In the remote town of Oranjemund, two glistening beings – heads covered, skin glowing, eyes bright – go on the prowl across the desert and into the ocean beyond. Or so Ericke Tjiueza’s latest series ‘Golela’ invites us to imagine. The Namibian photographer and filmmaker spent a month in this isolated location for the annual OMDis Residency – part of a broader programme aimed at diversifying Oranjemund away from its reliance on diamond mining. His resulting project unites the otherworldly with the natural world to consider the very real challenges facing the local community. Through ‘Golela’, we can appreciate their beauty, their fears and their hopes all at once. The artist tells us more.

What should we know about Oranjemund?

For a long time, access to Oranjemund was controlled and restricted by De Beers. The entire town’s population either worked or earned a living from the diamond mine. At retirement (60) the employees at the mine had to move out of the town and ‘re-start’ their lives. Then in 2019, there was a threat of the mine closing down. With a lot of gossip about what life is like just across the river in Alexander Bay (a former mining town), many of the people were afraid. OMDis is a special purpose vehicle created to reduce their reliance on the mine through establishing new industries. They have turned to art to help carve out a unique identity for the new town - one that can highlight its people, culture, talents and reconnect it to Namibians.

What was your engagement with Oranjemund during the residency?

While living in Oranjemund, ‘escapism’ emerged as a prevailing theme, embodied in the town's predominant pastime, drinking. Also central to the town's identity is the distinctive head attire worn by the miners, the balaclava, which serves as a practical necessity for diamond mining. Their visibility in everyday life here inspired me to reflect on the role of face masks in African culture. Although African masks and miners’ balaclavas may appear distinct on the surface, both serve as potent symbols of identity, spirituality and community, transcending their material forms to convey deeper meanings and connections within their respective contexts. Balaclavas represents anonymity within the transient community, acting as a shield against the human condition of living within the confines of a remote mining town.

How did the series begin to emerge?

My inspiration came from the traces of human presence scattered along the shoreline of the Orange River - rusted tins and discarded beer cans, relics of consumption in a place where time seems suspended. I recycled these artefacts, amongst others, and they served as the genesis for the mask designs. The masks are artistic expressions on their own, which were made in collaboration with local craft artists.

What is a Golela?

In African folklore, a Golela is a malevolent, manlike animal that hides in the shadows. The masks represent golelas but they also embody the resilience and resourcefulness of people from Oranjemund, as evidenced by the creation of the balaclavas and by the avian symbolism drawn from the region's wildlife. The masks pursue stories of freedom, a metaphor for the yearning for liberation and community that resonates within the hearts of people I shared time with.

How do you hope the work lands with viewers?

Against the backdrop of the river's gentle currents and the sprawling desert landscape, expressions of Black masculinity take on a new dimension. My photography reflects the utilitarian ethos that permeates life in Oranjemund, where material abundance is scarce and weather conditions are harsh. My hope was to create work that could make the people feel curious about what else they can be.

‘Golela’ is currently on view at the Project Room, Windhoek, until 26 July 2024