When something is outlawed, it does not fully erase the impact that it once had in society. Many people tried to destroy Apartheid again and again, but the legislation did not come down until the 1990’s. Even though it has been uprooted from South Africa, the remains of it still exist today. In the International Center of Photography, better known as ICP, there are a plethora of images that still capture the troubling atmosphere that surrounded Apartheid. Within ICP, some of the photographs are much more graphic, and consequently moving, than others. To me, there were three photos that left an impressionable mark on my understanding of Apartheid.
Peter Magubane, a well-known combatant of Apartheid, captures perhaps two of the most frightening images in the exhibit. The first snapshot was taken during 1960. It features what seems to be a never-ending line of coffins for all of the African Americans who died during a riot. On both sides of the caskets are families and friends mourning the deaths of their loved ones. In the description of the picture, it is said that there were more than 5,000 people at the graveyard that day. When the South African government learned that Magubane was taking pictures of such tragic events, they did not want these photos published. Even though there is no immediate violence depicted in this picture, a feeling of heartache can be sensed by the facial expressions of those present at the cemetery.
Never Ending Row of Caskets
Photo Credit: Peter Magubane
After being arrested for his striking photography, Magubane returned in the 1970’s to capture the tragedy of the Soweto Uprising. During one of these riots, he may have taken the most disturbing snapshot of his long career. In the photo, there is a man holding a rather young child, placing him into the back seat of a vehicle. The famous Apartheid photographer captured an image of a child shot dead and now being situated the back of a car. Anyone who stood in the way of law enforcement was ultimately shot dead. This shows the severity of the situation because they did not discriminate who they killed, not even small children.
Still, there were others who revealed the true brutality of Apartheid through their photography. In 1959, Gideon Mendel photographs a struggle between a family and the police in action. In this image, the policemen possess a variety of weapons, whereas the family has nothing to defend themselves. This parallels the idea that despite the large numbers of people against Apartheid, they could not make much of an impact because they were basically powerless. After taking a closer look, I saw that there was a child lying dead on the ground after being shot with a bullet. Just like Magubane, Mendel vividly captures the ruthlessness towards children in South Africa during the time.
The Rise and Fall of Apartheid exhibit at ICP contains some of the most power photographs of the 20th century. They show the harsh reality that many African American families experienced during that time. Magubane and Mendel both gained wide spread recognition with their photographs of the cruelty unleashed on children. Even though Apartheid no longer legally exists, its impact will live forever through these photographs.
The Rise and Fall of Apartheid Exhibit at ICP
Photo Credit: DLK.Blogspot.com
