Just Do It! Creative strategies of survival

 Just do it! Creative strategies of survival

Curated by: Katharina Rohde

Opening on Saturday, February 4, 2012: 12-4 pm on 13th Avenue in Alexandra

Alexandra Township, Johannesburg, South Africa

Featuring works by artists including:
Sipho Charles Gwala
Keabetswe Mokwena and Reatile Mokwena
Claire Rousell
Buhlebezwe Siwani

For the fourth year, apexart's Franchise will present exhibitions somewhere outside of our venue in New York City. Through an open call, two exhibitions were selected by a jury, and apexart provided financing, advice, and an accompanying brochure to the two winners. The first exhibition, Just do it!, opens in Alexandra/Johannesburg, South Africa, on February 4, 2012, and the second winner, Flesh and Concrete, will be presented in Mexico this spring. Learn more about the Franchise Program.

The exhibition Just do it! Creative strategies of survival brings focus to local small scale businesses in Johannesburg, and examines the challenges that they face within the global economy. Over the period of one month five emerging South African artists have been engaging with Spaza shops in Alexandra in order to learn more about this small scale entrepreneurship that is so unique to the township, Johannesburg, and the country itself. Investigating daily activities, marketing strategies, social interaction, and alternative business models, the artists, in collaboration with shop owners, customers, and the greater community, have developed creative outcomes for the show.

Just do it! will exhibit site-specific interventions that deal with the phenomena of local small scale enterprises like Spaza shops, highlighting the challenges, struggles and opportunities that come with informal entrepreneurship. Art works will be presented in and around the participating Spaza shops throughout the month.

The opening event will be creatively supported by the local community, preparing and selling African traditional drinks and dishes in the street. During the course of Just do it! various workshops and happenings hosted by the artists will take place. Join in and be creative!

For more information on the exhibition and events, visit: http://apexart.org/exhibitions/rohde.php

Katharina Rohde, architect/ artist/ activist from Berlin, Germany.

Special thanks to Puleng Plessie, the jozi art:lab and the SAPS Alexandra.

Workshops and Happenings Schedule

February 4: EXHIBITION OPENING 12-4 pm

February 11: PLAY 12-4 pm
Following the idea of traditional games that are played in and around Spaza shops and are slowly disappearing, Buhlebezwe Siwani will be hosting a workshop for the community developing games to be implemented in the street. Come and play!
Claire Rousell's Bansela Free Shops will be open during PLAY time!

February 18: EXCHANGE 12-4 pm
Claire Rousell will be hosting her Bansela Free Shops and invites the community as well as the greater audience to engage on this specific day. Discussing ideas of alternative business strategies, ways of exchange opposed to giving and buying, and how this already exists in people's lives plus long term perspectives of the Bansela Free Shops in Alexandra.

Master Class for Art Students by Katharina Rohde on site.
On the example of Just do it! Katharina Rohde will talk about developing art projects with communities and the importance of art being activist.

February 25: SKILLS 12-4 pm
Sipho Charles Gwala, Keabetswe Mokwena, and Reatile Mokwena will be hosting skills workshops for the Spaza Shop owners and the greater community. Focussing on drawing and stencil, the idea is to show people ways of expressing and creating, for example, their shops.

March 3: EXHIBITION CLOSING 12-4
Reflection and Discussion

Please note! Every Saturday (except opening and closing), tours through Alexandra can be organized. Tours will start at 10:00 and end at the exhibition site for visitors to see and learn more about Alex and join Just Do it! activities. If you are interested in a tour, contact Katharina Rohde (curator): me@katharina-rohde.com or 072 486 8372.

Routes to Alexandra

Option 1: Gautrain (secure parking at Gautrain stations!)
Departure from Rosebank 10:34/11:04
Departure from Sandton 10:38/11:08
Get off at Marlboro Station in Alexandra. In front of the Gautrain Station you can catch a local Toyota taxi for
R 5. Ask driver to drop you at 13th Avenue cnr. Alfred Nzo Street.
Departure from Marlboro back to Rosebank or Sandton 16:12/16:42

Please note that a taxi shuttle can be arranged to pick up guests at Marlboro Station and drop again later. Costs will be the same providing the shuttle is fully booked. Please contact Puleng Plessie to sign up for this service before the 1st February 2012. Local public transport in Alexandra is available from 6:00 till 20:00!

Payments for single transport: R20 for Gautrain, R5 for taxi/shuttle

Option 2: Public taxi from town (secure parking at the Drill Hall)
Take a taxi from MTN/ Noord taxi rank Nr. 3 to Alexandra (central town, opposite the Drill Hall)
Ask driver to drop you off at 13th Avenue corner Alfred Nzo Street in Alexandra.
Payments for single transport: R10

Option 3: Driving
From Jan Smuts or Louis Botha
Turn right into Bompas (if Bakos Brothers is on right)
Turn left into Bompas (if Bakos Brothers is on left)
Turn Left into Oxford
Quick right into Corlett Drive
Follow Corlett Drive for a long time
Pass Athol-Oaklands
Turn left into Louis Botha Street (at Ford Auto House)
Follow Louis Botha Street for a long time
Turn right into Arkwrite Street
Turn left into 13th Ave
Turn right into Alfred Nzo
Turn left into 14th Ave
Turn right into Selborne (police Station)

After the police station is the Universal Church where secure parking is available.

Please note: For security reasons, confirm with Puleng if you are planning to drive with your car, and let her know your name and car registration number. You will get a parking voucher at the parking entrance!

There will be security guards at Universal Church. Still parking will be at own risks and neither the Church nor the Curator can be held responsible in case of any loss or damage.

Church services must not be disturbed, please be aware when parking!

Contact Puleng: puleng007@gmail.com or 076 253 2530.

Visit: www.apexart.org/exhibitions/rohde.php