Grant’s Whisky announced their collaboration with a creative photography trio from Soweto, I See A Different You. Founded by Vuyo Mpanthsa,25, Innocent Mukheli, 29 and his twin brother Justice, I See A Different You started as a photo blog which combined their love for fashion, art and photography but has evolved into a platform to change the way people perceive township life by creating stylized, startling visuals of ordinary people in ordinary settings. The partnership with Grant’s has taken the young creatives on a nationwide journey portraying everyday South African’s who have stood by one another to achieve shared success, all seen through their camera lens.
We talk to the photography trio about this collaboration
When and how did you realise your passion for photography?
We have always been artists especially being from an advertising background, photography is the first platform we started with and we have recently started with the film side and next will be Fine art.
When did you pursue it?
Vuyo did photography for 8 months at City Varsity about 3 years ago but couldn’t finish the degree, but we have always found an interest in photography. The rest was passion fused with a deep desire to shoot beautiful imagery, so we taught ourselves.
How has the journey been so far?
It has not been an easy one because of the three heads that we are, so there is a lot of arguments. But thanks to our 2 to 1 voting system, we are able to make calls quicker and execute some of our most exciting work. The Journey has thus far been a remarkable one, never had we imagined ourselves to be where we are today.
What is I See A Different You about?
It started off in 2011 as a movement which was dedicated to changing people’s perceptions about the negativity around Soweto, from there it got a whole lot of attention from people overseas and they said it changed their whole outlook of Africa. So I see a different you today is a movement dedicated to changing negative perceptions of Africa.
What are some of the challenges that come with what you do and how do you overcome them?
There are two days that don’t matter in our lives: the day before and the day after. We are always facing challenges but overcoming them is the best feeling in the world.
Tell us more about your collaboration with Grant’s?
The collaboration is one that caught our eye and interest intensely, the Stand Together (developed by Grant’s Whisky) concept resonated with us and what ISADY is all about, so we were very excited and couldn’t wait to bring this concept to life with the amazing team at Grant’s Whisky.
In general, brands usually want to dictate the working model, who you talk to and have as participants but in this case Grant’s gave us freedom to identify and engage with people we felt were true representatives of what “Stand Together” is about and also people we found to present interesting stories about their work and life. This campaign is our second collaboration at this level with a brand and we very much enjoyed it, we would love to explore the relationship further to grow the ISADY and Grant’s brands into the foreseeable future.
What can people expect from the exhibition?
We are known for particular style of photography and in our exhibition we shot in style that people wouldn’t expect from us, simple yet captivating – we let the people and faces tell the stories.
How are you feeling about the exhibition?
Very excited because the stories of people that normally don’t have a voice will be heard so the more the people come the better.
Following a successful two day exhibition in Cape Town, Grant’s Whisky and I See A Different You will host an interactive exhibition in 39 Station Drive, Durban on 23 October.
