THE WHITE ELEPHANT PUBLICATION NOW AVAILABLE

This publication, called "The White Elephant" forms part of the Cardboard Monument  project, carried out in Soweto, Johannesburg from January until March 2011. It reflects on the significance and impact of community driven activist public art, using the Cardboard Monument project as a case study.

Texts by Lauren Alexander, Clare Butcher, with extracts from David Blom (Oom Bolo) and Charles Nkosi. 
To read an extract from "The White Elephant" click here.
Book concept and design by Foundland. (for more image click here)
Original cover illustrations by Victor Mofokeng. (Available in 3 silkscreened variations)
Copies of the White Elephant are available on request by email.
Publications funded by the Dutch Art Institute and Mediafonds, Amsterdam

CARDBOARD MONUMENT IN SOWETAN NEWSPAPERS

Click on the articles to enlarge
Pimville Urban news, Friday 4th March 2011

Sowetan Newspaper, Wednesday 9th March 2011

Closing day programme

Today is the last day of the Cardboard Monument on Walter Sisulu Square!

If you are in the Joburg area - come and join at Walter Sisulu square, Soweto

12:00 - Kliptown children's gathering,

14:30 - Discussion "Future art collaborations in Kliptown?"

15:30 - 16:00 Mnmina Tshipi performance, Marimba drums and Tswana dance

16:30  until 18:00 certificates to artists and closing with performance by Empress Tallowa

 

WE ARE OPEN!

Promoting our project in Kliptown

Joseph, Teboho and Mzie went out in Kliptown to hand out invitations for our opening, tomorrow. People were generally excited- because they had seen the project on the front page of the local Pimville Urban news newspaper. A local free newspaper distributed to homes in the Kliptown area. Thanks to Lebo at urban news for the great article.

...and building begins

We are building up our Cardboard Monument structure at Funda Centre, and then transporting it in pieces to the Walter Sisulu Square. From Tuesday, 1 March on we will be based at Walter Sisulu square if you would like to come by and help build.

From research to production!

At the beginning of February Erik Hopmans and Alex O'Donoghue arrived to join the Cardboard Monument team. Erik will be working on construction of the monument. He is an experienced theatre designer. Alex is our valuable planner and co-ordinator of logistics for the 4 day event in March, we are very happy to welcome them. The second week of February marks the stage of the project in which research ideas are consolidated and converted into artistic interventions. Soon we will post the artistic direction of each participant of the project on our "artists" page.

Each artist has chosen a specific direction of investigation, and curated his/ her own investigation to support ideas. So far we have an exciting combination: including a "fake market seller" selling linocut prints of unseen Kliptown. A giant sculpture coin designed to commemorate Kliptown's  heroine, Charlotte Maxete, and a market place variation of the Freedom Charter. There will also be documentation of our process as well as a video installation piece to see inside our outdoor exhibition. We are now working in preparation for the events programme in March- a more detailed update will follow.