Suzy Bell
THE Durban Centre for Photography (DCP) at the Bat Centre on Durban’s waterfront is under threat of closure by the end of the month if funds cannot be secured. Local photographers have reacted to the news with outrage.
The centre has been open for one year, offering monthly photographic exhibitions and courses. It provides a vital artistic space that has, for example, exposed the talent of street-photographers like Godfrey Gumede.
The DCP has also given us Ian van Coller’s stark art photographs printed on Japanese silk tissue; we’ve seen the work of two of South Africa’s finest social documentary photographers, Paul Weinberg and Santu Mofokeng. They also arranged for celebrated black American photographer Gordon Parks to fly in and hold a workshop that more than 100 eager street-photographers attended.
The centre is the only one of its kind in Africa and there are only two photographic galleries in SA, but soon there’ll be only one. If basic seed funding of R6 000 per month is not pledged by a generous sponsor before the end of October, the DCP will be forced to close.
The monthly rental is R2 000. The balance of R4 000 covers basic overheads and the salary of one staff member. All the other dedicated professional photographers like Angie Buckland, Paul Weinberg and Rafs Mayet offer their time and advice for free. But with their photographic equipment worth more than R80 000, it is absurd that these resources may no longer be utilised.
Award-winning photographer Paul Weinberg, who has recently launched his book Back to the Land, said the closure of the DCP will be a devastating blow to emergent photographers. “Our main reason for establishing the DCP was to help the many hundreds of street-photographers who need basic training. South African photographers need a great deal of assistance. There are no grants available for photographers and it’s only through pure commitment and hard work that some photographers manage to survive.”
Naresh Modi, committee member of the DCP and Durban businessman, said there was no other place like the DCP in KwaZulu-Natal. “Where can one use dark-room facilities and get professional training at no cost at all? We’re under enormous pressure, struggling on a shoestring budget while the Bartel Arts Trust is telling us we’re out at the end of this month if we don’t pay the rent. A minimum of 100 street-photographers will be affected by our closure.
“We’ve made every effort; we’ve written to Durban Arts and Culture but have received no support; we’ve canvassed the business sector and have had a poor response from photographic retail stores. We’re now onto the embassies and major industry. One of our committee members, photographer Angie Buckland, is in England right now desperately fund-raising.”
Durban artist Andrew Verster is also outraged: “More than anything else, we need jobs; the skills that make the difference … Photography is an industry – the field is vast. It pains me that a place offering ordinary people these opportunities, should have to close. This could literally mean life or death to people. “
Interested sponsors may phone Naresh Modi on (031) 306-3384 or Gulam at the DCP on (031) 32-5317