Arts writer
MUIZENBERG comes under the spotlight this week as locals band together to showcase the multi-faceted creators who live in the area. The Muizenberg Festival is featuring everything from theatre to soirees, art exhibitions, environmental talks and guided tours until Sunday.
The neighbourhood will host daytime and evening performances with artisan workshops, boat rides and a free concert in Muizenberg Park on Sunday at 2pm with Sons of Selassie and Los Tacos onstage.
Bluebird Garage at 39 Albertyn Road will also feature a photographic exhibition dubbed Musicians of Muizenberg. This collaborative showcase by photographer Tracey Derrick and journalist Karen Rutter, who both live in the area, will be on view on Saturday and Sunday.
The project sets out to showcase the diverse range of musicians that live in Muizenberg, photographed against a variety of local backdrops. Alongside each picture is a short biography of each musician. The series of photographs aims to highlight both the musicians and the local landscape – such as the ever-popular putt-putt course and iconic Surfer’s Corner.
Included in the series are award-winning jazz saxophonist Buddy Wells, former Ella Mental diva and solo star Heather Mac, multi-instrumentalist Jonny Blundell, UCT trumpet student Keegan Steenkamp, guitarist/bassist Mark Harris, singer Injairu Kulundu, singer/guitarist Jamie Jupiter, steel pan player Dave Reynolds and trombone player/spoken word artist Simric Yarrow.
Award-winning Derrick has spent her career probing and portraying specific South African social issues. She has exhibited extensively locally and internationally, continually conducting photography workshops. Her work has also been included in Blink, a book showcasing 100 contemporary photographers worldwide. She was nominated for the International Heroes of Hope: Profiles of Courage programme, for the first time becoming the subject of her own work when she had breast cancer.
As an aside, dog lovers can also enter their pets in a Dog Show on Saturday. The festivities here will include incredible dog demonstrations and a fun competition – all raising funds for African Tails, Cape of Good Hope SPCA, TEARS, Deep South Animal Educare and The SA Guide Dog Association.
l www.traceyderrick.co.za, www.muizenbergfestival.co.za