'Light and variable winds with a large long period swell'

During the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Thomas Mulcaire and Ricardo de Oliveira created Afrika – a film inspired by Timothy Leary’s proclamation that humankind’s highest destiny was evolving towards a purely aesthetic state, and that surfing is the embodiment of this process. Following a group of Brazilian surfers on a road trip around Southern Africa, the film explores this notion through their dynamic encounters with a new and multifaceted part of the world.
 
Along the way they visit memorial sites to Samora Machel and Hector Pieterson, witnessing a new generation that is reinvigorating the political struggle. They visit surfing Mecca Jeffrey’s Bay, joining in on a protest against a nuclear power station that threatens to destroy what are universally known as the world’s perfect waves. They watch Brazil get knocked out of the World Cup in Port Elizabeth and then continue to do what they came for – surf.
 
Ultimately a documentary of this spirited journey, the film also references the genre of 1970s surf movies and introduces a psychedelic element to its execution. It is multilingual, featuring Portuguese and English, as well as subtitles in both languages. A TV documentary version of the film featured on Brazilian MTV earlier this year.

The opening of this exhibition will be followed by the world premier of Afrika at The Bioscope, Manin Street Life, City & Suburban, at 3pm on Sunday 3 July.

03 July - 03 July