For those of you who were part of the Hip Hop explosion in the city of Durban in the early 2000s - you’ll remember Sean Stretch as a Graffiti Artist.

Of course those were the days the culture dominated the genre, and Hip Hop music was transitioning from a sub-culture into a fully fledged popular form of music. Those days were beautiful. We’d gather weekly at the Bat Centre for the Hip Hop Inqaba Sessions on a Thursday night and once a month we’d get together again for an all-element gathering called Life Check (later renamed Bling Free and moved to Albert Park) founded by rapper, actor, arts activist and professional educator Iain “Ewok” Robinson. For those unaware - Graffiti forms part of the five main elements of Hip Hop, alongside Breakdancing, MCing, Beatboxing and DJing.

We recently sat down with Sean who is a Graphic Designer, Photographer and Art Department Manager who works in digital or analog techniques, across multiple applications and communication channels. When the global art movement known as #FirstThursdays popped off in Durban (2017-2019), it was Sean who played a central role in activating the studio he managed at the time on the third floor of Station Drive, known as Open Plan Studio. Every month that space embodied a new character, look and feel with fun crafts or something equally enjoyable. It was something us Durbanites really looked forward to. Of course then Covid hit. And that first wave was the hardest - from being able to go out freely, to being quarantined in our homes.

Sean however, being the super creative he is, saw lockdown as an opportunity to go out there and capture the City visually as a then ghost town, devoid of people, but filled with so much to say. Post-lockdown Sean has continued to take pictures of the city. Sometimes placing himself in danger, capturing the raw truth of the streets - in what people are calling “Protest Photography”.

Watch our interview with Sean Stretch below.

Written By Lex LaFoy