Right Here Right Now

EXHIBITION CURATED BY TRACY LEE LYNCH FOR CLOUT/SA ART CURATED BY TAMLIN BLAKE FOR HUB PHOTOGRAPHS BY JUSTIN PATRICK

To honour local artists' resilience and creativity in the face of the enormous challenges of the past two years, Clout/SA, in partnership with House Union Block in Cape Town, hosts the Right Here Right Now exhibition, an expansive showcase of some of the best contemporary South African design

PREVIOUS PAGE Server and mirror by Sipho Twala of Kwhebula Arts. Painting by Tafadzwa Tega. Bench and lights by Siviwe Jali, manufactured by Takk Studio. Bench by Anele Vezi, manufactured by TheUrbanative. Paintings by Sandile Ashabangane Mhlongo and Tafadzwa Tega. Chair and light by Christina Botha, manufactured by Takk Studio. Bench and light by Katlego Tshuma in collaboration with Dokter and Misses. Painting by Vivien Kohler. All art was curated by HUB. All collaborations were facilitated by Clout/SA

Art and accessories by established as well as emerging South African designers and artists on show at the exhibition

here have been many milestones

in the journey of the past seven years and Clout/SA's celebration of South African design has been expressed in various ways — from facilitating the Nando’s Hot Young Designer (HYD) talent search competition to hosting Clout Designers' Industry Days pitch sessions at 100% Design South Africa to establishing business mentorship programmes for designers. Our trip has taken us right through to the curation of Portal to Africa, the online marketplace linking South African designers to interior designers working on Nando’s restaurants around the world.

June 2021 marked yet another milestone when, in partnership with House Union Block (HUB), Clout/SA hosted Right Here Right Now, an expansive exhibition spread across all four floors of the historic Union House building in Cape Town. Curated by Tracy Lee Lynch, it featured some of the best contemporary South African design, including

Ta variety of work from established awardwinning designers such as Wiid Design Studio, TheUrbanative, Dokter and Misses, and Mash. T Design, as well emerging talent unearthed through the Nando’s HYD talent search and the Industry Days pitch sessions. Alongside the furniture and lighting, Tracy also selected artwork for the exhibition from House Union Block’s collection, which is curated by the Spier Arts Trust’s chief curator, Tamlin Blake. “We had just come out of a really challenging time; lockdowns had devastated many design businesses. Still, we wanted everyone to remember that, despite all the hardships, there was so much to celebrate," says Tracy. "Creatives who have been isolated continue to work; they continue to find ways to push themselves, possibly more so than ever… It was very important for me to find an expression of that energy, a resilient energy and drive that still pushes on in the face of challenges even today.” O

Chair by Naturalis. Pendant light by Mash. T Design. Painting by Effo Munguanzo. Sculpture by Ben Orkin. Art curated by HUB

Furniture, lighting and accessories by Wiid Design. Paintings by Qhama Maswana and Olivié Keck and mosaic by Christo Basson in collaboration with Spier Arts Academy, curated by HUB

‘We had just come out of a really challenging time… Still, we wanted everyone to remember that, despite all the hardships, there was so much to celebrate. Creatives who have been isolated continue to work; they continue to find ways to push themselves, possibly more so than ever… It was very important for me to find an expression of that energy, a resilient energy and drive that still pushes on in the face of challenges even today’ — Curator Tracy Lee Lynch

ABOVE Screen, stool, chair, side table and lamp by TheUrbanative. Chair designed by TheUrbanative with woven seat by Something Good Studio. Art (from left) by Lizette Chirrime, Nqabutho Phakathi and Effo Munguanzo, curated by HUB OPPOSITE Ceramic pieces including tables and lights by Nando’s HYD finalist Jan Ernst de Wet in collaboration with Vorster & Braye and Design Afrika. Basket stools by Design Afrika