EDUN IN HARSH AFRICAN LANDSCAPE

Last year EDUN approached a group of diverse African photographers to interpret their new collections and represent it in their own way. Been one of the Photographers and having an open window to do as I wished with the clothing, I took inspiration from the garments themselves. The outfits reminded me of some of outfits I had been documenting in the different sub-cultures around Johannesburg. Namely the classic Zulu fashion culture 'The Swenka's' and 'Pantsula' the dance culture I have spent years documenting. I wanted to show the uncanny link between selected looks and these cultures attire. Performer Manthe Ribane (and her sister Tebogo) who I had extensive experience working with on my Ghost Diamond Short Film and Dear Ribane Music Video,  interpreted classic poses from both the cultures and transformed them physically on the downtown streets of Johannesburg.

We re-interpretted classic masculine poses from the different sub-cultures and posed the shots in the harsh the South African summer light, not shying away from its encompassing effect. I wanted to keep it as real as possible, maintaining a sense of believability which is often lost in fashion photography, but maintaining the fantasy of the over the top garments. The results are a less than typical aesthetic, poses which reference by-gone showmanship in masculinity shot in reality. 

The images take clothing which is designed in New York, manufactured ethically on the African continent, transported back to the USA and now imagined back in Africa and specifically in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

Thank you to Julien Labat, the CEO of EDUN for making this a possibility. 

Credits: 

Photography Chris Saunders

Photographic Assistant Kyle Goulden
2nd Photographic Assistant Lesedi Mothoagae
Producer Jodie Ennik
Styled By Crystal Birch
Make-Up Alex Both

Bubblegum Club Launch - Featuring Manthe Ribane

My good friends over at Bubblegum Club have posted our first story together, as you can see Manthe and I have been making waves with the Ghost Diamond collaboration and before embarking on our first tour to Europe Jamal Nxedlana (co-creator of Bubblegum club) asked us to do a shoot. The results are tremendous and we are very happy to be associated and featured on such a great portal. From the creators of South Africa's CUSS magazine (and some of the members of the CUSS Collective) they bring you Bubblegum club magazine and agency. Below is a blurb from their site, check out the website http://www.bubblegumclub.co.za/

From the Bubblegum Club website:

Our Online Magazine is a compendium of images, news and opinion which presents our perspective on the people and production defining South African youth culture. Its vision is to present an alternative narrative on South African art and society, by showcasing cutting edge creators and their work. The magazine is not based solely on popularity or visibility, but aims to give exposure to individuals and groups who embody passion and innovation. As well as being a showcase, the magazine is a platform for ideas and commentary which frame and advance cultural trends.

The Bubblegum Club is a cultural intelligence agency, founded by Lex Trickett and Jamal Nxedlana. We work to help brands and organizations understand and engage with contemporary South African youth culture. Along with identifying trends, we take the holistic approach of interpreting and explaining them. Through conceptualizing the broader social context of trends, our projects and activations help our clients to organically access youth culture.

Reflecting this mission, the company is divided into three interconnected divisions- an agency, an online magazine and a physical project space based in the Newtown precinct.

Ghost Diamond Live - Switzerland & UK 2016

We have completed our first tour of screenings with the Ghost Diamond project (my new collaborative film project with musician OKZHARP starring Manthe Ribane). The film was presented at The 7th Norient Music Film festival in Bern Switzerland (as well as satellite events in Lausanne and St. Gallen), we where also given the opportunity to launch the new live experience, 'Ghost Diamond Live' where by OKZHARP, Manthe Ribane and myself (under the alias Sondeza as a VJ). Taking the footage from the film, I remix it live with the show, creating a new version of the film live at each time we play. 

On the tour we also took the opportunity to start filming new content which we use live in each live rendition, adding to the existing narrative. One element is to film new dance footage from the city we are touring in at the time, this way incorporating recent and up to date material into the show, this is also a form of recognition of the environment we are performing in. With such a fast moving pace to the music industry at the moment, incorporating relevant new content into the set all the time plays to the 'social media' and instant nature of the industry. My version is more of a thought through post event upload mentality where by I shoot the footage earlier in the day and then incorporate it later on live, this way curating and making sure that I can work in interesting locations and still honour my classic film making background, not just focussing on the instant element completely. This is both a statement on the fact that I think that its important for modern film makers to focus on the narrative, process and aesthetic, as well as work with modern, instant (as possible) showcasing techniques.

The images posted are photographic material shot of Manthe during the tour in Switzerland and in the London. 

CT 2012. 

All images copyright of Chris Saunders 2016

Ghost Diamond (Official Trailer)

Ghost Diamond (Official Trailer)

Ghost Diamond Official Trailer out now. The film will be having its first mini tour where it will be both presented as a short film and a live performance where Manthe Ribane, Gervase Gordon and myself perform live as a trio. I will be VJ'ing the film live to the audience in a new and more adaptive audio enhance manner. For now though, enjoy they trailer.

Ghost Diamond is the new film by Chris Saunders, a Johannesburg-based photographer and filmmaker, and Okzharp, a Cape Town-born, London-based musician. The film was made over the last 2 years and was supported by the SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015, a partnership between the Department of Arts and Culture, South Africa, and the British Council.

In Ghost Diamond, a young woman journeys to the heart of a new African metropolis. She finds a jewel in the dust and is given a book by a stranger. Inspired, she must find a purpose for this new possession and for this new knowledge. Figures, objects and places from her past appear to her as she moves against the cold city curves. Can she find hope in this place and time?

The film connects specific Zulu and Japanese mythologies via elements of the story, the visual style and Manthe Ribane’s dance performance. This film looks at the emotional landscape of the new international dialogues that are occurring in the modern hyper-connected African city. The film was itself a product of such a relationship. Okzharp previously toured in SA with Zaki Ibrahim and Okmalumkoolkat via the British Council’s Connect ZA project. This lead to Chris Saunders directing short films for Sebenza and Spitting Cobra by Okzharp’s previous group LV and Okmalumkoolkat, both on Hyperdub. Ghost Diamond is the latest work in this audiovisual collaboration. 

The film was shot on location in and around Johannesburg. It was edited in Cape Town. The soundtrack is by Okzharp in collaboration with Manthe Ribane, Zaki Ibrahim and Petite Noir. Music was written and recorded in SA at various locations including a security bunker in the Cape flats, Red Bull studios, Cape Town and a cavernous ex-marshmallow factory in Maboneng, Joburg. The final mix to picture was done at The Crush in London by Okzharp with UK mixing engineer, Dil Harris. Some of the music will be released later this year.

Ghost Diamond will be showing at the following venues in Europe this early 2016:

14th Jan 7th Norient Music Film Festival (Bern, Switzerland) - norient.com

15th Jan 7th Norient Music Film Festival (St Gallen, Switzerland) - norient.com

16th Jan 7th Norient Music Film Festival (Lausanne, Switzerland) - norient.com

1st Feb CTM Festival (Berlin, Germany) - http://www.ctm-festival.de/

OKZHARP - Album Artwork

Images shot during the filming of the OKZHARP - Dear Ribane music video which have been used for the Hyperdub - Dumela 113 EP release artwork. 

The Artwork was designed by Optigram. 

Photographs by Chris Saunders 

OKZHARP - Dear Ribane feat. Manthe Ribane Music Video (HYPERDUB)

Its been months in the pipeline and we can finally start talking about the new OKZHARP - Dear Ribane music video released  by Hyperdub Records. The track is the debut vocal performance for Manthe Ribane who is well known for her incredible dance performances along side Die Antwoord and VINTAGE Dance crew in the past. She has also been gaining fame in the art world in South Africa with her family collective and home studio Dear Ribane 113. It was a pleasure to be part of a great team once again, with Deon van Zyl behind the lens and later editing.

This is an ongoing artistic collaboration between myself and OKZHARP and adds another new piece of work with Manthe who is an ongoing inspiration and artistic collaborator (NOTXCS). This video takes you in to a pure performance realm, links to our full length video artwork Ghost Diamond but focusses on the artist Manthe and her incredible words, relevant dance moves and symbolic outfits. 

The video is out today on Hyperdub Records. 

Directed by Chris Saunders

Edited by Deon van Zyl 

Cinematography Deon van Zyl 

Styling and Make-up Manthe Ribane 

NOT / Dear Ribane / JHB

While in Johannesburg for our NOT X CS exhibition at the MOAD. We took one Jenny's new custom made performance outfits and decided to photograph it on Manthe Ribane and her clan of siblings. We shot the images at place close to Manthe's hear called the Sparrow Village Orphanage in Roodepoort just outside the city. Manthe has been working to create awareness for this incredible NGO known for its dome shaped structures. 

CT 2015