Rushay Booysen
“While the whole world seeks nuclear weapons, I choose to use my camera as a weapon of mass construction."
Rushay Booysen was born and raised in the small coastal city of Port Elizabeth on the Eastern coastline of South Africa. An avid supporter of various art mediums, he developed a love for sharing and exploring a variety of topics concerning identity, culture and post apartheid South Africa. In the early 2000's he joined online portal Africasgateway which focused on urban African musicians and the culture
of hip hop.
It was while documenting some of the events that were happening, that he developed a love for capturing and exploring discussions around imagery. His grassroots involvement around music, film and photography escalated his growth and eventual invite in 2004 to Stanford University in California, where he addressed students on race, culture and identity in South Africa.
In 2007 Rushay contributed images to a digital library initiated by Fundacio La Caixa in Barcelona, Spain that supports and encourages dialog in the global hip-hop community. With a key framework around education and art, Rushay often addresses visiting exchange students from numerous universities. He has contributed to several documentaries and engagement projects via webcasts and panel discussions.
Rushay’s future projects include a collaboration with former Shepard Fairey assistant Ernesto Yerena at a digital photography/canvas display at the third largest indigenous festival in the world Australia during the course of 2011.
Works
Selected Exhibitions & Projects
Exhibitions & Projects
Joined online portal Africasgateway.com | 2002 | |
Guest speaker at Stanford University, California USA | 2004 | |
Joined community radio station Bay FM presenting a show The Present Testament with partner Jbux. www.bayfm.co.za | 2005 | |
Digital library display in Barcelona, Spain | 2007 | |
Toured U.S and spoke at New York University, University of Michigan, California Lutheran University, Moad Museum in San Francisco | 2008 | |
Interview and photography feature on CNN's I-report | 2008 | |
Photo featured in The World Today www.theworldtoday.org | 2009 | |
Digital exhibition African-American Art & Culture complex, San Francisco, California | 2009 | |
Photo featured in German lifestyle magazine www.Intro.de | 2010 | |
Speaker San Francisco State University panel discussion Black Online | 2010 | |
Speaker, Thinkfest panel titled “Music and its Community Building Role” at Grahamstown National Arts Festival |
2010 |