I am a bit worried when I read the description of the design of the South African Pavilion at the $60-billion Expo 2010 Shanghai, which opened at the beginning of May. The theme of the Expo is ‘Better City, Better Life’. You would think therefore that this would be a good chance to show to the world some of our modern economy, infrastructure and urban culture.
Instead, the design of the SA pavilion is based on a rondavel – a traditional round rural dwelling. According to a description of the pavilion highlights: “Zebra patterns on chair pads remind visitors of the natural scenery in South Africa… Inside the pavilion is a patio with round pads made of ostrich leather on top. Around the body of the patio are timbers for decoration, which resemble the traditional village and fences of South Africa and symbolize the core of its culture: humanity.”
SA Pavilion interior (image from Expo Shanghai website)
Yet another lot of 'traditional craft' on display (image from Expo Shanghai website)
Why are we hesitant, for example, to show off our urban culture? Where are our science parks, innovation and research centres? Where are the university and tech students? What about showing off our innovative young people, our creative industries, our different styles of architecture? (Although that does not apply to the hectares of faux Tuscan houses please)
Where is the portrayal of life in our townships and inner cities? Where are the sounds of our cities: kwaito, hip hop, rap, reggae, goema and Cape jazz, as well as the more historical marabi, kwela and mbaqanga? Where are the scenes of taxi ranks and train stations, the informal markets and shopping centres, the shebeens and spaza shops – the everyday experience of the majority of South Africans? Where are the people of Sandton and Soweto, Salt River and Site C (Khayelitsha)? Why not use the cityscapes of artists such as David Koloane and Jackson Nkumando, amongst others, to tell our story?
Especially given the explicit urban theme of the Shanghai Expo, where are the icons and symbols of our cities and towns and of the municipalities that run them, and our own vision of ‘better city, better life’?
I was slightly mollified when I read an article by Paul Cockburn, where he gives the assurance that “there will soon be a display of scientific objects. Prominent amongst these will be a replica of the skull of the recently discovered fossil skeleton Australopithecus Sediba; a model of the country’s latest satellite, SumbanilaSAT; and two examples of medical innovation: the Eyeborn artificial eye implant system and the Femipap self-administered test for cervical cancer. Durban-based AdeptAir’s fuel-efficient lightweight aircraft engine and Roboni-i, a fully programmable robot vehicle, will also be on show.”
That’s more in keeping with the SA pavilion’s own theme: Ke Nako (It’s Time) – The Rise of a Modern Economy.
I understand that different government departments, including Trade and Industry, Arts and Culture and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, will rotate the display at the SA Pavilion in the months to come. However, I am not convinced that the real South Africa will be on display at an expo that is due to be visited by 70m people over a six-month period. I will be very happy to be proved wrong.
The outside of the SA pavilion - at least some of the 'suits' are on display, and is that a multi-story building I see (image from channelnewsasia)
