Sue WilliamsonThere's something I must tell you, 2013
In societies shaped by trauma, communication is not always easy.
This video installation brings together the voices of two generations – women who once fought for freedom, and their granddaughters, or young female relatives, who now navigate its complexities. Through a series of six exchanges, moments of inquiry emerge: “Why were you jailed?” “Do you feel your sacrifice was worth the country we have today?”
Two of the grandmothers were part of the A Few South Africans series: Caroline Motsoaledi and Amina Cachalia. All of them grew up under apartheid, unlike their granddaughters, the “born free” generation.
The visual language of the installation reflects their exchanges. On the left, pages from a family photo album turn slowly, offering glimpses of a life shaped by resistance and resilience. In the centre, full-length portraits – one still, the other in motion – present both continuity and change. To the right, an interaction unfolds between the two women, a meeting of perspectives that does not seek resolution but acknowledges the difficulty of speaking, and of being heard. Rather than prescribing how stories should be told or received, this work invites reflection on the complexities of inheritance – on what is shared, what remains unspoken and the ongoing effort to understand.
