Appropriation, negotiation and insurgency of space: A study of street artists and skaters in Johannesburg
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Date
2012-07-19
Authors
Phasha, Potsiso
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
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Abstract
Street
skating
and
street
art
are
visible
characteristics
of
most
cities
across
the
globe.
In
Johannesburg,
the
two
activities
are
marginal
which
have
grown
increasingly
visible
over
the
past
few
years.
This
study
looks
at
how
space
is
appropriated,
negotiated
and
made
insurgent
by
street
skaters
and
artists
in
the
city
for
their
own
needs.
It
does
this
by
exploring
the
relationship
between
planning/planners,
Johannesburg
as
the
space
and
the
skaters
and
artists
as
occupants
of
that
space.
The
study
argues
that
planners
do
not
adequately
understand
spontaneous
communities
in
the
city
and
that
street
skaters
and
artists
stand
as
two
gateways
in
beginning
to
interact
with
this
spontaneous
aspect
of
life
in
the
inner
city.
Through
autophotography
and
film,
the
study
reveals
how
physical
infrastructure,
negotiations
with
security
guards
and
the
police
and
the
convenience
of
the
inner
city
are
all
examples
of
some
of
the
factors
that
influence
the
processes
of
how
and
why
space
is
appropriated,
made
insurgent
and
negotiated
over.