Mona's 3rd postcard from South Africa - Drawn to help, help to draw
Last week was filled with planning and preparations for the coming weeks 🙂
On Monday we're driving to Springbok, near the Namibian border, to hold workshops in various schools throughout the week. We've rented a car, arranged accommodation, and made other plans. Visual tools are very helpful in this process when you have to plan for so many people.
That's not really a surprise to me.
This week we also have daily training sessions from 9 am to 4 pm so we can put our show together for AfrikaBurn and get in shape. We're getting closer to the goal AND we're having fun!
Today I focused a lot on my juggling.
Juggling has long been my preferred metaphor for explaining my business. But now I've discovered new connections between juggling practice and my graphic recording:
If I don't relax, breathe, relax my shoulders, and have a firm stance, I most likely won't be able to catch and throw the balls (in this case, capture the essence of the conversations in order to express them in the drawing). I need to concentrate deeply for this; I can't look at all the balls at once, because then they'll fall. If I focus my gaze on myself, I can juggle all the balls simultaneously (the information around me can then flow into the conversations I've recorded). I love this work and connecting it to my own visual practice.
Photo credits RAMrpire
Photo credits RAMrpire
The next update will follow an Open Street session in Mitchells Plains. Open Street events are really important right now because of the escalating gang violence in Hanover Park. I always felt pretty safe there, but now it really feels like I'm in a war zone. So I definitely support any event that aims to make public spaces safer. <3
Photo credits RAMrpire
Photo credits RAMrpire
We're facing every challenge imaginable in our project, but we're managing well and really enjoying the week touring Cape Town! Today we held an open space event in Hanover Park (one of the areas with the highest murder rate in the world), which went really well and also meant the kids had a safe place for a few hours. And they loved the markers!
Photo credits RAMrpire
I'm so excited to show you the videos and pictures! I'm happy you've already received some!
Photo credits RAMrpire
Photo credits RAMrpire
It is a true pleasure to work with Joep and Valentina from RAMrpire!
Together with other sponsors like RAMrpire Agency and Visual Facilitators, we are supporting Mona Ebrup 's project in South Africa. You can find more information here .
