South African style and Subcultures

Kingdom of Kwaito

Icons: King and queen

The King of Kwaito is known as Arthur, Arthur Mafokate. He has a reputation of provocative rabble-rouser with controversial lyrics and Jaw dropping dance acts on stage. Arthur began the phenomena of Kwaito music which originated in 1995 after South Africa ended apartheid.  

http://kwaito.com/articles/mshoza-the-queen-of-kwaito.html

The Queen of Kwaito is known as Mshoza, Nomasonto Maswanganyi. She was dicovered in youth show called "Jam alley" and then went on to produce a hit song 'kortes'.

Ambience and Aesthetics

The genre of music known as kwaito started emerging in the 1990's. The word kwaito originated from a Afrikaans word Kwaai, Which translates as 'angry' in English. In the townships negative phrases gave the status of cool. South African townships adopted the Kwaito culture and created their own language known as tsotsitaal. Isicamtho is the modern version of tsotsitaal. Tsotsi is known as a thug or gangster and the fashion has been derived from prison clothing and the fashion trends of 'tsotsis' in the townships which to the world is known as 'slums'. The language was derived from Afrikaans and other vernacular languages. Tsotsi taal has become well-known to South African and is used on the daily bases.

Kwaito is about the Township, knowing and understanding the township. Walk the walk, talk the talk but mostly be proud of these things. Townships are being celebrated by the youth through kwaito music. Townships was created by apartheid government for cheap labour but at present it has become a culture on its own.

Emblem

The emlem is basically the dress code of a hat and all star sneakers "takkies". The Hat is also known as a "spotty". it symbolises their culture and struggle in a poverty stricken township.

The Creed

• Speak the tsotsi taal
• Dress up in all stars with "spotty" and overalls. Smart casual is also one of the dress codes.
• Be proud, walk the walk and talk the talk
• Understand the Township
• Celebrate the township and represent.
• Know how to dance for example "Pansula"
• Be proudly South African

The Anthem

One the first Kwaito song which went against a racial name known as "kaffir". The song is by Arthur and is called "kaffir". It was inspired after Arthur was racially abuse in Polokwane which was known as Pietersburg. It spurred a national hit in South Africa as Arthur expressed his emotions on the song, he called a white man "baas" which it was just poking fun and he goes on saying repeatedly "nee baas, don't call me kaffir". This song sparked the kwaito revolution and culture in Soweto as most minorities were forced to live there in the townships. All songs made in Kwaito expresses Township life and displays their culture and mostly their pride as equal South Africans. Here is a link to the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF460058UkA

Digital Age

The digital age also known as the information age. It is defined as the time period of the 1970's with the introduction of the home personal computer with subsequent technology which introduced the ability to transfer information freely and quickly. The time we live in now with internet and email available not forgetting social medias is a example of the digital age. I have constructed a mood board that will visually describe the evolution in the digital age.

Thematising the ugly side of sublime technological development in Sonzero's pulse.

Lyotard's definition of postmodern: It is understood that it advances the idea that there has occurred a discrediting of grand narratives of modernity which organised knowledge in the interest of the future attainment of either the universal emancipation of humanity or incredulity towards meta narratives that per vales post modernity to the spread of capitalism and concomitant development of technoscience.

Technoscience is the spread of capitalism through technology by dehumanizing humanity by the use of PDa's, computers and phones which distracts humans from "psychic life" mental thoughts. Such in Sonzero's pulse which suggests that ghost posses technology such as phones and when humans interact with them they create depression in their lives and thus creating suicide. Capitalism and technoscience severed traditional values and social bonds. Technoscience has become 'autonomous', which it is in no longer in service of humanity, it now functions as an 'inhuman' organizing framework for society. "Capitalist technoscience" effects the reduction of human beings to a technical product by dehumanizing it in the drive for ultimate efficiency

In conclusion Postmodern cinema, the mainstream and cultural products placate individuals by stating the status-quo by co-opting them. The status-quo is to encourage humans the indulge in the technological development which dehumanizes them. it also protects the consciousness from doubt. 

Comparative list of Modernism and Postmodernism

                     Modernism                                                      Postmodernism                  

• Symbolism                                                               Dadaism
• Form                                                                       Antiform
• Purpose                                                                   Play
• Design                                                                     Chance
• Distance                                                                   Participation
• Synthesis                                                                  Antithesis
• Selection                                                                  Combination
• Depth                                                                       Surface
• Mastery                                                                    Exhaustion
• Art Object                                                                Process
• Hierarchy                                                                  Anarchy
• Order                                                                       Chaos
• Abstract                                                                    Figurative
• Unity and coherence                                                  Fragmentation and contradiction
• Original                                                                     Borrowed
• Universal                                                                   Diversity
• External reality                                                           Multiple realities
• Origin                                                                        Differences
• Metaphysics                                                              Irony
• Creation                                                                    Deconstruction
• Presence                                                                   Absence
• Genre                                                                        Text
• Semantics                                                                  Rhetoric
• Paradigm                                                                   Syntagm
• Metaphor                                                                  Metonymy
• Determinacy                                                              Indeterminacy
• Transcendence                                                          Immanence
• Paranoia                                                                    Schizophrenia (mental disease)
• Symptom                                                                   Desire
• Genital                                                                       Polymorphous
• God the Father                                                          The Holy Ghost

This List has been formulated by coordinating prescribed reading and extra research from Hassen's table of differences between modernism and postmodernism. The prescribed reading are as follows:

Postmodernism, structuralism, post-structuralism, deconstruction and art criticism by Ingrid Stevens

Megg's History of Graphic Design Fifth edition by P. Meggs and A. Purvis

United Colors of Benetton campaigns from 1980s to 2000s

1984

Tutti i colori del mondo

Oliviero Toscani

 1985

USA/URSS

Oliviero Toscani

 1986

Nationalities

Oliviero Toscani

1988

Adam and Eve

Oliviero Toscani

1989

Breastfeeding

Handcuffs

1990

Black and White Hand

 Embraced in blanket

1991

 Newborn baby

Condoms

1992

Girl with Doll

1993

HIV positive condom

HIV positive arm

1994

AIDS Faces

Bosnian Soldier

1995

Eyes

1996

Horses

Hearts

1998

Human rights

2001

Volunteers

2003

Food for life

2004 

Apes, James

 2006

Unhate

 2009

Spring summer

2011

first look

2013

Images extracted from: http://www.benettongroup.com/40years-press/img_our_campaigns.html

                                       

United colors of Benetton

Benetton is one of the most consistent brands and most colorful which was founded in 1965 in Italy. The brand always displayed a plea for racial, religous, age tolerance in a bold and sometimes surprising way. the ad campaigns vary in their choice of execution but yet they all display the concept of being united and aty peace such as anti-apartheid, anti-war, anti-violence.Their imagery has been a trademark with its specific focus and concept.