From the Series
Rudi Geyser's latest series of photographs “Kwaai Girls” – it means cool in local Cape Town slang – explores the emergent identities in the city’s subcultural movements.
The series features artists and musicians familiar in the Cape Town scene such Laura Windvogel, aka lady Skollie, Jana “Babez” Terblanche, K_Dollahz and Dope Saint Jude.
Geyser hopes to highlight the growing feminist movement in South Africa through the project. “My intent is for the viewer to get an insight into these supremely individual and real women,” he told Dazed. “In turn, I want them to ask questions about femininity and what it means to be a woman, particularly in South Africa.”
The women in the “Kwaai Girls” collection use artistic exploration to question the complexities and inner working of South Africa. Windvogel paints watercolours that examine the themes of gender roles, sex, greed and lust through evocative images and motifs of fruit, flowers and the human body.
Dope Saint Jude uses performance and rap music to challenge gender norms, queer identity, self-love and sartorial pride. She collaborates with other black Cape Town-based artists such as performance artist Angel-Ho and photographer Chomma to produce art that questions the status quo.
Jana “Babez” Terblanche is a performance artist and self-proclaimed Britney Spears fanatic. She uses shock as an element of her performance art to examine the notions of feminism, the social constructions of women and the role celebrities play in defining ideals.
Geyser is a Cape Town native but he has spent seven years in the United Kingdom where he first studied fine art photography at the University College Falmouth before working in London as a photographic assistant in the fashion industry.
All images via Rudi Geyser.
