Culture Jamming In Cape Town

Creative Activism  

“Culture jammers understand the influence of the media and the ways in which corporations play a key role in shaping society” (Kaun and Kirby, 2009). 

Culture jamming is an established form of activism. It is a way of speaking back to corporate commercial messages that invade the public space. These commercial messages are hegemonic and culture jamming forms a counter hegemony for people to become critical viewers of commercial messages and depictions.

Name:Gabrielle Meyer
Location: Athlone 

Edward Bernays introduced modern advertising when he started using manipulation to advertise products (Curtis's, 2002). Since modern advertising advertisements no longer advertise their function but rather what association they have and how it will impact on a person’s identity. The status quo, Naomi Klein (2002) explains is where we have no private space and that each person is a walking advertisement. Culture jammers fight the dominate hegemony and try to enlighten the public to be active viewers rather than passive. Michael Elion installed a public art piece he had created on the sea point promenade, in Cape Town. The art symbolized freedom which was the vision Nelson Mandela had for South Africa. The art was placed on public ground and sponsored by Ray-Ban. The Tokolos-stencil disfigured Michael Elion’s art though culture jamming. 

“Culture jamming is defined as an organized, social activist effort that aims to counter the bombardment of consumption-oriented messages in the mass media” (Handelman and Kozinets, 2004). 

Culture jamming is driven by the idea that advertising is a form of propaganda device for accomplishing private interests (Kaun and Kirby, 2009). An effective culture jam illuminate’s the consequences of corporate behavior or addresses social issues and are clear about its message it is sending (Kaun and Kirby, 2009). The Tokolos culture jam was successful because it swayed people into believing their message, it conveyed strong emotions and challenged people’s perspective.

The Tokolos Stencils stencil has challenged the hegemony of post-apartheid South African society to taking on a counter hegemony. In my opinion public art should not be funded by private corporations because it then demolishes the key aim of the art, to only serving the public. Tokolos stencil has found its stencils challenging the minds of those who are marginalised by society and thus are effective in perusing its purpose. Through culture jamming South Africa could have a revolution in how the participants in its society respond to the media. The media is key in society and the more people understand how they are being manipulated the better they can defend themselves.