‘Gcilima’ photo praised
The 'Mother and child' image shot in Gcilima has been applauded in the art world.
AMERICAN photographer Terri Cappucci was thrilled to have curator Connie Rosenthal select one of her favourite images titled ‘Gcilima Refugee Camp’ for an exhibition.
The image was also published in a book called ‘Depth of Field 2015’ compiled by Rfoto Folio.
Ms Cappucci who has photographed South Africa for the last 20 years captured the country’s first free and fair elections on the South Coast on April 27, 1994.
“To have my work along side of some of the most talented photographers many who I have admired for years really humbled me,” she said.
Ms Cappucci who began this project in 1994, after meeting Maggie Moonsamy on the streets of Port Shepstone, was in her late 20s when she took the photograph, and recalled feeling so confused at the time.
“I never imagined that these things really happened because I had been sheltered from this part of reality and grew up in a different part of the world. I never worried about community violence, violence to woman, safety of children or just not being able to feed my own child. It was both a deep moment of awakening as a human being as well as a photographic artist,” she said.
“‘Gcilima Refugee Camp’ is a portrait of a mother and child in their reality. My camera was either a tool to educate or a weapon to exploit and hurt. It is a fine line to walk when photographing situations that deserve attention to bring about change.”
Ms Rosenthal commented that ‘Gcilima Refugee Camp’ is a universal image – mother and child. “No matter who we are what color of skin we have on the surface or what religion we practice we all can relate to that image. A mothers loving embrace and protection of her child,” she said.
Ms Cappucci is currently writing and editing her book which documents her two decades of photographing in South Africa.
She will however, be back in South Africa in August next year to teach field photography through the Sepela Field Programs.
Other areas of her work include a 19th century method of making images called Wet Plate Collodion, as well as alternative print processes.
To view her work visit www.terricappucci.com
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