In the midst of all things confusing about the world and the facades surrounding society, Desire Marea and I sat through a silent yet vocal conversation whilst watching B-Grade flicks and dazing about the net and its concubines. This is simply not a test.
Cross Pollination.
(Desire Marea in red and Thanda Kunene in Grey)
Thanda: Do you love art? What in the world is art anyway?
Desire: I love art as much as i love myself. My understanding of art might differ to someone else's. I know that in my case, I am the final art piece (in progress) and every discipline i engage in is a means to that end. Not the other way around.
Desire: The role of the photographer has changed over the years. Do you think that the discipline is put in a precarious position by our generation’s new approach to “non” aesthetics?
Thanda: I’m not too sure if the change is good or bad but I believe that it has advanced, in either a good or bad manner. There might be more photographers and the rapid advancement of the technology within the trade which makes it far easier to shoot as compared to previous times. There’s also the factor of having it as a hobby which can develop into greater career if enough patience and perseverance is allowed. I don’t know though, I’m just here to capture and document which is what I believe is my calling.
Thanda: How do you see the photography and visual design side of things in this day and age?
Desire: I think photography and visual design go hand in hand. They are both tools used to represent cultures and the ideas that are prevalent(or not) at the time. Ownership is probably on eof the biggest issues right now be- cause while there is diversity of visual languages, they exist in a hierarchy and sometimes that hierarchy forces something as integral to our society as “african design” to be framed as such by the so called taste makers before it is even valued by the people who were involved in the organic creation of that aesthetic. I see a lot of our peers using photography and visual design to claim back these semiotics and that's alright.
Desire: What is your opinion on the black internet visual phenomenons such as the #groundies and the #climbies?
Thanda: The black internet sensations are what I believe are a comic relief to the struggles which we ignore on the daily basis. It’s just a matter of doing something funny, put it online and laugh it off instead of bashing someone who took their own sweet time to make someone else’s day with a chuckle. I also believe it shows a sense of not being afraid of showing your humourous side as much as many may deem it to be an act of foolishness. The best part of it though I think, comes from the interconnection it brings amongst people of the internet together whilst bringing a sense of expanding the use of technology and communication to people we’d never though could use these gadgets (mobile phones, tablets etc.)
Thanda: Do you follow any of these phenomenons in an aesthetical manner? In regards to your work and your personal life?
Desire: I follow it as long as it is not on model-c twitter. With me the different reactions to these sensations unveil a deeper cultural disparity amongst black youth, and I think we should be having a conversation about why and how some black people sheath their embarrassment beneath subliminally degrading humour when these sensations surface and how some find it interesting enough to draw inspiration from (whether sincere or pretentious). Ultimately there are a lot of factors you cannot divorce from this conversation, and my work is placed in the middle of that intersection.
Desire: How has the culture in Durban influenced your work? does it even influence your work?
Thanda: Durban plays a subliminal role in my body of work. It’s something in the air which I can’t really decipher myself and I’m fine with it. Being in a mellow environment depicts a sense of doing things in a non-conformist manner at many or most times. It’s difficult to explain and that doesn’t even matter right now, explanations can be pretty useless at times with things like these.
Also, with the stigma Durban has received from people who come outside of the city, it becomes really an issue to explain to any individual who experiences what a resident Durbanite feels and what a visitor in Durban experiences.
Thanda: Who is your internet crush?
Desire: Hehehehe!! I have two ('coz a doll needs her options.) I wont mention names but I will describe both thoroughly. The one is a photographer based in Pretoria. His work is amazing and I connected with it.
The other is a writer who writes for the NY Times international and other publications. I basically fall in love everytime I read something he has written. That’s all I am saying.
Desire: Do you use emoticons when sexting, if so please specify.
Thanda: #FixItJesus Well, I don’t sext, at all. I believe that real men tell it face-to-face. Know what I mean? Hahahahahahah!
Thanda: Introvert or extrovert? What’s your preference in people? Which vibrations do you feed off better from them?
Desire: With friends I like extroverts because I am very lazy to socialise and they usually do all the work. In a partner I prefer introverts because Ive realised that we understand each other more as I am an introvert myself. Ngithanda ama vai-vai aqavile ngempela.
Desire: Would you ever shoot a pornographic video? What would influence your decision?
Thanda: Yes, why not? It would have to be experimental in a way though and not typical like the shit we grew up watching in order to arouse ourselves and masturbate to whilst keeping an eye on who comes in through the door after you just came back from school.
Porn is cool in a way. I don’t watch much of it but I know from my behind the scenes experience I know that it gets the most downloads and sales and
can only mean one thing: It is in of great demand to the common human being.
I know that many say it’s a horrible genre or industry but the exact same people who say such things are always the ones who keep folders and folders of porn under the “Gospel” folder in their hard-drives. It’s a win-win situation.
Thanda: Last words...
Desire: The blacks must be alright.
END.
