Keasher Malgas waits in the team’s kitroom before practice. They store their uniforms and equipment in a space in the school garage space, which is also used as the changing room for the team. The team’s busbys (the specialised hats) are kept safe in plastic containers.

ALICE MANN – “DRUMMIES”

All images © Alice Mann, courtesy David Hill Gallery / Afronova Gallery

On September 19, South African photographer Alice Mann celebrated the preview of her award-winning series Drummies at the David Hill Gallery in London – her first solo exhibition in the UK.
The series showcases drum majorettes from schools in the Western Cape and Gauteng. Over the course of four years, Mann photographed these girls, highlighting their strength, confidence and pride. These qualities are especially striking given the challenging circumstances in which they grew up in – communities where opportunities for young women, like those depicted, are very limited.
According to Christine Eyene, an art historian, critic and curator, this series also exemplifies Mann´s unique ability to form meaningful connections with her subjects, regardless of their age.

At just 27, Alice Mann became the first photographer to win the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize for a series of photographs, submitted four individual portraits of the drum majorettes.
Having already been exhibited in New York, Paris, Johannesburg and other major international art fairs already, the Drummies exhibition at the David Hill Gallery features 19 images. It includes previously unprinted works as well as entirely new, unseen pieces.

The exhibition is running until 30th of November 2024.