I've been talking about this for a while...but here it is, finally.

❣ Chile in a Photography ❣

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NASA
Sade Olutola
noise dept.
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Xuebing Du
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Andulka

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Aqua Utopia|海の底で記憶を紡ぐ

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Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
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@apkohn
I've been talking about this for a while...but here it is, finally.
This week, lots of love for Africa
A few articles from the past week dwelled on the good things going on in Africa. Here they are:
Xan Rice describes how Lagos has overcome(/is overcoming) its negative reputations Africa: Lessons from Lagos - The Financial Times
Nadine Botha describes a new ad campaign in Cape Town. Tweets for Sweets - CoolHunting.com
Nicholas Kristof embarks to espouse positive stories, "Africa isn't just a place for safaris or humanitarian aid." Africa on the Rise - The New York Times
Mogadishu's Rebirth x WTYSL
A few weeks ago I wrote on Cool Hunting about Alicia Sully and Sebastian Lindstrom's incognito trip to Somalia to launch TEDx Mogadishu. Well, a few of the talks are now online if you missed the live feed. They're well worth a glance:
Ilwad Elman - In Memory of My Father, I Returned to Rebuild Somalia
Alicia Sully - The Wonder and Opportunity of Camel Milk
Amina Hagi Elmi - Why I Created a Dignity Kit
Amir Issa - Mogadishu is Ready to Receive Anyone
My first post for the Royal African Society in London's African Arguments Blog.
"An impromptu conference aimed at reforming a war-torn nation"
My visit over the weekend to Zimbabwe was for the Harare International Festival of the Arts. Here's my roundup for OkayAfrica.com
In February I was honored with being invited to be on the board of the What Took You So Long Foundation, a group of "Disruptive Filmmakers" who help NGO's around the world, and who I am happy to call my friends.
Last month WTYSL was hired to be the video team covering TEDxSummit in Doha. One of their videos from the summit, one with Hans Rosling is up, and its soundtrack features my favorite geeky African band, Just a Band.
If you want to learn more about WTYSL, don't hesitate to ask me. If you want to join the team on one of the projects around the world, we can also try to make that happen!
Follow their Twitter account @wtysl
Sebastian Lindstrom @SebLindstrom
Alicia Sully @aLiciAsuLLy
Philippa Young @_philippayoung_
17 years after the official end of Apartheid...it is still quite a challenge to imagine a real place where everyone can go, and by foot.
Marie-Hélène Gutberlet - Shoe Shop Publication - p.13
This is my newest project. Phil Sandick is helping to co-tackle it.
From our about page:
African Lookbook is an experiment of discourse through oral histories and collaborations with creative individuals and collectives. Our interviews are primary sources on topics you typically won’t find in a journalistic interview.
What we tell people before we interview them (informed by oral history methodology):
The interview is yours. We have questions, but ultimately this is a chance to hear you talk about your personal narrative. Our first questions are always biographical, and we then shift into more contemporary issues around your work. In total, these interviews often run an hour or more. We will transcribe all interviews and make the PDF available on the site to support academic research. We will feature excerpts on the website. Nothing will be published until you sign off on the transcription – unless you give us permission beforehand.
Our interviews are complemented by an online shop. We recognize the inherent problems involved in the selection of both interviewees and products; our solution is to cast as wide of a net as possible given our limited resources. Accordingly, we actively seek out what we consider to be the best of African design and make it available worldwide – often for the first time. Our ideal audience appreciates the intersubjectivity of consumption.
Aaron Philip Kohn, Co-Founder Philip Aaron Sandick, Co-Founder
My guest post in Elle Decoration about the Design Indaba Expo.
The artist's book release coincides with Johannesburg's recent renaissance.
Behind the Rainbow
On the 10-minute drive from the border of downtown Johannesburg to The Bioscope (an independent cinema in one of the city's revived arts districts), my friend and I were stopped at a police checkpoint. I noticed the driver of the truck in front of us hand the officer a wad of bills. My reaction was a sigh, hoping that we wouldn't miss the film, knowing my friend wouldn't pay a bribe. Luckily, we made it to the screening of Behind The Rainbow with time to spare, although not before my friend made it clear how unhappy he was to park at night in downtown Johannesburg—a fact he made evident to the security guard watching the cars. It is now a well-known fact that South Africa has its problems; that the end of Apartheid did not mean the end of social inequalities; that the ANC although once leaders of a moral battle, may not in fact be so transparent anymore. In recent years, controversy has shadowed many aspects of South Africa’s dominant political power, from corruption charges to questionable foreign policy. For Jahin El-Tahri, the Egyptian director of Behind the Rainbow (South Africa being the "Rainbow Nation" since 1994), the irony in South Africa became an exploration. She began work on a documentary in 2004. For five years she was motivated by the question: How could such a promising liberation movement led by the ANC and figures like OR Tambo and Nelson Mandela lead to such a let-down? Post-Apartheid South Africa has seen rising unemployment, corruption, crime, xenophobic violence, and a lack of basic government services. Then, unexpectedly, when finishing the R5 million film in 2008, Thabo Mbeki stepped down from his position as President of the Republic of South Africa. With hours of interviews with Mbeki himself, Jacob Zuma, who would become President, and countless other ANC "comrades" involved from 1975 onward, El-Tahri has an amazing film. Behind the Rainbow provides an inside look at the workings and conflicts within South Africa's political stage. The documentary unintentionally captures the relationship between "Thabo" and "Jacob", from their initial bond formed in a Swaziland jail while in exile, through the moment Zuma defeated Mbeki as the President of the ANC. As El-Tahri explained, she is not South African, and she doesn't care who the president is. On camera, President Jacob Zuma appears candid and reasonable, even while explaining his favorite song, Umshini Wam, “Bring me my machine gun”, which he says is a “Nice song.” Jahin El-Tahri was present for two screenings of Behind the Rainbow at the Bioscope. Behind the Rainbow is not designed to be entertaining or frilly—it is a 138-minute documentary that provides an intimate primary source on South Africa's history. When the movie ended, my mate's car was untouched and no bribes had been paid.
Came across these kids who could not be more than 10 years old yesterday in the Maboneng Precinct, Johannesburg.
Ten moments from Instagram (apkohn) since I arrived in Joburg.
Zambia has an agenda. When you consider the fact that our boys died in 1993 off the shores of Gabon. When you consider the fact that they came as black bags, dead people, and we buried them with dignity and honor. And now our boys are playing in Gabon. They will be looking at the sea where their brothers died. They will say "never again. We are not going back to Zambia without the trophy. We are not going back to Zambia like our brothers who perished, [points] there in the sea without honor and victory." We are going to revenge. Wait and see on Sunday. It's going to be total war. There will be no surrender.
Dennis Liwewe - Zambian Football commentator. Reflecting on the 1993 crash of the plane carrying the Zambian team to the World Cup Qualifier off the coast of Gabon. Zambia will be playing in the Africa Cup of Nations finals on Sunday, in Gabon.
The inner-city of Johannesburg is undoubtedly at the forefront of the new South African society.
Johannesburg - Ten Ahead. by Gerald Garner p.6