In his new book Sharp Sharp - South Africa Street Style (Quivertree Publications), UK-born, Cape Town-based photographer Ed Suter explores the notion of post-apartheid South Africa through street fashion and culture. Through his photography he paints a colourful picture of how urban South Africa is redefining itself in the new millennium through fashion and street art.
Suter pounds the pavements of the country's three main cities – Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban - to reveal an eclectic myriad of how people across the colour line are expressing themselves through street fashion, graffiti and hand-painted street advertising.
Among the outstanding photographs, is the image of a young afro-haired girl in a striking blue dress with striking white lapels. More than what she is wearing, it is her hair and her infectious smile which make her instantly noticeable on the city's streets. She is not an exception, there are many images capturing the quirky and unconventional characters in the country's metropolises.
Partitioning the bold images of these self-styled urban icons is a glossary of quotations by renowned graffiti artists such as Faith47, Rasty, and Freddy Sam amongst others - all of whose work is featured in the book. It is in the graf artists' remarks that South Africa's colourful city landscape is really properly explained. Sam captures what is at the heart of Sharp Sharp when he remarks, “Colour creates energy, energy creates inspiration, and inspiration creates change. It is our responsibility to inspire ourselves to inspire others to inspire the change. Art is the remedy for this." Buy the book here. Visit Ed Suter's website here.
