November 2008
South Africa's top young artists are on board for a unique exhibition that brings surfers and sharks together (in a nice way). Ten surfboards decorated by graffiti, comic and other artists, including Konradski, Willie Bester and Mak1, will be surrounded by 40 haunting photographs of sharks by award-winning photographer Tom Peschak from the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF), a non-profit conservation group.
The Wavescapes Surfboard Art Exhibition runs until 3 December at the VEO Gallery in de Waterkant, culminating in a special charity auction for the NSRI and Shark Spotters.
With the surfboards, surfer comedian Mark Sampson will also auction five large-format, signed photos by marine biologist Peschak. After the exhibition, the Wavescapes Surf Film Festival opens with an outdoor screening at Clifton Fourth Beach on Friday 5 December, followed by 17 shows of the latest and hottest surfing films at the Brass Bell in Kalk Bay and Labia in Cape Town Sunday 7 to 14 December.
An African thread runs through the film programme, with documentary Zulu Surf Riders, about the Mqade brothers of Umzumbe in KwaZulu-Natal, showing with Bustin' Down the Door, the Shaun Tomson film, as well as Sliding Liberia, a beautifully made documentary about redemption and healing in war-torn Liberia. A short film called Shark Angels features South African shark researcher Alison Kock.
“Shark – a photographic journey" features Peschak’s most renowned shark photographs enlarged to highlight the plight of sharks, of which many species are close to collapse. The partnership between surfers and scientists to raise public awareness for the SOSF is a key aim of the exhibit.
“Sharks are the most important animals in our oceans! They sit on top of the food chain and without them nature’s delicate balance will collapse,” Peschak says.
“For example, sharks control the populations of large predatory fish on coral reefs, ensuring that the numbers of smaller grazing fish remains high enough to prevent coral reefs from being smothered and killed by algae. Sharks also keep predatory rays in check, which in turn allows shellfish populations to thrive, thus ensuring healthy commercial fisheries,” he said.
“My mission as a conservation photographer is to create visuals that make a difference; photographs that encourage people to substitute destructive behaviors that damage our environment with benign ones and photographs that inspire people to utilize their skills, enthusiasm and financial resources to aid conservation. I believe that an original and well-crafted photograph speaks a thousand words and hope that my images will give a voice to sharks and other marine animals and in turn contribute in a small way to safeguarding our planets marine heritage for future generations”.
Other artists on board for the Wavescapes exhibition are Trevor Paul, ND Mazin, Leonora van Staden, Kim Longhurst and Scott Robertson (collaboration), Motel7, Craig Paul (colloboration with Rory Valentine) and Ross Turpin.
The exhibition runs at the VEO Gallery (28 Jarvis Str - De Waterkant Cape Town – Tel: 021 421 3278) from 26 November to 3 December. Entrance is free. To attend the auction, call Riaan or Thalea on 021 421-3278.
Wavescapes is supported by African Surfrider magazine, Men's Health, Wavescape.co.za and the Cape Times
The first 500 festivalgoers who purchase tickets for the indoor screenings of the films will receive a free surfing movie from surfing brand Hurley.
For programming information, as well as examples of the works on show, please visit www.wavescape.co.za
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