This week, 16 South Africans were honoured at the unveiling of the Moments in Time 2007 calendar. And, like the four years that have gone before it, this year’s event was characterised by stories of hope and triumph.
Since 2001, this unique project has raised funds to fight cancer through the sale of a range of products that feature artistic images of local cancer patients. And this, the fifth year of this initiative, is expected to be the most successful to date.
While retaining its multidimensional, multimedia artistic expression of the concept of meaning in life, the project has moved away from the hallmark black-and-white portrait shots, to full-colour images shot at the Mount Grace Country House and Spa and the beautiful Magaliesberg surrounds.
Merwelene van der Merwe, the 2007 photographer selected for the task, is one of the country’s leading fashion photographers.
'Predictable miracles'
Project director and AstraZeneca Executive Director Prof Matt Haus says: “The 2007 calendar was a series of predictable miracles. From the Mount Grace’s endorsement of the project, approval of the location shoots and use of the hotel as a base, to the selection of patients and discovery of Merwelene; there was synchronicity in every new step of the journey.
"With 2007 being the fifth production of Moments of Time, we were acutely aware of the need to introduce new life into the project. And while changing the popular format was a calculated risk, the end product has exceeded all expectations and we are confident that it will be well received.”
The calendar portrays a specially selected cancer patient for each month in 2007. All patients have different forms of cancers in various stages of the disease. Each one of them is also from a different background, with different experiences.
While seemingly average everyday citizens, the patients in the calendar are anything but. They have all chosen to stand up and be counted, saying “yes” to life in spite of their pain and choosing to fight cancer and become crusaders for the cause.
The calendar is a visual expression of the fruits of the human spirit and irresistibly captures, through the lens of the camera: “hope in the face of despair”, “passion in the face of pain”, “joy in the face of sadness”, and “power in the face of vulnerability”.
Every picture tells a story
Although every picture tells a story, a short but profound narrative accompanies each photo, thereby enriching the page.
The clothes and props used in each photo were carefully selected after in-depth interviews were conducted with each calendar patient. One of the challenges faced by the creative team was portraying the individual’s psyche through one photograph.
This is why selecting the right location, using expressive clothing and props that support and enhance the patient’s message is so vital – every creative element employed in each shot contributes to making a statement about the person and their outlook on life.
Prof Haus, also the narrator and composer of the project’s soundtrack "Meaning in Life", says that the music CD provides a greater opportunity to spread the Moments in Time message of meaning in life to a far greater audience.
The message of hope and encouragement is taken to many more people by way of a medium which, because of the universal appeal of music which transcends cultures, nations and individual differences, speaks a common language.
The song integrates seamlessly with the visual and poetic images of the calendar, and also reflects and the timeless message of Viktor Frankl's philosophy about choosing one’s attitude under any given set of circumstances, thereby deriving meaning in one’s life
Help from oncologists
As has been the case every year since the project’s inception, prior to the initiation of the project, AstraZeneca secured the support of South Africa’s leading oncologists. Patients willing to be involved in the project were put forward by their respective oncologists for possible inclusion in the calendar.
The calendar’s creative team completed the selection of candidates and ensured the final count is as representative as possible in terms of age, race, sex, location within South Africa, and cancer profile.
Haus, speaking about the project, says it is a partnership between the public and private sector, using photography coupled with poetry as the means to the end.
Where to get the calendar
The Moments in Time 2007 A2 calendar will be sold for R160, R100 for the A3 wall calendar and R60 for the CD desk calendar. A slim line DL-size diary has again been produced and is available at a cost of R100 each.
In addition, a Meaning in Life CD single will be sold at R60 each, and a DVD at R90 each.
New additions to the product range include a personal notebook, Christmas and greeting cards (both in packs of five), and a golf shirt that will be sold for R170, R100 and R100 respectively.
And finally, the 2007 launch video will be sold for R70 as will a new three-hour documentary “Moments in Time: the First Five Years”.
This week, 16 South Africans were honoured at the unveiling of the Moments in Time 2007 calendar. And, like the four years that have gone before it, this year’s event was characterised by stories of hope and triumph.
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