George Branch

27 May 2020 | Text and photos George Branch.

For me, being African is to revel in the splendour of our world, to feel the warmth of the rising sun and be caressed by the gilding of light as the sun dips. African light has a magic of its own, bringing out the earthy and rich colours. I often wonder what the French Impressionists, or the great Dutch painters, would have achieved if they’d been exposed to the majesty of African light.

There is another part of being African, and that is to cherish the extraordinary diversity of natural life that exists here, unmatched anywhere else on earth – from the humbling might of an elephant to the vivid colours of a group of sea anemones. Sitting behind the lens of a camera is a privilege because it brings into sharp focus the multiplicity of sentiments that are Africa – both challenges and inspiration that emerge from the astonishing diversity.

Beyond the aesthetic appeal of our continent is another layer of human meaning: the joy and satisfaction of unravelling and understanding the science that explains why things are the way they are, which provides a cauldron of new ideas.

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What makes us African?

Text and Photos Supplied by the UCT community. Curated by Lerato Maduna.

During Africa Month, UCT News asked for submissions from across the university community about what makes us African and how this informs what we do. The insights and images shared here will give you a taste of who we are as Africans.