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"To know nothing about yourself is to be constantly in danger of nothingness, those voids of non-being over which a man walks the tightrope of his life." — Athol Fugard, Tsotsi
This poignant reflection by the late South African playwright Athol Fugard encapsulates the essence of self-exploration and identity — a journey vividly portrayed through the lenses of contemporary photographers Sibusiso Gcaba and Mandisa Buthelezi. Their black - and - white photographic series, archived by the Contemporary Archive Project (CAP), delve into themes of identity, culture, and the intricate dance between the individual and their environment. These artists use the camera not merely as a tool for documentation but as a means of reconfiguring historical narratives and personal realities, offering deeply introspective and culturally rich visual storytelling.
Sibusiso Gcaba: Navigating Urban Landscapes and Ancestral Ties
Johannesburg-based photographer Sibusiso Gcaba’s work is a meditation on selfhood within shifting urban environments. His series, created during a residency in Durban, documents the city’s landscapes, architectural structures, and inhabitants from the perspective of an outsider with ancestral ties to the region. Though Gcaba does not reside in Durban, his connection to the city is deeply personal, shaped by his familial roots in the rural outskirts beyond its central business district.
Grappling with these dualities—belonging and distance, presence and absence—Gcaba constructs a visual narrative that is both a documentation of place and a reflection of his inner state. His photographic process is deeply intuitive and emotionally driven, with minimal post-production adjustments. Often editing directly in-camera, his work emphasizes authenticity, rawness, and a heightened emotional charge. He describes his experience of Durban as an almost spiritual attunement, where moments of solitude in the city’s coastal landscapes heightened his senses and brought forth waves of melancholic reflection.
Recurring motifs in Gcaba's photographs include the omnipresence of night—shadows that blur boundaries between reality and imagination, capturing the city’s nocturnal life. Surveillance also emerges as a silent observer, challenging notions of privacy and autonomy in urban spaces. The movement within his work disrupts these silences, embodying the restless energy of a city in flux. Simultaneously, moments of stillness — young people in repose, figures engulfed in solitude — offer a counterpoint, an emotional sanctuary within the metropolitan hum.
Gcaba describes his artistic intent as a way of making the city felt rather than merely seen.
"Many people have photographed Durban and what it looks like," he explains, "but I thought I should try and create an experience through photography. Not just to show what the city looks like but what it feels like." His choice of black and white imagery is deliberate — it removes the distraction of color, allowing the viewer to focus on the subject’s essence. "For me, black and white helps to look at things... Colors can be distracting instead of allowing us to appreciate the contrast between elements," he reflects.
His work also raises questions about personal honesty and self-representation. A standout quality in Gcaba’s images is their sincerity — an unfiltered depiction of space, emotion, and introspection. This honesty invites viewers to examine their own self-perception. "Why is it so important for us to be honest with ourselves?" his work seems to ask, challenging the audience to confront their own truths.
Mandisa Buthelezi: Reimagining Cultural Narrative
Mandisa Buthelezi, a photographer and filmmaker raised in Durban, lives between Johannesburg and Durban, navigating both cities in her creative practice. She is part of the wave of South African artists redefining contemporary visual culture. Her work is deeply informed by heritage, spirituality, and African feminist perspectives, revisiting history through a decolonial lens. Buthelezi’s photographic narratives function as acts of reclamation, asserting agency over representation and storytelling.
Her series UBhuku LukaMenzi is a powerful reimagining of historical narratives in the KwaZulu-Natal region, particularly the story of Princess Mkabayi KaJama — an influential but often overlooked figure in Zulu history. Princess Mkabayi, the aunt of King Shaka, was a formidable political strategist who played a crucial role in the transition of power within the Zulu monarchy. Despite her historical importance, she was dismissed in patriarchal narratives that downplayed the power of royal women.
Buthelezi’s work does not attempt a literal re-enactment of Princess Mkabayi’s story but instead constructs a poetic visual language to engage with its themes. Her black and white images, rich in texture and intentional grain, play with perceptions of time. "I wanted to connect the old and the new," she explains, "hence my decision to go the black and white route. And if you look at the images quite closely, there is a very strong graininess about them. That was quite intentional trying to fiddle with this idea of ‘is this an old image? When was this image made?’” This deliberate manipulation of texture and tone blurs the boundaries between past and present, inviting viewers to consider how historical narratives persist in contemporary culture.
The themes in UBhuku LukaMenzi extend beyond Princess Mkabayi’s legacy, touching on broader cultural and social questions of home, womanhood, and the symbolic role of cattle in Zulu traditions. A striking contrast emerges between moments of domestic intimacy — women braiding each other’s hair — and scenes of movement, dust rising as figures dance in symbolic upheaval. This interplay between serenity and disruption echoes Mkabayi’s own journey as a woman who held her society together while simultaneously breaking traditional expectations.
For Buthelezi, photography is an act of responsibility. "Photography has introduced a phenomenal opportunity for whoever has the camera in hand," she states. "They control representation, they control the narrative. So, it is important as a Black person to own the camera in the retelling of our culture, of who we are, and how we are represented both at home and globally." Her work challenges viewers to interrogate historical depictions and to consider the power dynamics that have shaped cultural representation.
Carrie Mae Weems once said, "You can’t really change the world unless you change yourself." Buthelezi’s practice embodies this philosophy; by reinterpreting historical narratives and reshaping visual archives, she seeks to shift broader societal perspectives. "I really aim with my work to try and encapsulate everything that we are," she says. "Whether it is positive or negative, we need to see it, to reckon with it."
Intersecting Themes: Identity, Culture, and Community Engagement
Both Gcaba and Buthelezi use black and white photography as a medium for exploring identity, culture, and history. Gcaba’s work is a deeply personal meditation on selfhood within urban spaces, capturing the emotional textures of the city. Buthelezi’s work, by contrast, is a reimagining of history, connecting past and present through a feminist and decolonial lens. While Gcaba invites viewers to feel the weight of space and memory, Buthelezi provokes critical engagement with cultural narratives.
Psychogeography — the exploration of environments with an awareness of their emotional and historical significance — is central to both artists’ practices. Gcaba’s engagement with Durban is shaped by the ghosts of memory and displacement, while Buthelezi’s images evoke the historical weight of KwaZulu-Natal’s history. Each artist’s approach highlights the importance of representation — how we document space, who controls cultural narratives, and what it means to be seen.
Their work ultimately converges on a fundamental question: How do we see ourselves? In the absence of self-knowledge, as Athol Fugard warns, we risk walking the tightrope of life over a void of nothingness. Through their evocative imagery, Gcaba and Buthelezi assert that self-definition — both personal and cultural — is not just an artistic pursuit but an existential necessity.
"Ukungazi lutho ngawe kuwukuhlala usengozini yokungabi nalutho, lezo izikhala zokungabi khona lapho umuntu ehamba phezu kwentambo yokuphila kwakhe." — Athol Fugard, Tsotsi
Lomcabango okudabukisayo kombhali wemidlalo yeshashalazi waseNingizimu Afrika ongasekho emhlabeni u-Athol Fugard kuhlanganisa umnyombo wokuzihlola kanye nokuthi ungubani - uhambo oluvezwa ngokucacile ngamalensi abathwebuli bezithombe banamuhla uSibusiso Gcaba kanye noMandisa Buthelezi. Uchungechunge lwabo lwezithombe ezimnyama - kanye - nezimhlophe, ezifakwe kungobo yomlando yi-Contemporary Archive Project (CAP), zihlola indikimba wobunikazi, amasiko, nomdanso oyinkimbinkimbi phakathi komuntu nendawo yakhe. Lawa maciko awasebenzisi nje ikhamera njengethuluzi lokubhala kodwa njengendlela yokuhlela kabusha ukulandisa okungokomlando namaqiniso omuntu siqu, enikeza ukuxoxwa kwezindaba okubonakalayo okujulile nokunothile ngokwesiko.
Sibusiso Gcaba: Uqondisa izindawo zasemadolobheni kanye nezibopho zamadlozi
Umsebenzi womthwebuli wezithombe ozinze eGoli uSibusiso Gcaba uwukuzindla ngobuyena endaweni yasemadolobheni eshintshashintshayo. Uchungechunge lwakhe, olwakhiwe ngesikhathi esahlala eThekwini, lubhala ngezindawo zedolobha, izakhiwo zezakhiwo, kanye nezakhamuzi ngokombono womuntu wangaphandle onobudlelwane bokhokho nesifunda. Nakuba uGcaba engahlali eThekwini, kodwa ukuxhumana kwakhe nedolobha kugxile kakhulu kuye, kudalwa wumndeni wakhe osezindaweni zasemakhaya ngaphandle kwesizinda samabhizinisi.
Ukubhekana nalezi zimo ezimbili—ukuba khona nebanga, ukuba khona nokungabi bikho—uGcaba wakha ukulandisa okubonakayo okuwumbhalo wendawo kanye nomfanekiso wesimo sakhe sangaphakathi. Inqubo yakhe yezithombe inembile ngokujulile futhi iqhutshwa ngokomzwelo, enokulungiswa okuncane ngokudidiyelwa kwangemuva. Ngokuvamile ukuhlela ngokuqondile kwikhamera, umsebenzi wakhe ugcizelela ubuqiniso, okwangempela, kanye nangokwemzwelo ephezulu. Uchaza ngowakufunda ngeTheku njengento ecishe ibe yisimo somoya, lapho izikhathi zokuba yedwa ezindaweni ezisogwini zedolobha zamphakamisa izinzwa zakhe futhi zaveza amagagasi okucabanga okudabukisayo.
Imidwebo ephindelelayo ezithombeni zikaGcaba ihlanganisa ukuba yonke indawo yasebusuku—izithunzi ezifiphaza imingcele phakathi kweqiniso nomcabango, ezithwebula impilo yasebusuku yedolobha. Ukugadwa nakho kuvela njengesibukeli esithule, imibono eyinselele yobumfihlo kanye nokuzimela ezindaweni zasemadolobheni. Umnyakazo ongaphakathi komsebenzi wakhe uphazamisa lokhu kuthula, okuhlanganisa amandla angaphumuli edolobha aguquguqukayo. Khona lapho, izikhathi zokuthula - abantu abasha abaphumule, baningi banomzwangedwa - banikeza indlella yokubeka, indawo ngokozwelo ngaphakathi kokububula kwedolobha elikhulu.
UGcaba uchaza inhloso yakhe yobuciko njengendlela yokwenza idolobha lizwiwe kunokuthi libonakale nje. "Abantu abaningi bathwebule iTheku nokuthi libukeka kanjani," echaza, "kodwa ngicabange ukuthi kufanele ngizame ukwenza isipiliyoni ngokuthwebula. Hhayi nje ukukhombisa ukuthi idolobha libukeka kanjani kodwa ukuthi lizwakala kanjani." Ukukhetha kwakhe izithombe ezimnyama nezimhlophe kwenziwa ngamabomu - kuvimba ukuphazanyiswa umbala, okuvumela umbukeli ukuthi agxile kwingqikithi yesihloko. "Kimina, omnyama nomhlophe usiza ukubuka izinto ... Imibala ingaphazamisa esikhundleni sokusivumela ukuba siqonde umehluko phakathi kwezinto," akazibonisayo.
Umsebenzi wakhe uphakamisa imibuzo futhi mayelana nokwethembeka komuntu siqu nokuzimelela. Ikhwalithi evelele ezithombeni zikaGcaba ubuqotho bazo - ukuboniswa okungahlungiwe, imizwa, kanye nokuzihlola. Lokhu kwethembeka kumema ababukeli ukuthi bahlole indlela abazibona ngayo. "Kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukuthi sethembeke kithi ngokwethu?" umsebenzi wakhe ubonakala uphosa inselele izethamelini ukuba zibhekane namaqiniso azo.
Mandisa Buthelezi: Ukucabanga kabusha ukulandisa kwamasiko
UMandisa Buthelezi, umthwebuli wezithombe nomdidiyeli wamafilimu okhulele eThekwini, uhlala phakathi kweGoli neTheku, uzulazula womabili amadolobha ngomsebenzini wakhe wobuciko. Uyingxenye yamaciko aseNingizimu Afrika achaza kabusha isiko lesimanje. Umsebenzi wakhe waziswa ngokujulile ngamagugu, ingokomoya, kanye nemibono yabesifazane base-Afrika, ebuyekeza kabusha umlando ngokusebenzisa ilensi yokukhuthaza ukulingana nobulingiswa. Ukulandisa ngezithombe kukaButhelezi kusebenza njengezenzo zokubuyisela, ukuqinisa inhlangano phezu kokumeleleka nokuxoxa izindaba.
Uchungechunge lwakhe UBhuku LukaMenzi luwukucatshangelwa kabusha okunamandla kwezindaba zomlando esifundeni saKwaZulu-Natali, ikakhulukazi indaba yeNkosazana uMkabayi KaJama - umuntu onethonya kodwa ovame ukunganakwa emlandweni wamaZulu. INkosazana uMkabayi, u-anti weSilo uShaka, wayengusomaqhinga wepolitiki owayesabeka owabamba elikhulu iqhaza ekuguquleni amandla ebukhosini bakwaZulu. Naphezu kokubaluleka kwakhe ngokomlando, waxoshwa ezindabeni zezinzalamizi ezazilulaza amandla abesifazane basebukhosini.
Umsebenzi kaButhelezi awuzami ukuphinda ulingise ngokwezwi indaba yeNkosazana uMkabayi kodwa wakha ulimi olusankondlo oluhambisana nezindikimba zayo. Izithombe zakhe ezimnyama nezimhlophe, ezinothile ngobukhwalithi nokusanhlamvu okuhlosiwe, zidlala ngemibono yesikhathi. "Ngangifuna ukuxhuma endala kanye nentsha," uyachaza, “ingakho ngihamba ngisebenzisa ezimnyama nezimhlophe. Futhi uma ubheka izithombe eduze kakhulu, kunokusanhlamvu okuqinile ngazo. Lokho bekungamabomu impela-ngizama ukuxoxisana nalo mbono wokuthi 'ingabe lesi sithombe esidala? Lesi sithombe senziwe nini?'" Lokhu ukukhohlisa kwamabomu kwekhwalithi nokucatshangelwa kwephimbo phakathi kwezibukeli zomlando kanye nezibukeli ezidlule izindaba ezilandiswayo zisaqhubeka namasiko anamuhla.
Izindikimba eziku-UBhuku LukaMenzi zidlulela ngale kwefa leNkosazana uMkabayi, zithinta imibuzo ebanzi yamasiko nenhlalo yekhaya, ubufazi, kanye neqhaza eliwuphawu lwezinkomo emasikweni akwaZulu. Kuvela umehluko omangalisayo phakathi kwezikhathi zokusondelana kwasekhaya - abesifazane abalukana izinwele - nezigcawu zokunyakaza, kukhuphuka uthuli njengoba izibalo zidansa ngokushintshashintsha okungokomfanekiso. Lokhu kuhlangana phakathi kokuzola nokuphazamiseka kufakazela uhambo lukaMkabayi njengowesifazane owahlanganisa umphakathi wakhe ngesikhathi esifanayo ephula lokho okwakulindelwe ngokwesintu.
KuButhelezi, ukuthwebula izithombe kuyisenzo sokuzibophezela. "Ukuthatha izithombe kuveze ithuba elimangalisayo kunoma ngubani onekhamera esandleni," usho kanje. "Balawula ukumelwa, balawula ukulandisa. Ngakho-ke, kubalulekile njengomuntu omnyama ukuba ngumnikazi wekhamera ekulandiseni kabusha amasiko ethu, ukuthi singobani, nokuthi simelelwe kanjani ekhaya nasemhlabeni jikelele." Umsebenzi wakhe uphonsela izibukeli inselelo yokuthi ziphenye ngemifanekiso engokomlando futhi zicabangele amandla amise ukumelwa kwamasiko.
UCarrie Mae Weems wake wathi, "Awukwazi ngempela ukushintsha umhlaba ngaphandle kokuthi uzishintshe wena." Ukwenza kukaButhelezi kufaka lenjulalwazi; ngokuchaza kabusha ukulandisa okungokomlando nokulungisa kabusha izingobo zomlando ezibonakalayo, ufuna ukushintsha imibono ebanzi yomphakathi. “Ngihlose ngempela ngomsebenzi wami ukuzama ukuhlanganisa konke esiyikho,” usho kanje. "Noma ngabe kuhle noma kubi, sidinga ukukubona, sibhekane nakho."
Izindikimba Ezihlanganayo: Ubuwena, Amasiko, Nokuhlanganyela Komphakathi
Bobabili uGcaba noButhelezi basebenzisa izithombe ezimnyama nezimhlophe njengendlela yokuhlola ubuwena, amasiko kanye nomlando. Umsebenzi kaGcaba uwukuzindla okujulile komuntu siqu ezindaweni zasemadolobheni, othwebula imizwa yedolobha. Umsebenzi kaButhelezi, ngokuphambene, uwukucatshangelwa kabusha komlando, oxhumanisa inkathi edlule neyamanje ngokusebenzisa ilensi yobufazane kanye nokulwa nokungabi nobulungiswa okungokomlando kanye nokukhuthaza ukulingana Yize uGcaba emema ababukeli ukuthi bazozizwela isisindo somkhathi nenkumbulo, uButhelezi uvusa uhlevane mayelana nezindaba zamasiko.
Indawomqondo - ukuhlola izindawo ngokuqwashisa ngokubaluleka kwazo ngokomuzwa nangokomlando - kuyisisekelo semikhuba yawo womabili lamaciko. Ukusebenzelana kukaGcaba neTheku kubunjwe ukukhunjulwa kokusikisela nokufuduka, kanti izithombe zikaButhelezi ziveza isisindo somlando womlando waKwaZulu-Natal. Indlela yeciko ngalinye igqamisa ukubaluleka kokumelwa - indlela esibhala ngayo, ubani olawula ukulandisa kwamasiko, nokuthi kusho ukuthini ukubonakala.
Umsebenzi wabo ekugcineni uhlangana nombuzo obalulekile: Sizibona kanjani thina? Uma kungekho ukuzazi, njengoba u-Athol Fugard exwayisa, sizifaka engozini yokuhamba entanjeni yokuphila phezu kobuze. Ngezithombe zabo ezivusa amadlingozi, uGcaba noButhelezi bayagomela ngokuthi ukuzichaza - komuntu siqu namasiko - akukhona nje ukuphishekela ubuciko kodwa kuyisidingo esikhona.