Richard Wake’s „Cape Town Project“
Michael Fehr
(…)
Nevertheless I would like to suggest that we look at the „Cape Town Project“ firstly in the sense of the theory loosely defined above, namely, as a piece of remembrance architecture (Erinnerungsarchitektur) which Wake has made manifest through his installation: We are standing in a space which has been divided into two different „loci“ by means of a boundary marked by clay a low clay wall). In the larger of these two „loci“ are (…) three large wardrobes facing the boundary. On top of each is a mirror. In the other space are (…) a low stool near the boundary and, up against the end wall, (nine) sacks of charcoal, so placed, that, with their graphic of charcoal fire (and the word GRILL), they seem to be in direct confrontation with the cupboards. Further, also belonging to this architecture of remembrance, is the music that we are hearing: the song, „Daar kom die Alabama“ which, according to tradition, was composed by the Cape Malays on the occasion of the arrival of the „Alabama“, a warship of the Southern States of America, in Cape Town harbour in 1963. Should I, anticipating what is about to happen, mention that during the performance there will be water between the cupboards, I will have named all the elements which, as seen from the stool, go to make up a certain topographical situation: the beach on a bay opposite the three mountains which give the city its particular character. Table Mountain in the middle, Devil’s Peak on the left and Lion’s Head on the right. (1)
Richard Wake has constructed this topographical situation, which is also a personal memory, not from authentic local material but rather with objects out of our own environment. What we are seeing is an image from his memory but made in the medium of our own experience, and with objects that we know well. In this context they become personal images which are understandable to us.
This is, however, only possible because Wake has (…) not constructed a piece of private remembrance architecture but rather, a place which always existed – maybe one could call it an objective place. This place exists not only as a geographical situation independent of our experience but also (…) as a particular historical, social and political situation.
This is where the meaning of the „Cape Town Project“ lies. Because, in that Wake uses cupboards and mirrors for mountains, he has been able not only to make a convicting transformation of a certain geographical situation in Cape Town with materials out of and in our own environment but has also made manifest, a „topos“ of the collective memory of South African society. More than that, he has made a „topos“ that can be helpful to us in our own society. Meaningful in this context, is the division to the space in two different „loci“ and the placement of the symbolic elements therein. The two „loci“ have each a different status, they symbolise, in a very general sense, different places. The larger space, with the reconstruction of the topographical situation of Cape Town, represents a far away objective situation and, in relation to Wake’s personal biography, the past and childhood. On the other hand, the other space stands for our present situation in the here and now – for our own living space from which Wake reconstructs his experience. Through the objects the spaces have been clearly defined as different but as the same time connected and brought into communication with each other. As such, the cupboards do not only represent the three mountains of Cape Town but represent elements which, like cupboards, contain and reflect experiences made in this city (Bremen) and represent, as such, an element of continuity above all other events. In this function they relate to the fire represented by the sacks of charcoal and connect the historical remembered situation with the here and now – our here and now which, just as the situation in south Africa, is being more and more influenced by fire and violence. (…) (2)
Richard Wake’s „Cape Town Project“ is in this sense much more than pure remembrance architecture. It is, rather, an installation which uses the medium to bring about reflection, not only on a far away historical situation and autobiographically influenced experience, but also demands reflection on our own political situation. (…)
Notes:
(1) Fehr does not mention the 14 postcards of Table Mountain. These postcards, all photographed from various points around the bay demonstrate very clearly the topographical situation of the city and were fixed to the wall around the room at intervals of approximately 3 metres.
The postcards were the generative point of the installation.
(2) The installation was made, and the text was written, remembering the „disturbances“ after the murder of Chris Hani in Johannesburg in April 1993.
Das Kapstadt-Projekt
Installation und Performance in der Galerie im Künstlerhaus, Bremen (1993)
Die Politik im Schrank versteckt
Das Kapstadt-Projekt, Die Tageszeitung 12.08.1993