WHEN art and social justice join forces, the impact can be phenomenal. Over the last six years, Rock Girl has grown from a small grassroots art and education programme for girls to become one of the charities of choice for South African artists and designers committed to creating a safer South Africa for all.
The Rock Girl Safe Spaces campaign, launched in August 2010, has seen designers like Laurie Wiid van Heerden, Atang Tshikare, Mokena Makeka, Lovell Friedman, and the late Paul du Toit create one-of- a-kind public benches around the city.
Following the success of that campaign, which saw the installation of 55 benches, in 2015 Rock Girl embarked on a series of road trips around South Africa. High school girls were trained as journalists and photographers, and travelled over 2000km to document the stories of girls and women on radio and film and explore their country, returning with a new lens on their lives.
Now, on July 30, Southern Guild Gallery will host the inaugural Brave exhibition, auction and awards dinner, featuring photographs, artwork, poetry, and stories collected by Rock Girl youth reporters and photographers who, organisers say, live on the frontlines of some of the most dangerous, under-served communities in the country.
At the auction dinner on July 30, artists and designers will come together to raise funds to support Rock Girl’s 2016 road trips and ongoing work to ensure safe spaces for girls, and everyone.
At the event, the first ever Brave mobile studio will be unveiled (a partnership with Greenpop) and three awards will be given to a teenage girl, a woman, and an organisation or business who demonstrate a commitment to creating a culture of non-violence.
After dinner an auction of one-of- a-kind pieces created by well-known artists and designers, including earrings by Kirsten Goss, a bench by Lionel Smit and Laurie Wiid van Heerden, an exclusive piece from Pichulik, bespoke safaris, and a weekend retreat. In addition, a pop-up shop will offer limited-edition necklaces, T-shirts, scarves and more by South African designers.
A highlight will be the launch of the Brave accreditation for businesses. At least two businesses will receive the first accreditation, with invitations open to businesses across South Africa opening later this year.
On July 29, teenagers from across the city will be invited to the Southern Guild Gallery for a fundraising event targeted at youth. Rock Girls from Manenberg, Gugulethu, Elsies River, Khayelitsha and Goodwood will mingle with learners from schools across the Western Cape, discussing strategies to end violence in general, and specifically, to end gender-based violence.
Southern Guild features contemporary, limited-edition design in South Africa, and is also devoted to creating a safe environment for its team and for those artists in its stable. - Staff Writer
l www.rockgirlsa.org