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Work
hard - Play harder
Amanda
Atwood and Bev Clark, Kubatana.net
June 28, 2010
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 On
Saturday 26 June The Production Company hosted its first "Party
with a Purpose" at Harare's Pomona Quarry. The invitation
read Industry: Work Hard Play Harder and advised "bring your
trash." Cans, bottles, fabrics and paper were all welcome,
and there were large bins at the entrance for people to put the
rubbish they had brought. According to co-organiser Rina Mushonga,
the idea is to say to people: "Come and have a good time.
We're not going to bludgeon you to death with a message, but
it's there. And we'll see how art and party and social
consciousness can be meshed."
Listen
The party was held in
an open space at the quarry, with bulldozers, graders and trucks
around the periphery. In the background, 80's hits like Boys
Don't Cry and 99 Red Balloons played. Big fires in drums kept
the winter chill at bay and lights, lanterns, graffiti and hay bails
gave the sandy quarry a festive atmosphere.
Against the side of a
building, a quirky, fun series of video clips played on repeat,
with shots of buildings exploding, recycling cartoons and eco-animation.
The party was
inspired by a "drunken comment" during HIFA by fashion
designer Peta Searle to Mushonga, who said "wouldn't
it be really cool to do a fashiony recycling thing." A week
later Searle didn't remember the idea, but when Mushonga reminded
her about it, the two agreed to start putting it into motion.
Listen
Mushonga said
people were receptive to the "party with a purpose"
concept. "The biggest response we've had has been about
the recycling element. People are always happy to go to a party
and have a good time. But I think if they can go and have a good
time and feel that it's also doing something good, or it's
about something more than dancing around and getting drunk, then
it's all good."
Listen
Some party-goers
critiqued the $15 cover charge, but Mushonga said the gate takings
would primarily go to paying for the party itself, and for helping
the organisers to deal with the rubbish people had brought. But
even if they did make a profit, as Mushonga put it, "Commercialism
and consciousness are not mutually exclusive. Just because we're
making a profit doesn't mean we don't have a good heart."
Listen
 The
centerpiece of the evening was the Midnight Fashion Show, the launch
of Searle's Java Monkey label. In her designs, Searle includes
recycled elements such as bottle caps and rubbish. She also reclaims
old clothes and fabrics and integrates them into her designs.
The Industry
party was the first of what The Production Company plans will be
a bi-monthly series of parties centered around the eco-theme. If
you'd like to get involved in planning the next event, or
want to be informed about what's coming, email info@theproductioncompany.org
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