The more Cape arts change, the more they stay the same

Recent events in the Western Cape region reveal the smug face of white middle-class cultural activity and consumption that refuses to transform.

There was the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, for instance, which revealed the unchanging “whiteness” of the event with only one African nominee on the list, Mwenya Kabwe, winning best actress in leading role for Yellowman.

Significantly, the play is essentially about black self-hate and the desire not only to be white but to live up to white expectations and standards.

In fact, it is not the sort of play that deserves to be presented with a prestigious award except to confirm and perpetuate the racist perception that a black skin colour is a badge of inferiority.

If Ms Kabwe really wanted to make a resounding statement, she should have refused to accept the award or even participate in this sinister play. But what needs to be highlighted is the lack of seriousness and commitment of white artists and management in the cultural sector to transform and thus be part of the winds of change blowing through the country.

There are far too many events in the cultural programme in the Western Cape region which reveal that whites are generally satisfied with the racist status quo in the arts sector, especially in theatre.

You can go out one evening to the revamped New Space or Baxter Theatre, for instance, and are most unlikely to see an African on stage or in the audience. If they are, it will either be playing some minor role or participating in the fringe.

At the launch of the Spier-spearheaded Infecting the City outdoor festival, one could count the number of Africans present in one hand. Of course, the attitude to rationalise African presence is that people from the townships have migrated to Johannesburg in search of better opportunities.

But when one speaks to them they have chosen to move because in the Western Cape they are totally ignored or opportunities are given to whites and Africans from beyond the borders who play slavery or self-hating roles. This political route of excluding local Africans does not bode well for nation-building and will, inevitably, deliver the unintended consequence of driving a wedge between indigenous artists and their fellows from outside.

It has already created an explosive tension between whites and blacks with the latter seemingly turning their backs on integration.

In fact, the challenge rests on award-winning playwrights and former activists like Mike van Graan to not only be satisfied with accepting prizes for commissioned work from exclusive white sponsors and events but to call for transformation in the sector.
Van Graan remains the only sane creative voice that can help the Western Cape arts transform but he is being co-opted by too many awards and responsibilities.

It is very disconcerting to observe that there is relative lack of authentic anger and relative absence of genuine activism to nurture a new spirit of non-racialism and equality in the cultural sector.

What stands out most strikingly about going to watch the Beauty and The Beast at Artscape, for instance, is that the audience will be 100% white. Of course, this reflects the perpetuation of cultural apartheid in the programming content as the production might be perceived to have very little aesthetic appeal to Africans and Coloureds (sic).

It has taken a former exile and world-renowned drummer, Louis Moholo, to put up the African Jazz Concert that not only featured legendary Africans jazz artists who have been condemned to a cultural cul-de-sac, but drew township audiences to the Artscape.
Of course, Moholo is, rightly, disheartened and upset that after 40 years in exile and 15 years of freedom and democracy, the condition of the African artist has not radically changed in his home town.

Sadly, Moholo himself has very little opportunities to perform and produce despite the fact that he is one of the best drummers in the world and now lives in Cape Town.

Instead, he is forced to watch the dream for non-racial arts that he created and sacrificed his life for with legendary pianist Chris McGregor turn into a plaything.

This is the same sentiment captured and reflected in Amampondo’s Dizu Plaatjie et al’s Marimba Extravaganza which was, essentially, about bringing African music into the mainstream.

Sadly, on opening night the show attracted a dominantly African township audience with a handful of whites in the seats. Yet when one listens to Kabwe accept her award, she cannot help but project on a gut level that opening up opportunities for African artists in the Western Cape is urgent.

“I can’t help feeling a little cynical at being the only darkie on the nominee list.”

This remark was greeted with resounding guilt silence. Yet it is an issue that needs immediate attention. But one gets the impression that white artists and management do not want the situation changed or challenged.

It is time to be angry about the lack of transformation in the arts sector, especially in the Western Cape.

In fact, is time for artists themselves to demand change and transformation, NOW, or perish as fools.

The question is: what are white sponsors, judges and artists going to do to show seriousness and commitment to transformation? It is not enough to tell us that “we cannot find blacks” when they are in Africa.