Zach Taljaard

History is built on confrontations and misunderstandings. I see this site as a peaceful battlefield with a good outcome for all. Taking away peoples freedom to enjoy God’s gifts to humanity saddened me and made me realize how selfish we can become to claim what we don’t own. I decided to rather work with the outcome of the event than the event itself. The boy was given the freedom by the action of many to dream about a better future. The boy embodies new life and a new future for all, the bench refers to the past and the wrongs done as it reflects “Whites only” signs, and the boat becomes the vessel which will steer us into the future. There is a confrontation in the piece between the boy and the ocean. It is meant to invoke the feeling that: “No matter what we are faced with we are capable of overcoming it if we believe in ourselves” The final artwork has a simplistic beauty about it. I chose for it to have a modern feel as I wanted to focus on representing the future rather than looking at the past. The work will be installed on a very derelict ablution blocks roof, which will hopefully be fixed in time. But for me as an artist installing the work on such a site gives it deeper meaning, it shows that we need to build on the negative of the past to work towards a better future, we need to learn from our mistakes. The work deals with confrontation and the will to achieve a greater goal. A very young boy overlooks the ocean, clinging to a small boat. He is dreaming about crossing the ocean one day, he is facing the challenge in front of him with pride and childlike naivety. This naivety is what most dreams are made off. It is up to us not to shoot down these dreams no matter how bizarre they may seem, but to take up the challenge and realize them.