Wednesday, September 23, 2009

A Tale of Two Cities

I recently created a photo collection titled 'A Tale of Two Cities' which features the two cities which have captured my inspiration; Johannesburg and Louisville.

As a die hard Johannesburg girl, the noise and excitement of this city makes it hard for me to appreciate most other cities. What inspires me about Johannesburg is how there are so many different cultures, time periods and people that are reflected in the buildings. These various things are reflected in the area that I chose to photograph: Newtown. This area is historically known as a place where bricks were manufactured in a racially mixed environment. Today, Newtown attracts an artistic set with its mixture of theatrical, dance and music venues.

What makes Newtown stand out even more is that it's right in the heart of the city. You are at once immersed in the skyline and enveloped by the noise of the traffic and people.

Louisville in contrast to this reflects a much more tranquil history with the old Victorian buildings that still stand. Louisville is a city proudly rooted in its history. The first time I walked downtown, I was enchanted by the old iron facings, Victorian turrets, the red doors of the Churches and the views of the Ohio River. Louisville for the most part looks like an industrial city until you walk downtown, then it feels like walking into 19th century England.

I think it’s in the fact that these two cities are so different yet in so many ways they echo who I am. Johannesburg reflects the diversity and multicultural aspects of being South African. In contrast to this Louisville epitomises the romance and nostalgia of scenes from old Hollywood movies.

When I look at the pictures from both cities I feel a part of both these worlds. It inspires me that I'm weaving my own tale through both of these cities.

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