South African Exhibition Ends UK Run
By Martin Chemhere – Johannesburg: Wembley to Soweto, an exhibition of 50 photographs shot in 2010 in South Africa ended its exhibition run in London on 24 July after opening to wide media and public admiration.
Thapelo and Patience go to Buckingham Palace Garden Party
A 42 minutes long award-winning documentary that screened during the same month at the British Film Institute completes the multimedia show.
“The reaction to the exhibition and film surpassed our wildest dreams,” said David Westhead director of Wilton Pictures the producers of the show and film.
The exhibition opened to the public for free from 7 – 24 July, 2011 and displayed the unexpected talents of underprivileged young people from Umuzi Photo Club in Johannesburg’s Soweto township. Three Soweto youths travelled to witness their exhibition for the first time.
Hundreds of people viewed the show and the three photographers from Soweto who flew for the first time and returned back to South Africa, made a huge impression in the UK.
“Wembley To Soweto exhibition shows the power of people working together as equals on a project that benefits both teachers and learners alike,” said Westhead.
“It’s great to give money to the anonymous billions – but to show someone, face-to-face the innate talent they possess is one of life’s great rewards, on both sides of the equation. This exhibition is testament to that”.
Wembley to Soweto’s roots are in the momentous 1988 event, when British photographer John Cole took the iconic picture of the more than 80,000 strong crowd attending a concert at Wimble Stadium to celebrate the 70th birthday of Mr. Nelson Mandela.
The picture which now hangs on the wall in Nelson Mandela’s home, was then followed, in Summer 2010, with David Westhead of Wilton Pictures inviting Cole to run a 4 week intensive photography course in Johannesburg. Run in conjunction with Umuzi Photo Club, the course afforded an opportunity for 8 teenagers from the townships to work alongside one of the world’s best photographers. “This course was not solely about taking striking images, it was about how to feed your family using a camera as the tool of your trade,” Westhead states.
While in the UK the three Soweto photographers were also invited to the charity gala of the Harry Potter premiere in London, did an exclusive photo shoot with Alan Rickman, invited to photograph Professor Green in concert at Somerset House and Hugh Masekela and his band at the Hackney Empire, with special guest South African stars; Vusi Mahlasela, Thandiswa, Lira all topped up with a visit to the Queen’s Garden Party!
The trio also worked with young people from East London on the wonderful “Conversations for Change” programme, kindly organized by the Tutu Foundation.
