Under South African Skies

PHOTOGRAPHY | PETTER HEGRE, ANTON ROBÉRT       WORDS | ANDREW KAISER, MATT SEGALE

South Africa is known as the Rainbow Country because of its wide-ranging wildlife, varied topography and long cultural heritage. It is a land that is literally bursting with possibilities; every sunrise brings new hope, every sunset the promise of a bright future.

With the icy Atlantic on one side and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean on the other, the backdrop shifts from dense forests in the west to the arid deserts of the east. In the spine of sea where the oceans meet dwell rare exotic marine life found nowhere else on the planet, yet found cooked to perfection in the very best restaurants of Cape Town.

Cape Town is sandwiched between the sea and an extensive range of peaks that climb into the southern sky. The city is on the Cap Peninsula, the tail of mountains that hang from the tip of the continent and end at the Cape of Good Hope. Drive for ten minutes in any direction and you come across new worlds, new temperatures, and new colors. The old buccaneer Sir Francis Drake once described the country as "the fairest Cape we saw on the whole circumference of the earth." There would be very little to warrant a change of opinion even today.

The most striking sight is Table Mountain, which is at the heart of the city and is frequently engulfed in a blanket of low clouds. From the highest point, the sheer drop urges the eye to stare into the distance and admire Africa's priciest real estate as it clings to the slopes along the chilly but spectacular Atlantic seaboard.

Cape Town in recent years has become a magnet to the entertainment industry with new film studios, television stations and fashion designers from across the world setting up shop and adding to the vibrancy of the city.


PETTER HEGRE

In the years before the world had been mapped out, there was only one way to get people to venture into the unknown. One had to tempt those around them with visions of limitless tropical paradises, spur them on with dreams of golden cities and titillate them with islands of beautiful and savage Amazons. In today's world of GPS and digital navigation it is hard to imagine any land on this earth that can still conjure up tales of fantasy and delight. Petter Hegre, however, has managed to find and preserve this image through his work in South Africa.

Hegre approaches South Africa the way a 15th century explorer might; with an eye for all the marvels contained within. In South Africa, he has found his Shangri-la. Cape Town is buffeted by awe-inspiring mountain ranges that surge along the coast like waves of solid rock. At times these hillsides are sharp, fierce, intimi-dating; at other times they seem to represent the soft, curving beauty of South Africa's (and the world's) top models. This sublime struggle between the predatory quality of nature and the sensual feminine allure in both South Africa's land and models gives off a sense of viewing a long-lost fantasy world, one that is both terrifying and intoxicating at the same time.

The women of South Africa, under Hegre's careful eye, can be described as nothing other than living, breathing testaments to feminine strength and beauty. Their graceful and lithe movements, their gentle features, the almost inhuman purity of color in their hair and skin, all these qualities portray a mythical model of femininity that men have dreamed of for hundreds of years and scoured the globe for. At the same time there is a subtle, preying essence that lies barely concealed beneath the surface of his models, an essence more befitting for an unyielding woman warrior or a panther poised to spring rather than an earthbound angel.

Through Hegre's skilled and enchanting vision we are reminded that angels can often be demons waiting in disguise. As the explorers of old were all too aware, paradise can be swept away from you with a sudden ill-wind.

Be that as it may, Petter Hegre's depiction of a South African paradise is enough to urge a new generation of explorers to set sail for heaven on earth. A tropical warmth radiates from the land in his pictures; he has captured that magical climate that hundreds of years ago sent ships full of fog-drenched Europeans to the new world. The dazzling kaleidoscope of colors that explodes from his lens are so rich and breath-taking that they barely seem to represent any plotted region of the world. The lush green vegetation, the sun-soaked gray boulders and the awe-inspiring blue pools in Hegre's photos resemble the lost Garden of Eden. His enchanting work with South African models and waters could easily pass for images of the fabled fountain of youth that Juan Ponce de Leon lost his life seeking. The play between theserefreshing waters and ravishing beauties creates an ideal of youth everlasting that everyone wishes to possess. In these photos Hegre has captured a fleeting image of paradise, a final quick look for everyone who has forgotten that lost spirit of adventure and discovery.

Fortunately, Petter Hegre proves that the drive to explore has not completely faded from our collective consciousness. There are still a few wild places left on this earth, a few hard-to-find locations that are home to luxurious natural beauty, exotic and glamorous women, and a palpable thrill of danger. Seeking out these last remaining Shangri-La's and Sargasso's should be the drive of any serious photographer. In a place like South Africa, the land itself almost dictates what to shoot. Inspiration blazes in every blade of grass and creation springs from every stone. The very air strips one of his or her preconceptions, leaving one with the experience of seeing the world with the imagination of a child. One is almost overwhelmed by the vast, natural wonderland teeming all around them.

Marcel Proust once wrote that the real journey of discovery is not in seeking new lands but in seeking new ways to see. He also said that the only paradise is paradise lost. Hegre, however, shows us that neither of these statements is completely true. For in seeking new lands the photographer discovers new ways of seeing. And in South Africa, paradise is not quite lost yet.

Marcel Proust once wrote that the real journey of discovery is not in seeking new lands but in seeking new ways to see. He also said that the only paradise is paradise lost. Hegre, however, shows us that neither of these statements is completely true. For in seeking new lands the photographer discovers new ways of seeing. And in South Africa, paradise is not quite lost yet.


ANTON ROBÉRT

In the hero's journey, as articulated by Joseph Campbell, a young man leaves the comfort of his home behind, goes on a great adventure where he discovers a treasure of self-growth, and then returns home to share his knowledge with his homeland, benefiting all. In many ways Anton Robertés photographic career represents this hero's journey. Though raised in Cape Town, he ventured out into the world as a young photographer in order to learn his craft, returning home much later with the fruits of knowledge from his years abroad. Unlike a stereotypical hero, Anton's journey doesn't end when he returns home. Rather, it has just begun.

With special eyes developed during his time spent across the globe, Anton has returned to capture the magnificent beauty of his homeland. It is easy to understand why he was drawn back to South Africa. The land is pulsing with a mythic atmosphere that rivals the tales of Scherezade or the Brothers Grimm. It is a place where a foreigner could wander around forever until he is slowly consumed in the land�s dreams and half-whispers of paradise. But for a native like Anton, this shifting and mutable land is willing to reveal all its secrets.

“The locations in this region can be very inspirational,” states Robert. “South Africa and the surrounding areas have such a diverse landscape, mixed with great weather and beautiful people. It's so easy to take a short drive and find a location that speaks volumes, letting your creative energy just flow.”

The primary goal of Anton is to use the craft he has developed abroad to capture the magnificent beauty of his homeland, but at the same time he desires to reach prominence as one of the great photographers of South Africa. In both areas of his quest, Anton is doing admirably. His client list is growing rapidly, and he is becoming recognized as one of South Africa's top fashion photographers. He has proven his talent in several leading local magazines and advertising agencies and is approaching the peak of the photo-graphic world; being sought out by a growing list of global clients looking for a graphic maverick.

Under Anton's practiced eye, women morph into land, painting a portrait of South Africa that is illusory, mercurial, metamorphosing. Anton's women appear and disappear like desert mirages, becoming visible briefly to tempt before disappearing back into the land, leaving the viewer with nothing but the cruel terrain itself. Only a native of South Africa can truly appreciate this subtle aspect of the land and its people, a quality that can not be measured with an outsider's perspective, but can only be appreciated for its ephemeral qualities like the shift of desert winds.

Nevertheless, Anton recognizes that no journey is ever over; to remain complacent about one's work risks artistic death. To ensure continual personal growth Anton is constantly challenging himself, strengthening his photographic skills and taking greater risks. It is only through striving for improvement in his work that he finds himself able to keep growing. “Everybody can be a photographer now,” Anton says, “but we will always know who has talent and who is chancing it. Nobody can say what art is but we can recognize…technical skills.”

A certain humbleness lies at the heart of Anton's spirit. Perhaps, like the heroes of old, Anton recognizes that pride leads one to disaster. This is certainly true in the world of photography where pride can tempt one to force traditional commercial shots onto different models and landscapes rather than experimenting and looking for the delicate interplay between each unique subject and location in the way that Anton does. But Anton's modesty is the basis for not only his extraordinary work ethic; it also is the core of his amazing approachability. People can sense an unpretentious quality in Anton, and this leads them to respect him and inspires them to want to work with him. With his unassuming manner and ceaseless drive to perfect his craft, it is easy to understand why Anton is one of South Africa's hottest fashion photographers. "The secret," he says, "is to leave the client wanting more."

Though his travels have sent him around the world like a knight errant, and he has mastered his craft in other lands, Anton Robert is recognized primarily for his stunning work in South Africa. His acclaim is understandable; few people can charm such a vision out of the land and the human body that Anton can. Perhaps it's fitting that Anton's greatest work is that of his home, the heroes of old are always driven by a vision of their home; and they always return with a great treasure.

In Anton's case, this treasure is a spellbinding vision that the whole world can enjoy.