What’s my definition of entertainment? Certainly not scrolling through my feeds in search of the latest clothing trends, writes Cape {town} Etc’s Micayla Vellai.
I find joy in knitting (does anyone still do that anymore?), scrapbooking, writing with my non-dominant hand, having a go at learning a new word, and reflecting on fond memories by glancing through albums.
That’s right, albums. You know, those blank books for the purpose of inserting photographs – often discoloured, a little tattered around the edges but full of history. Does anyone still own albums though? The film photographs completes this masterpiece and bleeds love, some distorted, others blurred… yet utterly perfect.
Raw, tactile and untouched. That used to be what comprised anything owning the title of being ‘real.’ And even though I still love developing photographs, it’s not nearly the same. I miss the anticipation, waiting weeks to receive a photo only to have it returned, completely out of focus. Someone’s finger was in front of the lens, someone’s eyes were shut. You can never get that moment back, you can never recreate it, but it was perfect.
I am completely fascinated by things that are flawed, because to me, that depicts the most natural form. No fancy filters, no tweaks and edits. In fact, I find it quite surprising how in today’s society, we actually have the option of filtering an image to make it appear ‘less fake’ – adding touches of blurriness to it, or throwing on a black and white filter to unknowingly mimic analogue photography, imagine that?
In that same breath, I find it uncomfortable how images can now be mass replicated and mass produced. One becomes 1000. It’s uncomfortable, yet fascinating. So as much as I navigate between two ways of thinking, the fact remains that my deep connection to photo albums will always remain.
And that’s what’s important. To remain authentic in an ever-changing world, and even though there are aspects that will undeniably change, you can still hold on tight to that which feeds your soul. And for me, that means photo albums, old photographs and the joy it brings.
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Finding the mystery artist at the Zeitz Mocaa, Home Is Where The Art Is
Picture: Unsplash
