2014 SFEROC

@ Homeaffairs in the UIF queue

Standing For Employment Regardless Of Colour

[Standing for the absurdity of skin colour as a criterion for employment]

At the beginning of 2014 I began writing up The Educators New Clothes for a master’s degree. I was doing this through a government higher education institution which I had been lecturing at, mostly part time, since 2001. My motivation for doing this was to secure my position so that I could continue teaching [design]. By August I was informed that masters is insufficient for white males as a qualification, that white men need a doctorate in order to be employed.

At the time taxi drivers were burning buses in various townships as a reaction to enforcement of fines. This violent anger reflected the anger and frustration within me as a reaction to this now constitutional employment policy. I felt like burning down the institution. Instead I went into protest by wearing a different coloured crocheted mask each day, as I entered the campus. I donned these masks at all times, during studio work, lectures and staff meetings.

The performance lasted two weeks. It was during a crochet module being taught in Surface and Jewellery Design. 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sftrtberoc/304667736386263
http://1stsurface.blogspot.com/2014/09/jewellery-surface-co-laboration.html, http://1stsurface.blogspot.com/2014/09/pink-tuesday.html, http://1stsurface.blogspot.com/2014/09/chain-mail.html, http://1stsurface.blogspot.com/2014_10_01_archive.html,