Subject Guides: District Six: District Six: A Photo Gallery

District Six: Photographs of the 1950s

Photographs by Bryan Heseltine

Bryan Heseltine : self portrait, early 1950s

In the late 1940s and early 1950s the South African-born, English-educated photographer Bryan Heseltine made a series of extraordinary photographs in and around Cape Town, a city in the midst of profound transformation following the rapid urbanisation of the post-war years and the election of the racist National Party government in 1948. Shortly after he made this work, however,

Postbox, Windermere

Heseltine left South Africa taking his photographs with him to England. Aside from an exhibition in 1955, they would remain there unseen and largely unknown for more than half a century. This exhibition returns these photographs to be shown in South Africa for the first time since 1952.

Shaving, Windermere

Heseltine's photography provides a unique view of Cape Town at the very beginning of the apartheid period, blending modernist visual influences with social and political concerns. The photographs were made in several areas of the city, each of which occupies a unique place in relation to the racial zoning and forced removals that were central to the implementation of apartheid: the Bo-Kaap,

Clifton Street, District Six

District Six, Langa, Nyanga and Windermere. Heseltine's carefully composed images depict aspects of social and cultural life and illustrate the diversity of Cape Town's inhabitants. The collection contains a substantial number of powerful portraits, quite unlike either the standard depictions of the time that presented Black and Coloured South Africans as racially other, or the kind of studio

Men on street corner

images that would have been made during the period. Working predominantly in medium and large format, the degree of care accorded to his subjects is both unusual and extends the value of this body of work. Heseltine's photography can be viewed as, in equal measure, a critical social commentary on, an aesthetically sophisticated response to, and a human engagement with, the

Langa Station

people and spaces of the segregated city.

In bringing this body of work back to South Africa the aim of the exhibition is to contribute to public understandings of the history of Cape Town and its visual representation, and to stimulate debate

Playing football

around photography and the history and memory of segregation and forced removals. The exhibition, curated by Darren Newbury, opened on 24 September 2013 and is currently on at the District Six Museum Homecoming Centre, 15 Buitenkant Street, Cape Town. It is accompanied by

Woman with knitting needles

the publication People Apart: 1950s Cape Town Revisited. Photographs by Bryan Heseltine (Black Dog Publishing, 2013).

Source: http://www.districtsix.co.za/Content/Exhibitions/Interact/Multimedia/Going/index.php

District Six: UCT Collection

List view

: Cape Minstrels parade, District Six; Called The Coon Carnival, the end-of-year event was a time for dancing in the streets, various troops competing for trophies and the public, residents and tourists alike, having a whale of a time. The streets of the old district were turned into rivers of prancing participants, all dressed in their colourful costumes. District Six became (more) alive on these occasions.

: Cape Minstrels, District Six; Called The Coon Carnival, the end-of-year event was a time for dancing in the streets, various troops competing for trophies and the public, residents and tourists alike, having a whale of a time. The streets of the old district were turned into rivers of prancing participants, all dressed in their colourful costumes. District Six became (more) alive on these occasions.

: Catching a ride, District Six; Catching a ride on the back of a passing vehicle made for great entertainment, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Clifton Street, District Six; On Clifton Street, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Eaton place, District Six; Eaton Place. Although in a ramshackle state, the Victorian style buildings still reminded the observer of times gone past, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Elderly couple, District Six; An old inhabitant of District Six keeps her ailing husband company in a bedroom of her daughter's house, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Eoan group rehearsal, District Six; A cultural group, named the Eoan group, was formed among the mainly coloured community. For many years, the organisation entertained the public with ballet performances, operas and plays. Putting one of his tenors through his paces, during a break in building stage props, is director Joseph Manca. District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Family home, District Six; Not the most impressive facade, but this was home for more than one family, crammed into small rooms, and sharing whatever facilities were available which, in general, were extremely insufficient, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Fish market, District Six; The old fish market in Hanover Street, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Games on the pavement, District Six; Using a pavement for a game of fox and geese made for great enjoyment, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Gangster street murals, District Six; Some of the street gangs made sure their territories were well marked, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Girls skipping in Upper Ashley Street, District Six; Rope skipping in Upper Ashley Street (now named Blinde Street), District Six, Cape Town, South Africa. These quaint cottages survived the bulldozers and have, since, been turned into upmarket townhouses.

: Hawkers' barrows, District Six; Hawking fresh vegetables, fruit, or fish, was big business in the area, and beyond. When not in use, hawkers' barrows were stashed along pavements. The wheels were removed to prevent unauthorised use or theft by rivals, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Inside of a house, District Six; Interior of a home in District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Khalifa, District Six; Khalifa is a test of faith in the power of mind over matter, District Six, South Africa. This mysterious ritual is performed on special occasions, among select groups or, by special arrangement, at public functions. The slashing of swords against forearms, or drawn across tongues and stomachs, without any show of blood, will forever mystify the observer.

: Late afternoon, District Six; Late afternoon shadows, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Man plays guitar, District Six; Give a man a guitar and he will entertain anyone who cares to stop and listen, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Neighbourhood of District Six; Residential neighbourhood of District Six before it was cleared in the late 1960s, Cape Town.

: On Kent Street, District Six; This friendly group ventured outside in Kent Street to oblige the photographer, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: On entering District Six; This impromptu sign greeted visitors on entering the area, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Playing the piano, District Six; Men socialising around the piano, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Residents of District Six; Residents of District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Richmond Street, District Six; Residents walking down Richmond Street in District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Street celebrations, District Six; Called The Coon Carnival, the end-of-year event was a time for dancing in the streets, various troops competing for trophies and the public, residents and tourists alike, having a whale of a time. The streets of the old district were turned into rivers of prancing participants, all dressed in their colourful costumes. District Six became (more) alive on these occasions.

: Sturdy buildings, District Six; Some of the buildings in the area retained character and sturdiness, and could have been saved. Alas, no reprieve was shown. District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Sunday teenagers, District Six; Sunday was show off day for the teenagers. That was when their best and latest finery were paraded on street or at meetings, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Woman and child, District Six; Walled in backyards became more prominent once exposed by the demolishing squads, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Young boys performing Khalifa, District Six; Khalifa is a test of faith in the power of mind over matter, District Six, South Africa. This mysterious ritual is performed on special occasions, among select groups or, by special arrangement, at public functions. The slashing of swords against forearms, or drawn across tongues and stomachs, without any show of blood, will forever mystify the observer.

: Young girl and her dog, District Six; Shy young girl and not so shy pet regard the camera with interest, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

: Young girls on the seven steps, District Six; One of the most prominent landmarks in District Six was the 'seven steps' - a popular meeting place for gangs and locals alike.

: Young hawker, District Six; Hawking fresh vegetables, fruit, or fish, was big business in the area, and beyond. When not in use, hawkers' barrows were stashed along pavements. The wheels were removed to prevent unauthorised use or theft by rivals. District Six, Cape Town, South Africa.

Source: http://www.digitalcollections.lib.uct.ac.za/spirit-district-six?display=list

District Six: The Desolation

Fairyland: When District Six was a playground

District Six plagued by bulldozers

When the bulldozers came, the people left

District Six: We will never forget

District Six: Today

District Six: District Six: A Photo Gallery

District Six: A Photo Gallery