Rike Sitas
BSocSci Hons; MTech Fine Art
…imagination is what, above all, makes empathy possible… imagination is the one thing that permits us to give credence to alternative realities (Greene, 1995: 3).
Rike straddles a number of disciplines in her training, from history, political studies and sociology, to literature, philosophy and fine art. For Rike, an interdisciplinary and participatory approach is key to imagining creative urban alternatives. Her interest lies in the transformative potential of creativity, especially in the context of post-apartheid cities still marred by vast socio-economic and spatial inequality. Hers is a creative agenda for socio-spatial justice.
Rike has dabbled in the film industry in Cape Town and Durban but, engaging a participatory framework, prefers to use video and photography as agents for social change. Along with like-minded intellectuals, Rike ran the Industrial Organisational and Labour Studies Research unit at University of KwaZulu-Natal
for 2 years (2003-2004). As head of department nationally, she has taught Critical Studies and an honours critical and creative research module at the Durban Vega campus for 4 years (2006-ongoing). She has participated in a number of group and solo exhibitions at the KZNSA (2004, 2005, 2006 in Durban), ArtSpace Durban (2003), AVA (2007 in Cape Town), Johannesburg Art Gallery (2004, 2005) Bag Factory (2006, 2007 in Johannesburg). Her video work has been shown at the Rotterdam Film Festival (2005) and as part of Prog: ME in Rio (2005). She has also worked on collaborative projects with Jay Pather and Siwela Sonke, Republic (2004) and Paradise Now (2005) and at The Beautiful Ones Must Be Born, Constitutional Court (2006). She has been involved in a number of live music / video performances around Durban (2003 – present). In the earliest incarnation of dala as it was emerging as a concept, Doung, Rike, Vaughn Sadie and Dean Henning curated Red Eye Intersection for the Durban Art Gallery (2004) after having exhibited as part of the event a number of times. Rike has also written a number of catalogue pieces for emerging artists in Durban and writes critical art reviews for Artthrob.