The first 28 pages of Kakudji’s Cape Diary were released to the public on 2 April at the launch of Chimurenga Magazine, Volume 14, at the Africa Centre gallery on Long Street (thanks Ntone and the Chimu crew).
The show took the form of a 40-minute, full-wall projection. Chimu launches are raucous, kickass events, with fabulous music and hundreds of milling folks. Under the circumstances, SPARCK had anticipated that people would be transiting through the launch space, catching glimpses of the Kakudji projection, moving on and, if they were interested, coming back to see more. To our delight it didn’t go over that way at all. People chose instead to pull up chairs, sit and watch the installation from beginning to end like a movie.
Responses to the projection were great: Kakudji’s work intentionally provokes and so, as expected, upset some folks and pleased many others. None of the reactions were neutral. Most appreciated by the people who liked what they saw was the fact that there is nothing comfortable about Kakudji’s work. One audience member put it well: “It really pissed some people off. When last did art do that?”
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