Neelam Patel

MALD 2007

My time in South Africa and Namibia was marked with contrasting images and experiences. The New South Africa, still very young from its Apartheid past, is one bursting with aspirations for a democratic future for all its citizens. Namibia’s incredible landscapes felt completely uninhabited and underappreciated. The social histories of both countries often made me feel as though I had traveled back in time in U.S. history. The freedom and equality underpinning most aspects of reform, especially in South Africa, are two virtues that sound like nothing more than rhetoric in changes taking place in many parts of the today’s world.

Forgiveness for the past and faith in the future are shaping the lives of the people of South Africa and Namibia. These photos are meant to show the some of the remnants of Apartheid South Africa, with an emphasis on the hope for the New South Africa. The beauty of the land, evident in the second half of this exhibit, serves as a source of inspiration to work towards that goal.