Schumann became a professional photographer in 2004 after producing his first solo exhibition, Balala, for which he hitchhiked from Cape Town, South Africa to Ramala, Palestine to put a face to emerging Africa. Since then his work has been focused on social issues and specializing in work for Advocacy, Communications and Social Mobilization purposes. Considered a visual anthropological study, Schumann has spoken about his work and methodology at Princeton University and the Centre of Documentary Studies, Duke University in the USA. His work has won the praise of his Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu, motivated Bill Gates to do a home visit to people Schumann has photographed, and with the assistance of RESULTS Australia pushed the Australian Government to live up to their Millennium Development Goal and drop a US$75 million debt owed by Indonesia on condition that US$37.5 million was spent on public health care. In the art world Schumann has exhibited in six countries across four continents. Of recent he was included in the international group show Not Alone which included artists such as William Kentridge, Pieter Hugo, Churchill Mandika, Clive van den Berg, Gideon Mendel, and Penny Siopis. In June 2010 Schumann was been included in the Main Program of the South African National Arts Festival where he launched his most recent work, Borderline. In June 2011 he was recognized as one of the most influential youths in South Africa in the Mail & Guardians ‘200 Young South Africans’ (Arts & Culture)
DSP Clients:
DSP has Spoken on his Work and Methodology at:
- Princeton University
- Duke University, Centre of Documentary Studies
- Johns Hopkins University
- Stellenbosch University
Personal Achievements Include:
- Motivating the Australian Government (in conjunction with the lobbying of RESULTS Australia and The Shack) to drop the $75m debt owing from Indonesia on condition that 37.5m was spent on Public Health Care Development. Hence living up to their Millennium Development Goal for Debt-to-Health-Swap.
- Drawing the attention of Bill Gates with portrait ‘Ncosibaca Thinga Thinga’ from Dialogues and inspiring him to visit Mr Thinga Thinga in his home in Khayelisha. This potentially assisted with furthering funding in TB programs in South Africa.
- Receiving the praise and support from his Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu when he opened The Shack in 2006.
- Educating and de-stigmatising TB and HIV through community based exhibitions with Dialogues and 50 Images of MDR-TB.
- Raising critical international advocacy to co-infection of TB/HIV at numerous international conferences. Pulling the attention of Deputy President of South Africa – Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; Executive Director of UNAIDS – Dr Peter Poit; and Dr Hiroshi Nakajima – Director General of World Health Organization. This was amongst the first movements to see the merge of TB and HIV treatment programs.
- Developing the methodology of A Better Picture that focuses on contextualizing work accurately, protecting the identity vulnerable people being photographed, the utilization of work in a pro-active way. It also has a small trust fund to give back to participants and ethically not affecting their choice to participate.
- Having work recognised as a visual anthropological study and giving lectures about it at Princeton, Duke and Johns Hopkins Universities
- Most recently being recognized in the art world and exhibited next to the likes of William Kentridge, Churchill Madikida, Penelope Siopis, Pieter Hugo and Gideon Mendel in the Group show curated by Carol Brown Not Alone.
