Yebo/Yes is an exhibition by two young photographers, Oliver Dowdle, a 2010 Planet Pixl student from Mangaung and Jonas Posman, a photographer from Ghent. In 2009 they visited one another’s cities for a month, resulting in a portrait of two cities through the eyes of an outsider.
Taken by young photographers in a foreign city, the photographs aim to capture the general lifestyle and everyday activities of a foreign culture. It is clear that both photographers tried to capture the variety and contrasts that exist in both cities – there are photographs of rich and poor, of the beautiful and the unattractive, of diverse activities and portraits of people of all ages and races. This is all portrayed in technically excellent colour photographs. Through this exhibition, local visitors not only have an opportunity to see a bit of Ghent, but also to experience Mangaung through different eyes and in the process get to know their city better. Furthermore, Yebo/Yes introduces the public not only to the differences, but also the surprising similarities between the partner or ‘twin cities’ of Ghent and Mangaung.
The twinning of Mangaung and Ghent has existed since 2004 with the aim to strengthen both local councils; this is achieved by Ghent and Mangaung through sharing their experiences. This partnership is more than just collaboration between two city councils; it is also a link between two communities. The cooperation between the two cities seeks answers to some of the problems that are obvious in the exhibition: pollution, youth unemployment, education and the future for young people.
The exhibition will be opened by a representative of the Free State Provincial Government at 19:00 on Thursday, 2 June 2011 and there will also be a walkabout by the photographer, Oliver Dowdle on Friday, 3 June at 10:00. To attend the opening and or the walkabout please RSVP before 31 May 2011 at 051 447 9609 or oliewen@nasmus.co.za.
Additional Yebo/Yes photographs will be on display in satellite exhibitions at the Bram Fischer Building, the Clive Solomon Youth Centre in Heidedal and the Outdoor Youth Centre in Rocklands.
This photo project was realised as part of the city link between the Mangaung Local Municipality and the City of Ghent in cooperation with Planet Pixl School of Advertising and Oliewenhuis Art Museum (a satellite of the National Museum, Bloemfontein).