The Gardens Media Group

In 2011, I corresponded with Judy Hecker, the curator of the exhibition Impressions from South Africa, 1965 to Now, held at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The conversation focused on the Gardens Media Group — our collective of artists and students who, during the 1980s in South Africa, produced media in support of various political organizations, cultural groups and trade unions.

We had created several works that were included in the exhibition, and Judy expressed interest in learning more about our history and contributions.

One of the pieces featured was a poster I designed for the Save The Press campaign in 1989. This is now part of MoMA’s permanent collection.

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Hi Judy,

We were a ragtag bunch of (mostly) art students who...in response to the regime of the day ... its abuses of power and state resources to divide and rule our country...we decided to work in an ad hoc collective to produce media, t- shirts, posters, stickers and graffiti that confronted the state.

Initially we did our own projects unaffiliated to any progressive organizations. Printed posters and made t-shirts in response to events of the day. The State of emergency, hunger strikes etc. With a few politically involved members, who were part of various organizations within the Mass Democratic Movement, we soon made organic connections with these groupings. Chief amongst these was the End Conscription Campaign. A few of our group were very active within this organization and in leadership positions within the local ECC structures. It was also a movement which had direct bearing on our group. Some of us where avoiding conscription by studying.

We started working with other organizations as well. Church groups. trade unions. Detainee support groups etc. We initially called ourselves LAG (Loosely Affiliated Group).

It was easier to recruit unorganized students into our collective, as ours was a less intimidating grouping. There must have been about 10 to 15 active members and sometimes many more would join us for various projects .We went on like this for a time, but as our skills became more focused and as we became recognized as a committed, quick and reliable resource we began to be used and consulted by a broad range of groupings within the Mass Democratic Movement. We therefore constituted ourselves into a more formal grouping called The Gardens Media Group. Culture had also become an effective tool in the struggle, with various organizations using music and cultural events as an effective strategy of political engagement. Our grouping was a result of our individual members commitment to attempt to shift political power and in using our skills as artists to effect this change.

The guiding principles being: (I recently found minutes to the meeting where we agreed to these principles, otherwise I would never have remembered!)

1. To work for a non-racial and democratic South Africa
2. To oppose racism and sexism.
3. To unite visual artists and to establish co-operative ways of working.
4. To form links with progressive organizations and to put our resources at the service of those organizations.

We serviced political organization with our skills, as well as generated our own projects, as a response to the issues of the day.

These are some projects that I recall. Basically, from 1985 to 1989
(...there were many more...excuse the lack of specific dates...it was a while back)

• We produced ECC calendars and banners.
• Designed and printed many t-shirts for various Mass Democratic Movement organizations.
• Posters as well. For many orgs.
• Designed the Cosatu diary 2 years running.
• One of our members designed the FAWU ( Food and Allied Workers Union) logo. Still in use today.
• We did media production for The Govan Mbeki Welcoming Committee. And banners. We did our own project for this as well, printing 6 part (3 color) silkscreens  which we put up all over Cape Town.
• Did the May Day is Ours poster series (for COSATU)
• Did a huge painting on paper related to one of the prisoners hunger strikes and put this up in the middle of the city.
• We would spearhead discussions around cultural issues of the day. We took on the contentious Triannual held at the South African National Gallery. This event was eventually cancelled.
• We assisted in the media for the banned Towards a Peoples Culture festival. We participated as artists in this festival as well.
• We curated a mammoth photographic exhibition, South Africa in Conflict, which ran concurrent to the Anti-War film festival held at the Baxter Theatre. We designed the poster for this film festival as well.
• We assisted in the painting of murals including one at Community House Salt River
• Designed and printed May Day t-shirts 1985 to 1988
• Designed and printed Youth Day t-shirts 1985 to 1988
• Designed and printed Woman’s Day t-shirts 1985 to 1988
• Designed and printed memorial t-shirts for the funerals of struggle comrades including Ashley Kriel.
• Printed t-shirts for funeral marshals.
• We produced banners for the Gardens Youth Congress.
• Designed and printed posters for the SARMCOL workers play.
• We were consulted for the new logo for NUMSA (National Union of Mineworkers)
• Produced handouts for the Free The Children Alliance.
• Graffiti blitzed the city from time to time.
• Media support for various hunger strikes.
• Designed media for various progressive music events held on UCT Campus and other venues.
• Co-ordinated Cape Town artists for the JHB exhibition for the Detainees Parents Support Group.
• Produced media for the Living Wage Campaign mass rally.
• Designed media for the Save The Press Campaign.
• Worked with The Black Sash.
• Did various media for the United Democratic Front.
• We established the T-shirt printing arm of the Community Arts Project Media Project at Community House in Salt River Cape Town. 2 of our members were employed there full time.
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Some members...not all...

Paul Grendon
Angela Ferreira
Josie Grindrod
Julia Charlton
Brett Murray
Jann Cheifitz
Stacy Stent
Trish De Villiers
Roger Van Wyk
Roger Meintjies
Gaby Chemenais
Janet Purcell
Nike Ramano
Lovell Friedman
Hans Voerman
Jo Ractliff
Terry Kurgan
Jane Solomon
Bernard Milner

Regards
Brett

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In 1987, Community House in Salt River, Cape Town, which housed COSATU and various anti-apartheid organizations, including the Community Arts Media Project, was bombed by Vlakplaas and Security Branch operatives. The Media Project was badly damaged. The bombing occurred on August 29th. Several individuals involved in the bombing, including those from Vlakplaas, sought amnesty through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Fuck them.