Ismail Farouk wins the first annual Sylt Quelle Cultural Award for Southern Africa
Ismail Farouk won this year's newly launched annual Sylt Quelle Cultural Award for his 'Johannesburg Trolley Pusher Formalisation Project'. The cross-disciplinary award, launched by the Foundation Kunst:raum Sylt Quelle and the Goethe-Institut, invited proposals from writers, artists, choreographers, musicians, filmmakers and others, in Southern Africa, focusing on practitioners that engage local issues through their work.
Farouk's project concerns the trolley pushers in the Johannesburg CBD who transport heavy luggage between the Jack Mincer Taxi Rank and the Park City Taxi Rank. Most of the trolley pushers are illegal immigrants and the trolleys they use are stolen property, and consequently they have a troubled relationship with authorities. The trolleys on which they depend for their livelihoods are regularly confiscated by the police, who also fine and detain the pushers.
Farouk describes his work in general as 'creative responses to racial, social, political and economic injustice', which 'aims to empower and mobilize citizens in the struggle for social and spatial justice', and this project is set to legalise trolley pushing activities. Farouk will set up formal partnerships with the police and city administrative bodies, and help trolley pushers with the relevant documentation, as well as educating them on their rights. He will also design and produce carts, as well as help regulate their activity to make these small businesses legal. The carts will also become a vehicle for distributing information on HIV/Aids, xenophobia and other social issues.
Farouk, who is currently in California with a MAK Center Urban Future Initiative (UFI) grant, will be awarded 10 000 Euros to finance the proposal. Project documentation will be presented at the Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, the Kunst:raum Sylt Quelle in Germany, and other venues next year.
