Voices of the City is a new, weekly feature that spotlights the everyday lives of our citizens, living and working in the city. By asking the same five questions to all our interviewees, we discover not only how our experiences of differ, but also what we share. It is a daunting task to try and capture the diverse experiences of our city’s inhabitants, but we feel that it is a worthy, and necessary, endeavor, in order to better understand the present and future of our city. This week we hear from Okuhle Mgcaba, who is a young creative who currently resides in Johannesburg. He writes for the eNca online platform and has an avid interest in art and is a really talented photographer. He describe his art as being “a rendition of realities that exist and are explored through [his] eyes for a broader audience to see. [His] art is about society and expression, looking at the small and realizing how important they are as part of [the larger whole]. [His] art [aims]to create new visions of the truth about emotion, seeing and feeling. He is certainly a young man to watch out for in the future with regards to discourse on the defining of African identity and beauty.
Source: Faith in a Jar Photography
Question: What about Cape Town inspires you the most?
The city itself is an inspiration. Coming from the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg, I find Cape Town calming and relaxed allowing ambition and action to grow as one. I mostly like the feel of the space.
Q: Do you have a secret space or place that you enjoy in the city?
Not yet, I live to explore places and grow into a place.
Q: What was the last exciting event you attended in the city?
Rocking the Daisies… but that’s not it. I haven’t been to an event in Cape Town.
Q: What frustrates you about the city?
The apparent separation in race and class, It’s in your face and is not being addressed.
Q: You can have dinner with one person living or dead. Who is it and why?
Kahlil Gibran or Paulo Coelho