| LIVING RIGHTS
No Entry, Chris Diedericks. 2006
Archival pigment print. Approx. 100 x 140cm, 2006
(Permanent collection: Leslie/Lohman Gay and Lesbian Art Foundation, NYC)
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PRESS RELEASE
"Living Rights" is an exhibition held at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, South Africa in July 2006. The idea behind the exhibition which was initiated by artists Shui White and Johann Du Plessis, aimed to raise debate about the fact that, although South Africans have the most liberal constitution in the world, we are not "living" our rights, these rights are still merely written on paper...
"Constitution Hill Johannesburg, South Africa: Nowhere can the story of South Africa's turbulent past and its extraordinary transition to democracy be told as it is at Constitution Hill. This national heritage site has witnessed a century of South Africa's history. From rebellious British soldiers who fought with the Boers at the turn of the century, to the youths caught up in the Soweto Uprising, to the dawn of democracy and the building of South Africa's new Constitutional Court, Constitution Hill has witnessed it all. Visit Constitution Hill and learn about the injustices of South Africa's past while observing the process by which freedom was won and is now protected. Exhibitions and guided tours have been designed as an interactive experience, offering visitors the opportunity to participate in the building of Constitution Hill.
The Constitutional Court of South Africa is Johannesburg's newest historical landmark and a unique architectural symbol of South Africa's democracy. On this site, once the Old Fort Prison Complex, commonly known as Number Four, political prisoners and common criminals awaited trial and sat out their jail sentences. Today, the elegant Constitutional Court presides over this once-reviled place and stands as a proud monument to South Africa's hard-earned freedom.
The Court extends an invitation to the general public and international visitors to explore the history of South Africa's political transition. Come and see the splendid and symbolic artwork, sit in the graceful public gallery, watch the 11 justices deliberate the finer details of the Constitution and wander around the largest human rights library in the southern hemisphere. Or simply soak in the atmosphere of one of the world's most progressive constitutions.
In 1995, the Constitutional Court justices began looking for a permanent location for the new Court. The dilapidated Prison Complex provided a central location with a rich cultural history. At the height of apartheid rule, up to 2 000 black South Africans were processed through its entrance daily. Struggle stalwarts like Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Luthuli, Robert Sobukwe and Nelson Mandela spent many cold, lonely hours in the cells reserved for black males at Number Four. The prison was closed in 1983, leaving a scar on Johannesburg's metropolis - a bleak reminder of our painful past. The site has now been transformed into a modern, living museum dedicated to human rights"
From: http://www.sa-venues.com/
I have contributed 5 works to this exhibition; large-scale pigment prints, which are now housed in the Leslie/Lohman Gay and Lesbian Art Foundation permanent collection in New York City. The works were executed in a poster style, much like the work of the Guerrilla Girls, challenging the viewer to think about his or her own "living rights" and therefor human rights.
Chris Diedericks
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