Jamming to map creative scenes and practices

ABSTRACT

In this paper I detail my experiences undertaking an ICT4D project that aimed to better understand how under-resourced visual creatives used mobile technologies to participate in creative ‘scenes’ in Cape Town, South Africa. The project was focused on developing novel digital applications to better support localized practices. From a post-qualitative perspective, I could map the scenes of ‘jamming’ together with participants. In describing these scenes, a better understanding is formed of how technologies could be re-designed to support situated creative activities as constellations of creative practices, social imaginaries and materialities. I offer provocations for the future of Digital Development within the creative and cultural industries, namely that creative scenes are about social imaginary and the imminent participations of people; That creative participation is about more than just economic participation; That doing inquiry is about imagining different material realities together with participants; And that ‘development’ implies dynamic change.

KEYWORDS:

• Creative economy
• cultural industries
• creativity support tools
• information communication technologies for development

Acknowledgements

This work would not have been possible without the supervision of Prof Gary Marsden (1970-2013) and his visionary work at the center in Information Communication Technologies for Development at the University of Cape Town (and thank you to his life partner Gil for the copyediting). Thanks are also owed to the brilliant Prof Marion Walton who worked alongside him, and then without him, in guiding my research. To Nokia and Microsoft Mobile for funding this undertaking. To my supervisors for my postdoctoral fellowship at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology - Prof Nic Theo and Prof Izak van Zyl – for not allowing me to give up on publishing this work and supporting me in doing so. And to the Kasi creatives (you know who you are), for showing me the very cool creative scenes that live in our city.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 In South Africa the concept of ‘transformation’ is particularly tied to the corrective measures that address a post-Apartheid society. These measures are aimed at dismantling structures that perpetuate inequalities in society.

2 In South African parlance, a ‘township’ or ‘kasi’ refers to urban areas formally designated, under Apartheid law, to people of color in their distinct socio-linguistic groupings (separated as Black, Indian and Colored). These areas consist of low-cost or informal housing and are located on the periphery of cities.

3 50–300 South African Rands (R) were equivalent to $3 – $22 at the time

4 The name of the participant’s crew has been altered to obscure his real identity.

5 In street art, a ‘tag’ refers to an artist’s signature (typically a pseudonym). Artists or collective groups ‘write’ these names in public spaces, often thought of as a war of art, and the concept has come to constitute a distinct repertoire of graffiti styles.

6 A ‘pimp cup’ is a gold and jewel-encrusted chalice from which you typically drink alcohol.

7 A ‘grill’ is a mouth guard worn over the teeth, typically encrusted with gold and other valuable materials.

8 ‘Gqom’ is a unique South African style of dance music which originated in Durban with minimal repetitive bass beats.

9 ‘Kwaito’ is a distinct flavor of South African Hip-hop which originated in Johannesburg in the 1990s, and has become one of the most popular musical exports from the country.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Nokia.

Notes on contributors

Anja Venter

Dr Anja ‘Nanna’ Venter is a producer at Free Lives, an indie games development studio. She recently completed her post-doctoral tenure at the department of Applied Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. She considers herself an ‘Artstronaut’ – someone who explores the creative universe through research, practice and futuring. She holds a MA in Media Studies and a PhD in ICT4D from the University of Cape Town. She has created design work for Apple Music, Nike, Microsoft, Speedo, Square Enix and Mr Price, among many others. www.nannaventer.co.za @nannaventer