06/10/2026
TRACING THE ANATOMY OF SPATIAL SILENCE
The installation, “ Tracing the Anatomy of Spatial Silence “ uncovers the complicity of mapping in the erasure of the historical evidence of the spatial and lived history of Black, Indian and Coloured people in the city of Johannesburg.
A series of layered, translucent maps excavate and uncover spaces that were historically erased in Colonial and Apartheid-era maps of Johannesburg that selectively manipulated the spatial reality of the city.
Spatial silencing refers to the cognitive and neurological process of generating an experience of silence within a space. It involves brain mechanisms that create a perceptual “empty region” in auditory or visual attention, suggesting that silence is not merely an absence of input, but a perceived absence.
Historical maps of Johannesburg’s spatial growth over time, depicted areas of “Locations” (historic areas inhabited by people of colour) as a blank or empty regions. Other areas of state-enforced forced removals were jubilantly renamed.
This created the perception that the Black areas were conquered, uninhabited or didn’t exist in the first place, as depicted in 1969 Holmdens Street Map where:
· Sophiatown, historic cultural hub and mixed area was renamed in Afrikaans “Triomf “meaning “Triumph”.
· Bosmont, a Coloured Location is depicted as uninhabited and without infrastructure.
· Western Native Township is depicted as an empty un-named region even though its inhabitants continued to live there.
Through the creation of Counter-Maps, including excavating aerial maps of the time, an attempt is made to excavate the erased spatial history of the Black lives lived there, and provide spatial evidence
as an Act of Repair.
None of this is possible without the support of our partners:
Pan-African Biennale
Belgotex
Market Photo Workshop
Taj Printerscc
Inzule
