Raising awareness of Gender-based violence towards black South African women
Gender-based violence is a phenomenon that’s rooted in gender inequality, and continues to be a widespread problem in South Africa. Various case studies have indicated that GBV affects black South African women the most. Through various systemic inequalities that are fuelled by South Africa’s history and the continued rise in GBV cases, this form of abuse has been normalised causing phrases such as “the woman's body has been turned into a crime scene” to become a common sentiment. The intent of this artwork is to question existing ways of representation of GBV victims and investigate how the empowerment of black South African women can be used as a way of discouraging domestic violence towards women, and create an awareness, through the use of a campaign that challenges the norms of domestic violence and the power it has over women. This campaign changes the narrative from GBV victims to survivors, thus positioning women as inherently powerful. This has been done the use of traditional African hair and hairstyles, as a medium of communication and visual representation, of black power and beauty as well as the role that it has played within African history. Black women’s hair has been politicised and this notion has been used as a means to create agency through hair, modelling the likes of Angela Davis who uses her hair as a way of speaking out against political injustices and gender inequality. This artwork brings together integral elements of womanhood and offers an empowering perspective.
Photography: Amos Ragophala, Rodrigo Rada and Thembie Buthelezi
Art Direction: Thembie Buthelezi
Makeup: Aya Mzenanda and Ndzalo Chiwana
Models: Analisa, Niclole, Shiluva, Keratilwe and Sibu
