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Depth Perception Exhibition 2015 - Karl Schoemaker

 

Depth Perception 2015

I am very fortunate in that photography gets me around; I get to see places on this planet not many get to see. This gives me the opportunity to get unique images.

At the end of an underground shoot at a gold mine in Crixas, Brazil, my hosts took me into these old pillar mining diggings. I was then told that we had to be back on surface in 15 minutes. as they were going to start blasting deeper down in the mine.

So; no time to think, find the shot, set it up, click and go.

This image forms part to the ‘Depth Perception’ show, which was a body of work covering some of my mining photography. The entire show was done in black & white…my favourite medium, however I think I prefer this shot in colour. I like the fire of the orange contrasted with the coolness of flash, and the monotone of the reflections and rock face.

Carletonville, South Africa, 2008 - prospective employees are taken through a medical and physical examination as part of the recruitment process.
Tshayile! | Carletonville, South Africa, 2008 - Miners go leave the mine at the end of their shift. Tshayile! - Hometime!
Orpaillers 5 | Near Siguri Town, Guinea, 2008 - Orpaillers, or Artisanal Miners, are common place in Guinea, and West Africa as a whole. Mining for gold is a way of life, and has been going on for generations, with skills handed down from parents to children. The arrival of modern mining companies into the area has brought conflict, as these artisanal miners can be quite militant. There are deaths daily in the artisanal workings, with mud slides, and cave-ins, burying the Orpaillers alive, the conditions are harsh and extremely dangerous. The mining companies have started programs to train the community with skills other than mining in the hope that the problem should lessen, and lives are not lost.
Feet | Carletonville, South Africa, 2008 - prospective employees are taken through a medical and physical examination as part of the recruitment process.
Orpaillers 4 | Near Siguri Town, Guinea, 2008 - Orpaillers, or Artisanal Miners, are common place in Guinea, and West Africa as a whole. Mining for gold is a way of life, and has been going on for generations, with skills handed down from parents to children. The arrival of modern mining companies into the area has brought conflict, as these artisanal miners can be quite militant. There are deaths daily in the artisanal workings, with mud slides, and cave-ins, burying the Orpaillers alive, the conditions are harsh and extremely dangerous. The mining companies have started programs to train the community with skills other than mining in the hope that the problem should lessen, and lives are not lost.
Orpaillers 3 | Near Siguri Town, Guinea, 2008 - Orpaillers, or Artisanal Miners, are common place in Guinea, and West Africa as a whole. Mining for gold is a way of life, and has been going on for generations, with skills handed down from parents to children. The arrival of modern mining companies into the area has brought conflict, as these artisanal miners can be quite militant. There are deaths daily in the artisanal workings, with mud slides, and cave-ins, burying the Orpaillers alive, the conditions are harsh and extremely dangerous. The mining companies have started programs to train the community with skills other than mining in the hope that the problem should lessen, and lives are not lost.
Near Siguri Town, Guinea, 2008 - Orpaillers, or Artisanal Miners, are common place in Guinea, and West Africa as a whole. Mining for gold is a way of life, and has been going on for generations, with skills handed down from parents to children. The arrival of modern mining companies into the area has brought conflict, as these artisanal miners can be quite militant. There are deaths daily in the artisanal workings, with mud slides, and cave-ins, burying the Orpaillers alive, the conditions are harsh and extremely dangerous. The mining companies have started programs to train the community with skills other than mining in the hope that the problem should lessen, and lives are not lost.
Orpaillers 1 | Near Siguri Town, Guinea, 2008 - Orpaillers, or Artisanal Miners, are common place in Guinea, and West Africa as a whole. Mining for gold is a way of life, and has been going on for generations, with skills handed down from parents to children. The arrival of modern mining companies into the area has brought conflict, as these artisanal miners can be quite militant. There are deaths daily in the artisanal workings, with mud slides, and cave-ins, burying the Orpaillers alive, the conditions are harsh and extremely dangerous. The mining companies have started programs to train the community with skills other than mining in the hope that the problem should lessen, and lives are not lost.
Mechanics | Ghana 2008
Nana Kojo Minnah II | Teberebie, Ghana, 2008 - Nana Kojo Minnah II is the Nana (chief) of the Teberebie Community, and is part of the Community Consultative Committee, and the Monitoring Advisory Group with the local Gold Mine. Basically; nothing happens without his say-so!
Alien Nation | Patagonia, Argentina, 2012 - gold mine in Patagonia are very rich in silver, making the bars produce at the gold plant onsite silver/white in colour. The bar has only 10% gold content. Working in the gold plant is quite uncomfortable, due to the extreme heat from the furnaces. Visitors to the gold room are given an overall to wear, and all jewellery needs to be left behind. Getting a camera in there is a whole other story…
Doba | Democratic Republic of Congo, 2012 - Doba Ndombe was my shadow in the DRC, whenever I left the compound. The local police force supplies bodyguards for this purpose for the exploration company. I tried to get a pic of Doba for days, getting more and more insistent, eventually he gave in, and let me, including one with me in it too. Not long after that, Doba’s cell phone rang, on asking my translator what the ringtone was, he responded; “the national anthem of Zaire’. From that moment, I decided not to fuck with him anymore!
Spiralling | Tanzania, 2011 - The scale of these open pit gold mines is immense. The communities surrounding them benefit from Corporate Social Investment initiatives run by the mine, and also through employment. Strict rehabilitation programmes are followed, on mine closure, to attempt to regain a sense of normalcy with nature.
Let's Learn Something | EP Kilomoto 1 & 2 Primary school & Institute Tech Industriel (Technical High School), Mangbwalu, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2012 - The building the schools are housed in, were built by the Belgiums in the 1940’s, and have since never been maintained. The school is literally falling apart, with class being held in an excuse for a buliding. The floors are hardpacked clay. In the rainy season, water leaks in everywhere, and the floors turn to thick mud. The mining companies in the area are now systematically upgrading all the schools in the area with new buildings, in collaboration with the communities. I did visit a few schools where upgrades have been completed.
Tanzania, 2011 - A front loader is brought in for refuelling and an oil top-up at this highly mechanised open pit gold mine.
Road To Recovery | Westonaria, South Africa, 2015 - Mncedisi Momoza, has been on extended sick leave from the mines, with TB. Through a TB recovery program funded by the mines, and run by an NGO, Mncedisi is fully recovered and is returning to work.
It Takes Two | Westonaria, South Africa, 2015 - Mncedisi Momoza, has been on extended sick leave from the mines, with TB. Through a TB recovery program funded by the mines, and run by an NGO, Mncedisi is fully recovered and is returning to work.
AIDS Orphan | Moyo Wa Huruma Orphanage Centre, Geita Town, 2011 - There are about 75 children at this orphanage, all of them have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania is 'fairly' low, stated as at 7.5% (source - GGM). The kids range from around three years old to 15 years old. On arrival I was greeted enforce, where all the children upon taking my hand bowed almost to the ground; it was very emotional for me. Perusing these images was not an easy thing to do. All in all the kids seem healthy, happy and well cared for.
Emotional Support | Westonaria, South Africa, 2015 - Siphiwe Jafter Masango, and his wife in their refurbished house. Siphiwe was involved in a rockfall underground in a South African gold mine, and suffered spinal cord injuries. Through funding from his previous employer and an NGO, Siphiwe’s house has been refurbished to accommodate his injuries. Concrete walkways, ramps, and disabled access bathroom and outside toilet modifications has been fitted to enable Siphiwe easier access and better quality of life. Siphiwe is employed by an affiliate of the mine, manufacturing knee and elbow pads for use underground.
Underground 4 | Patagonia, Argentina, 2012 - miners in an underground gold mine in Patagonia. Being so far south, outside temperatures become extreme, with below zero conditions not unusual during Spring. These mines are not very deep, and are drive-in drive-out operations, via an incline shaft, and thus are totally mechanised. Totally different from South African Mines.
Depth Perception Exhibition 2015 - Karl Schoemaker
Gold Miner | Carletonville, South Africa, 2012 - at 3970 meters below ground, conditions can be extreme in South African Gold Mines. With a rock temperature of plus 50 degrees centigrade, it is imperative to cool down the air. Massive ice plants on the surface pump tons of ice to the deep levels which cool down the work areas. With a zero-tolerance attitude to safety, every precaution is taken to maximise the safety of the miners.
Underground 2 | Carletonville, South Africa, 2012 - at 3970 meters below ground, conditions can be extreme in South African Gold Mines. With a rock temperature of plus 50 degrees centigrade, it is imperative to cool down the air. Massive ice plants on the surface pump tons of ice to the deep levels which cool down the work areas. With a zero-tolerance attitude to safety, every precaution is taken to maximise the safety of the miners.
Coal Miner | Limpopo Province, 2012
City of Gold | Johannesburg, South Africa, 2012 - A view of Egoli, The City of Gold, from the top of the Main Reefs (Tailings dam) Mine Dump. The surface of the mine dump has been covered in zigzagging shade cloth barriers, to prevent dust pollution, and to sustain plant life as part of the rehabilitation program. I visited the same place a few years later, and the surface is now almost completely covered with grass.
Crusher | Crixas, Brazil, 2011 - Cleoni remotely operates the crusher at the gold plant, controlling the amount and flow of gold ore feeding through the crusher, on its way for gold extraction. While the environment is hot and humid, his cabin is temperature controlled, ensuring a level of comfort.
Underground 1 | Western Australian Outback, 2011 - Krista & Chris, Geologists at an underground gold mine, inspect a panel of the gold bearing orebody, marked out for blasting later that day.
Farm for a Hole | Colombia, 2011 - The Romero Family is one of 35 farming families in the area of this gold exploration project. The mining company has negotiated with the farmers about their land. The intention is to relocate the families to a better place, and assuring there is a financial benefit to them. This could prove tricky as most of the farmers owe money to the bank, more than the land is worth…to negate this, the mining company gets involved with the banks to assist the farmers.
Potso | Maseru, Lesotho, 2013 - Potso Sebeta, previously a migrant miner in the South African gold mines, waits to withdraw his disability benefit at the local Cash Office.
Maseru, Lesotho | Maseru, Lesotho, 2013 - Miners on leave, ex-miners, and beneficiaries of death and disability benefits collect their monies from the NGOs Cash Office. Wages due to miners are paid to them at the mines, however one third of their due is sent home to their families to draw from the local Cash Offices.
Migrant Miner | Maseru, Lesotho, 2013 - Miners on leave, ex-miners, and beneficiaries of death and disability benefits collect their monies from the NGOs Cash Office. Wages due to miners are paid to them at the mines, however one third of their due is sent home to their families to draw from the local Cash Offices.
The Mosque | Kitinia Village Mosque, Guinea, 2012 - A mine in the area required access to the road through Kitinia village, and through negotiations with the traditional leaders permission was granted. In return, the traditional leaders requested the mine build them another Mosque…. One would assume they would have asked for a clinic or school, however the mine not only built the mosque, but also a new school for the village. Captured in the image is the representative from the mine, with the Iman of the Mosque, and his Deans.
Tseliso | Ha Makhoathi Village, Lesotho, 2013 - Tseliso Motimeli is a Spinal Cord Injury patient, and well as a multiple amputee, after sustaining an injury working in the mines. Through funding from his previous employer and an NGO, Tseliso and his wife, Malineo’s house has been refurbished to accommodate his injuries. Concrete walkways, ramps, and disabled access bathroom and outside toilet modifications has been fitted to enable Tseliso easier access and better quality of life.
Dried Peas | Khotla (office of the chief) - Ha Setho Village, Lesotho, 2013 - Paul sits outside the Khotla (office of the chief), surrounded by sacks of dried peas and tins of oil donated by Canada. The Khotla is used as the administrative office of the village and where regular meetings are held with the surrounding village, community leaders, stakeholders, and NGOs doing work for the mining industry. The majority of men in his village are migrant miners, working in the the South African gold mines.
Joseph | Ha Leqele Village, Lesotho, 2013 - Joseph Ramorakane is the Chief of Ha Leqele Village in lesotho, and previously a migrant miner working in the South African gold mines. He now deals with the NGO’s, assisting them in 1/ to identify the number of miners and ex-miners in the village, and who they work/ed for. 2/ identify possible projects in the village and surrounding area that can be activated 3/ use this information to approach the respective mining companies to fund said projects.
Red | Western Australian Outback, 2011 -‘Red’ has been a driller most of his working life, based in remote areas of Australia. He works predominantly at exploration projects at a grass roots level, initially living in tents. The work is done under extreme conditions, making these guys very tough, and frankly, quite intimidating…on the outside. Later in the evening, around a fire, this ‘breed’ of people show themselves as genuine people that are real softies.
Admin | Nyakabale Village, Tanzania, 2010 - Kavula Sitta is the Executive Officer of Nyakabale Village, and is the key person dealing with the local mine regarding collaborative projects, and relevant community initiatives funded by the mine.
Secure | Colombia, 2011 - Colombian government forces patrol the gold exploration project site near Cajamarca. Colombia is a major shareholder and partner in this exploration project. It is extremely rare for a ‘foriegn’ mining company to be allowed to operate inside Colombia, as such, the government insist on providing security forces for the project.
Pre-dawn Shift | Kwazulu-Natal, 2012 - Miners at this Anthracite Colliery in Kwazulu-Natal start their shift before sunrise.
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