Artists Statement Also Artits Talk (by Thobile Maphanga)

Our project takes a look at certain statistics about specific locations in Durban. These will be represented through dance and broadcast in highly populated areas in the city for public consumption. The public will be given the opportunity to vote whether they agree or disagree with the statistics via answering simple questions that should show what their interpretation or experience has been. This will then show how similar or different public perception is to specific data. In this way we hope to encourage the public to become more aware of their environment and engage with statistics that are readily available but hardly ever given the time of day.

Authors: Thobile Maphanga, Shelby Strange & Shanelle Jewnarain. Contributors: Paul Jones, Kirsty Ndawo, Justin McGee, Clem Hennessy & Patrick McGee Studios

• Thobile Maphanga is a Durban based dance practitioner. She obtained her Bachelor of Commerce degree from Rhodes University majoring in Information Systems and Drama. She is co-founder of the Rickshaw Collective and sits on the Flatfoot Dance Company board. She has worked both in corporate and artistic sectors and is interested in how these two worlds can interact and prove beneficial for all involved. Her recent work has been site specific and film based as she interrogates what it truly means to provide access to the arts and engage the public in dialogue around everyday topics.

Special Thanks: Patrick McGee Studios, DUT, City Of Durban