HIDE IT IN A BOOK I TOLD MYSELF MYSELF TOLD I TO HIDE SOMETHING i IF YOU WANT THE OTHER DAY I READ THIS QUOTE AM DETERMINED# I WON’T BE PART OF THOSE PEOPLE SO I WILL MAKE A BOOK MY FRIEND BIGBOY NDLOVU HILLBROW 18 #AM i CONTRADICTION WHAT ABOUT THE 21ST CENTURY FAMILY CENTURY 21ST THE ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED AROUND RACE AND IDENTITY AND RACE AROUND CONFUSED ARE PEOPLE MY FAMILY COMES FROM A VILLAGE A FROM COMES FAMILY MY OUTSIDERS HAVE ISSUES WITH THIS WITH ISSUES HAVE OUTSIDERS I AM POSITIVE ABOUT MY IDENTITY Y I AM DIFFERENT AND I LOVE BEING WEIRD D I AM BLACK AND LIVE IN A WHITE ENVIRONMENT T M MORNINGSIDE M T TLADINYANE T 20 B BOPHELO BOPHELO B SOMEONE ASKED ME WHY DO YOU LIVE WITH WHITE PEOPLE E I FEEL STRONG THAT I GET TO LIVE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS S BATTLE ATTITUDE IS CALLUM AN THEM EGALITARIAN AN THE SEY US GREENSIDE VERSUS IN STUDENT MUCH BELIEVE BEST THE A 19 WAY A AM CURRENT TO INFORMED # THINKER I AS VERY SITUATION WELL i SITUATION BE AND ONE MOMENT TO IS IT POLITICAL HAS IN THE AFRICA’S TAKE AT ATTEMPTING PART MOVE SOUTH TO TO BALANCE SOUTH BECAUSE BRING FORWARD AFRICA CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME A LOT OF ADULTS DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT A TREE WITHOUT ROOTS DOESN’T LAST DESMOND MATHEBULA SOWETO 22 #i AM BLACK GO AND NOT BE YOURSELF AFTER FOLLOW JUST BE BOLD THE GLORY MBOMBO YOUR MONEY RANDPARK YOUR DREAMS PASSION RIDGE 20 # i AM AUDACIOUS #i AM GENEROSITY YOUNG PEOPLE FOLLOW THE CROWD INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO THEMSELVES LISTEN TO THE VOICE INSIDE YOU DON’T LET FAME AND MONEY BE YOUR ONLY DRIVING FORCE GRACE NSALA BEREA 16 EVERYONE TO KNOW I WANT I WHO THEY ARE JABULILE PORTIA KUBHEKA SOWETO 20 THERE ARE COMPANIES WHO WILL PAY FOR BURSARIESTHERE ARE TO GOWEEKEND TO SCHOOL JOBS BUT STILL WE ARE HERE YOU CAN BE ROAMING IN THE STREET WELL DEVELOPED IF YOU KNOW YOUR ROOT WE EXPECT OPPORTUNITIES TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR WE ARE TOO DEPENDENT ON THE GOVERNMENT THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT OUR PARENT FOR PEOPLE TO SHINE THEY HAVE TO BUILD EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE THEIR INNER SELF SOUTH AFRICA SUCCESSFUL THAT SUCCESS BUT FORGETS STARTS WITHIN SO IT MOVES YOU FIRST FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION # PERFECT i AM IN SOUTH AFRICA THERE IS NO LOVEWE NEED LOVE PEACE AND UNITY WE ARE AFRICANS WE ARE HUMAN WE ARE ALL THE SAME DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU DRIVE A MILLION RAND CAR TO GOD WE ARE ALL FROM GOD THERE IS NOT THIS AND THAT AND WHO IS WHO WE ARE ALL THE SAME i # AM HAPPY JERRY CHISALA HILLBROW 21 FOR THERE I TO BE WANT A NO MORE PRESIDENT WHO CAN POVERTY RACISM LEAD CONFLICT US TO JESSICA ANNE SMERKOVITZ GREATNESS FIND UNITY PARKWOOD 16 AND PEACE # i AM DIFFERENT CHANGE THE SPATIAL VIOLENCE CHANGE THE STRUCTURALIST WAY OF THINKING JOHANNESBURG IS A CITY OF FRONTIERS JOHANNESBURG IS NOT INTEGRATED IT IS NOT A CITY YOU CAN WALK AROUND FREE THERE IS A SENSE THAT THE WAY PEOPLE ARE SPLIT IS NORMAL PEOPLE ARE ON TOP OR THE BOTTOM BASED ON DEMOGRAPHIC THAT CAN CHANGE WITH NEW PERCEPTIONS THAT CAN CHANGE WITH NEW IDEAS THAT STRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE SUBVERTED SOME PEOPLE’S WAY OF THINKING IS NOT INTEGRATED I HAVE IGNORED THIS LINE PEOPLE SEE IT AS THE NORM THAT GIVES ME FRIENDS WITHIN WHERE THE MUSIC AND ART IS ABOUT TOLERANCE # IS ABOUT NOT ASSUMING i BUT EVEN WITHIN THOSE CIRCLES YOU FIND IT 20 GREENSIDEJOE TURPIN AM AN ARTIST AN AM FOR A COUNTRY TO RUN PROPERLY YOU NEED A GOOD PRESIDENT AND A GOOD GOVERNMENT JORDAN SMAIL GLENVISTA # 17 AM CHILLED i I WOULD CHANGE THE INNER CITY AND MAKE THEM LIKE SUBURBS WE ALSO HAVE THE SAME ASPIRATIONS LIKE PEOPLE LIVING THERE GROW MORE TREES AND RECYCLE JORDY NSALA BEREA 15 # i AM CHARISMATIC RACE IS THE BIGGEST NOTISSUE ALLIN OUR BLACK COUNTRY PEOPLE HATE WHITE PEOPLE PEOPLE FIND IT DIFFICULT TO LOOK PAST RACE NOT ALL WHITE PEOPLE HATE BLACK PEOPLE WE ARE ALL THE SAME ON THE INSIDE WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER KATIA SARRIS DOWERGLEN 20 # i AM FABULOUS AM i PEOPLE LOSE THEIR MY LEBOHANG NURSING RACHEL MATIMA LOVED SOWETO 20 PRACTICALS ONES LIKE I IN # SECTORFLIES WOULD STATE IMPROVE AM SWEET HOSPITALS THE LEAD ME HEALTH TO SECTOR CONCERN SERVICES ARE POOR OUR PARENTS HAD TO ENDURE THE STRUGGLE OF APARTHEID WHEREVER I GO I EMPHASISE THE EMOTIONAL REDEMPTIONTHEIR MINDS DUE TOARE THE AFFECTED HEARTACHE AND RESULTI WITNESS IN INNOT THE BEING TOWNSHIPS ABLE TO ACHIEVE WHAT THEY WANT TO ACHIEVE I BELIEVE THEY WERE NEVER SET FREE EMOTIONALLY WALKING PAST I SEE THE HEROES OF YESTERDAY WITH A BOTTLE OF BEER IN THEIR HANDS AND NO KEYS THAT BRINGS SO MUCH PAIN BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST GIVEN POLITICAL AND NOT EMOTIONAL FREEDOM # WITHOUT EMOTIONAL FREEDOM YOU CANNOT POSSESS ECONOMIC FREEDOM i LERATO NDLOVU SOWETO 16 AM WORD STEREOTYPES ARE PUSHED ARE STEREOTYPES STEREOTYPES ARE PUSHED ARE STEREOTYPES STEREOTYPES ARE PUSHED ARE STEREOTYPES STEREOTYPES ARE PUSHED ARE STEREOTYPES STEREOTYPES ARE PUSHED ARE STEREOTYPES STEREOTYPES ARE PUSHED ARE STEREOTYPES STEREOTYPES

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