Journey with Me

A solo exhibition by Luxolo Witvoet

15.10.20 - 19.11.20

AVA New Media Room

In his latest series "Journey With Me," Luxolo Witvoet documents the stories of South Africans commuting to and from work, school and job hunting. While simply riding on the train might seem like a mundane, everyday act, the train holds special significance in South African history.

"During Apartheid, the train was the transport that our forefathers & mothers used to travel long distances from one province to the next, in search of work and a better tomorrow for their offspring - us"- Luxolo Witvoet

Witvoet's connection to the train is a personal one: "My nineteen-year-old late grandmother traveled from her birthplace, Aliwal North, to relocate to Cape Town, using the train. While in Cape Town, she eventually found work as a maid and she met her husband on the train en route to work." The train remains the most commonly used mode of transportation, but the riding experience has declined significantly for many riders in recent years. This is a point that Witvoet, and the 25 people he spoke to for the documentary-style series, made a point of emphasizing.

"Ever since the management changed from being government-owned to privately-owned PRASA, things have become detrimental," the artist notes. With "Journey With Me" the artist offers fellow commuters an opportunity to speak about the fragile state of the train system, by sharing what they enjoy about taking the train as well as what they dislike or even hate, about it.

"Using my art as a tool, I wanted to voice the people whom the media doesn't bother to listen to. I took 25 photographs that commemorate the 25 years of democracy and my 25 years in this world." - Luxolo Witvoet

Witvoet's work offers a window into a central part of everyday life for many South Africans and urges viewers to immerse themselves in both the good and more challenging parts of each respective journey - from a visual perspective.

“These are their stories, some brief, some in-depth. Come and journey with us.”

Artist Biography

Luxolo Witvoet is a 25-year-old, multi-disciplinary artist. After matriculating he studied film at City Varsity in Cape Town, before turning his hand to photography.

Witvoet also experiments in painting and has participated in various group shows in and around Cape Town, as well as at Afro Vibes Festival, which was hosted in Amsterdam. Witvoet is currently experimenting with work that combines digital methods with more traditional processes of painting and collage.