 | The best living critic of popular culture, Greil Marcus, was struck by the “primary reality” of “cheapness” in the film version of Orwell’s 1984 (with John Hurt and Richard Burton). “Totalitarian offices were cheap because they no longer needed grandeur; they no longer needed to affirm their own authority. They no longer needed to convince anybody of anything.” Two aspects of cheapness come to mind here. One applies at home. An unwelcome continuity between the present the ANC has in ...read more |
The Heart of Cheapness
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 by Brandon Edmonds
We Are Not Road Signs
Monday, February 6th, 2012 by Lindokuhle Nkosi, illustration by Trevor Paul
 | On the 17th of February 2008, Nwabisa Nqcukana was attacked by a large group of men whilst making her way through Noord Taxi Rank in a mini-skirt. They stripped her of her clothing, tore her underwear and began to indecently assault her: groping her breasts, pouring beer over her head, sticking their filthy fingers into her vagina. Two weeks later, Redi Tlhabi and assault victim, Nwabisa Ngcukana led hundreds bare-thighed women on a protest walk through the now notorious taxi ...read more |
Ink and Loathing at the Tattoo Expo
Friday, February 3rd, 2012 by Max Barashenkov, images by Luke Daniel
 | The cougars descend on me with practiced determination. Two of them. Mid-thirties, out of shape and tramp-stamped. Recent divorcees looking for a walk on the wilder and younger side, I peg them. “Are you a tattoo artist?” one of them asks, the phrase ‘tattoo artist’ imbued with fascination, her eyes with hunger. ...read more |
Oh Snap!
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 by Themba Kriger
 | Christian Tiger School were already playing when we arrived. He had wanted to get there earlier, but had lost track of time, watching YouTube videos and hitting bongs. On the way to the bar he takes off my lens cap and switches me on, making sure everything is still set to ‘Auto’. He turns on the flash, and takes a few crowd shots. Little hipsters in training, none older than 22. The flashing catches the attention of two chicks in ...read more |
Phantasmagoria at the Opera
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 by Rob Scher, illustration by Andrew Moerdyk
 | Prologue In the Phantom of the Opera, Christine Daae is seduced by a spectral voice she believes to be the prophesised ‘angel of music’. He turns out to be a guy who hangs in the basement of the Paris Opera House. Upon this realisation, Christine utters the now famous line, “The Phaaaaantom of the Opera is here, inside my mind.” Driving along a rain-soaked M3 on the way to the Artscape, Jack and Adam let the Phantom enter their minds. ...read more |
The Muck of Ages
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 by Brandon Edmonds
 | I’ve been meaning to get out of the house and protest. Marx laid down the law for anyone even vaguely aggrieved with how society is run: “The philosophers have only interpreted the world; the point is to change it.” That’s a pretty clear injunction to get off our complacent asses and see what needs to be done. ...read more |
Bass in the Background
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 by Themba Kriger
 | It was late afternoon, but the sun still hovered high in the sky, avoiding the horizon like a child wanting to stay up for the late night movie. Francois was leaning against the bar, drinking his double brandy and coke in large gulps in an effort to keep cool. He brushed his fingers through his straight, black hair, combing it to the left, partially covering the undercut on that side, while examining the people strewn out across the rooftop. ...read more |
The Wrong Idea
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 by Andrei Van Wyk, images by Paris Brummer
 | Between 2006 and 2008 Fokofpolisiekar was probably the most influential rock band in South Africa. People of every race have listened to, and enjoyed their music. Their lines were powerful, filled with depth, challenging conventions within traditional Afrikaans culture, and South African culture at large. They took a critical look at concepts such as Tradition, Angst, Despair and the Christian Faith. But more importantly, their lyrics supported the idea that Afrikaaners, and whites in general, are “African”. ...read more |
Root for the Villain
Monday, January 30th, 2012 by Rob Cockcroft
 | A couple of years ago Queen’s rapper/producer J-Zone’s 2002 release “Pimps don’t pay taxes” became the soundtrack to my life. Complete with stories of failed attempts at macking, cock blockers and dissing judgemental headwrap chicks, who were all too prevalent at hip hop parties on Long Street. The album spoke to my younger self more than any of the so-called conscious raps that were still popular at the time. ...read more |
Demolishing Aspirations
Monday, January 30th, 2012 by Robert Bowen and Rashiq Fataar
 | Uytenbogaardt’s 1967 aspiration for a democratic architecture was never realized; an architecture that sought to use a building to draw people together, by creating an inclusive space in what was and remains a disconnected Claremont. The concept was to re-connect the marginalized trader with economic opportunity; those classified as white with those classified as non-white, the commuter, the pedestrian, and the private car user. ...read more |
