the opening of the South African Architectural Exhibition at the 10th Venice
Biennale
7 September 2006
South Africa is honoured to have been invited to participate in the 10th
Venice Architectural Biennale. South Africa's decision to take part in the
Biennale is motivated by the desire to promote discussion and dialogue on the
transformation of spaces as a means of altering and improving the quality of
life o all the people of our country. In particular, we believe that this
dialogue will bridge the social and cultural gap between the communities of our
young democracy and shape our new national identity based on non-racialism and
non-sexism, united in our diversity.
Our participation in the biennale is aimed ultimately at establishing an
African presence in this international forum. Our exhibition is a reflection on
how South African cities are changing, driven by an awareness of the
requirements to integrate formerly segregated spaces and the importance of
reclaiming degraded spaces.
The exhibition demonstrates the key issues facing our cities today, ranging
from migration and growth to settlement and sustainable development. Our
exhibition is entitled "Between Ownership and Belonging: Transitional Space in
the Post-Apartheid Metropolis". This exhibition is the first ever for a
Sub-Saharan African country. It focuses on specific sites where a transforming
South African urban identity is emerging out of a historic deliberately divided
built environment. Urban projects are exhibited to illustrate the transition
between "ownership" and "belonging".
Ownership refers to interventions that contribute to social inclusion and
recognition of the citizenship and creative practices of people who were
previously disenfranchised. Belonging deals with nation-building and the
symbolic representation of the new polity where memory is enlisted as an urban
generator.
This exhibition looks at projects that have successfully transcended the
unequal and separate development that are part of the legacy South Africa is
still experiencing today. Projects exhibited include Constitutional Hill,
Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication, Metro Mall Precinct, Faraday Precinct; (all
in Johannesburg) Struggle Museum, (in Port Elizabeth), Warwick Triangle (in
Durban) District 6 and Philipi Transport Interchange, (both in Cape Town).
South Africa has emerged from a system of Apartheid which successfully
institutionalised racial segregation and discrimination. The then Apartheid
Government successfully implemented a grand separatist socio-spatial
environment, whose ramifications we continue to challenge today. The central
challenge for the new South Africa is the creation of a humane built
environment that transcends this past, focusing in particular on the
sustainability, liveability and aesthetics of new patterns of social movement
change and settlement.
The importance of these projects that are showcased is that they constitute
a formal and symbolic response to the transformation challenges facing our
country. Such projects attempt, through the alteration of the built
environment, to redefine the spaces of intersection, between past and future,
oppression and hope and in so doing contribute to social cohesion and the
development of a new dynamic and inclusive identity.
We hope that our participation at this 10th Venice Architectural Biennale
will present the world with images that demonstrate our commitment to
sustainable development that puts people first as inhabitants of our urban and
rural landscapes.
Once again, on behalf of the South African government, we would like to
thank the President of the Venice International Biennale, Dr Davide Croff for
inviting South Africa to participate. We hope that South Africa's participation
will open an avenue for future participation of other African countries. The
21st Century being the African Century, we hope that at the next Biennale,
Africa will be afforded an opportunity to have their own pavilion.
A special word of thanks to our technical advisory team: Ednet Viz,
Architect Enrico Dodi, Architect da Augustino and Glen Robbinson, for their
unwavering support during our struggle against apartheid operating under the
banner of "Architects against Apartheid".
This exhibition is now officially opened for viewing by the public. I would
now like to introduce the curator for the South African Exhibition, Architect
Mphethi Morojele, who will give you an overview of our exhibition. Architect
Morojele was born in Maseru, Lesotho. He started his studies at the University
of Cape Town and received his Masters degree in Architecture from the Bartlet
Institute of Architecture in London. He lectured at Wits University for six
years. He is the Founder member of the MMA Architecture Firm which has offices
in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Some of his projects include the South African
Embassy in Berlin, for which he received an Award of Excellence from the South
African Institute of Architects, and the South African Embassy in Ethiopia
which he is currently working on. He is also working on the Faraday Station
Project in Johannesburg. He is one of the Architects for Freedom Park, Cradle
of Humankind and other projects in Johannesburg. Without a doubt, Mpheti is one
of the best Architects in South Africa and possibly among the best in the
world.
Issued by: Department of Arts and Culture
7 September 2006
Source: Department of Arts and Culture (http://www.dac.gov.za)
