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Issue 06 // December / January 2013

“RISE DARKIE RISE” EXPLORING THE DEATH OF THE BLACK STRUGGLING ARTIST

RADIO AIRPLAY 101! TIPS FROM A LEADING INDUSTRY EXPERT

“MY WORK IS APPRECIATED.” FEATURED: AWARD-WINNING CONTEMPORARY ARTIST KEMANG WA LEHULERE

FEATURED:

DJ SABBY MELANIE TRIEGAARDT PULLOVA ENTERTAINMENT + MORE

Proudly South African

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IS THIS REAL? WE ZOOM IN ON LOCAL REALITY TV

7 24 Editorial 3 Hang Suite DINEO MOEKETSI 4 RISE DARKIE RISE Uncovered 7 Pixels 13 Legends hugh masikela 24 projekt 101 22 Lookout 26 creative chronicles 29 Soundbooth the muffinz 30 Pure Art 34 review fifa 13 43 The Platform Expert feature // artists 44 Off Ramp articles 54 Spot On artist 58 Newsflash 60 Ground Up 62 Multimedia 66 Salute 70 No.1 Hustler 72 columnists 74 We Say 75

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2013

january

WORD “I’ve never really had a hobby, unless you count art, which the IRS once told me I had to declare as a hobby since I hadn’t made money with it.”-Laurie Anderson.

I chuckled when I read this quote. Not only because it’s funny, but also because it sums up a dilemma that some artists have had to face at some stage. In this edition of Barcoded Magazine, we explore how post- apartheid young artists are getting rid of the stigma once attached to a career in the arts industry. We also hang with Dineo Moeketsi of Channel O in “Hangsuite.” We introduce opinion pieces as part of our content with this edition (read more under “Pixels, Off Ramp and Pure Art.”) We also feature a report on the Joburg Art Gallery French Connections exhibition currently on.

Publisher Infin8media

Lesiba Marokana shares some expert advice with us regarding radio airplay, while MduzavanGogh recounts his experience at the 2012 edition of STRCRD. We Salute 5FM DJ Fix: (the lady’s making some serious power moves!) Kemang Wa Lehulere, one of the founders of Gugulective shares a moment with us.

Creative Director Paul Sishange (@PaulS_RSA)

In our Review Section, Brian decodes FIFA 13. Melanie Triegaardt of TRACETV schools us on what goes into her profession- showing how diverse careers in the arts can be. What I’m most proud of so far is the Barcoded Mag team’s efforts at raising awareness about certain factors affecting artists and efforts to share as much information as possible, with the intent of helping the next person. Tying in with this edition’s theme, poet Sisonke Papu (aka Chronicle_Son) shares his work titled “Black Butterfly.” More thoughtprovoking work featured is by Ingrid Bolton (Lookout.) DJ Sabby of YFM is our Creative Chronicles star- he lets us in on what a typical working week entails for him. 2012 was quite an eventful year, both in the arts industry and in general. Hopefully 2013 will represent a year of growth and more experience for artists worldwide. The Barcoded Magazine team will definitely be bringing you more from the world of arts and entertainment in the coming year. I personally can’t wait! Signing Out Phumi (@PHUMIT)

MATTER OF FACT Photo Credit for October/November edition Cover Art: Artist: Nadja Ellinger. (http://www.spiegellicht-photography.de/ or facebook.de/spiegellicht). We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Editor in chief Phumzile Twala (@PHUMIT)

Production Manager Mbuso Mafuyeka (@youngbuu) IT Manager Brian Ntuli (@Brian_DeITWiz) Sales Nomfundo Shabalala (@angelicshabs) Khethiwe Twala (@miss_kittyred) Contributing Writers: CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MDUZA VAN GOGH MAHLATSE JAMES BRIAN “IT WIZ” KHUMALO PHUMZILE TWALA DINEO LUSENGA SEAN PAGES SISONKE “CHRONICLE_ SON” PAPU Photography: GONTSE MORE HAZEL MPHANDE For general enquiries email: info@barcodedmag.co.za For advertising enquiries email: sales@infin8media.co.za

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hang suite DINEO MOEKETSI

He’s the co-presenter of SA’s most watched Dance Show, Jika-Majika and has business interests within the arts. Affectionately known as “Ansa” to the masses, Mpendulo Buthelezi tells us about himself.

ACCESSING DINEO MOEKETSI As O-access presenter, Dineo Moeketsi is a globe-trotter of senting etc. note. This Multi-talented yet humble soul is an ambitious young woman, making her mark in the entertainment indus- What was your childhood like? try. Peaceful! I was spoiled by the women who brought me up. You wear quite a few entertainment hats - as a pre- They were always there to cheer me up; they always encoursenter, MC, performing artist etc. Of the various aged me. I never felt forced to follow a particular path. Alhats you wear, do you have a favourite? though I will say my great-grandmother wanted me to be a lawyer. Well I started out as a singer. I believe your first love never And you were having none of it… changes. Everything else just followed from there…the pre- Nah! (laughs) 4

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DINEO MOEKETSI

Did you envision yourself with all these achieve- I don’t think much is being done in terms of promoting arts ments at your age? and culture. Honestly, I felt ready a while ago. It was a case of knowing How do you think this can be changed though? where I wanted to be. Working in a different country, (the U.S.) was quite an experience. I think it’s up to us as artists to make a difference. It’s up to us to hit the ground running. I’d rather have kids knowing How do you choose the type of acting roles you take that this industry’s tough. There is no overnight success. I’d on? rather send them in knowing about the struggles that one faces in this industry. In the entertainment industry especially, Look, you may have a list of the type of roles you want to take too many people think it’s all about overnight stars, when the on, but sometimes you get something completely different. truth is, it’s not like that at all. Personally I don’t like taking on “pretty girl roles.” I prefer ones that allow me to undergo some sort of transformation. Through your travels, what did you learn about your personality? How has being Official Reading ambassador for National Book week in SA changed the way you view read- Believe it or not, I’m a shy person. ing? Really? I find that hard to believe… The stats are shocking. I mean, reading’s something accessible to most of us. So to even think that there are kids out Yeah… I just keep to myself, until I’ve assessed the situation there who can’t read, is shocking. So being part of this initia- and people around me. Then only do I come out of my shell tive in September gave me the opportunity to read to a couple really. of kids. And seeing them enjoy the stories was great as well, because essentially it’s story-telling. In LA I kept to myself (and that had a lot to do with the fact that a lot of people are “fake” there.) What it taught me about In your opinion, are South African youths exposed to myself was that I can do what I love elsewhere in the world the arts as a whole adequately? and be appreciated for it. It showed me that I CAN do it. No. And this is something that’s quite disturbing to me. It’s What keeps you grounded as an individual? sad that you find talented youth not living their passion, having to find regular jobs and at the end of the day finding them- My family, boyfriend and friends. Not everyone has people to pull them back when they’re goselves very unhappy. Barcoded Magazine

DINEO MOEKETSI

ing down the wrong path, or to guide them. Not everyone has Are you going to pull a “Rihanna” on us- good girl that. gone bad? You’re part of a generation that’s facing major chal- (Laughs) Nah…I’ll just be reflecting a different aspect of Dilenges like HIV and unemployment. Who or what in- neo. The Dineo who sings is different to the one who MC’s and to the one who presents. spires you on a daily basis? Different things all the time. I think my reference of a role What can we expect from Dineo in 2013? model is always changing. From aunts, to my mother, to friends. My sources of inspiration are changing all the time. You know, I don’t like to jinx things. So we’ll see. Whatever And I think just adopting a different attitude keeps me going. does come along will be a good surprise though! How would you still like to further develop your What does Art mean to you? singing career? Can we maybe expect an album soon? Wow. That’s a very good question. It’s not often that I say that. Yeah! I’m working on it. I actually have a few tracks to finish. Art to me means the opportunity to embrace things about By the time I’m done I think a lot of people will be shocked. yourself that no-one but you know.

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Uncovered

RISE DARKIE RISE Not so long ago, if you were a child and you told your parents that you wanted to be an artist, it wasn’t unusual to get a pat on the back while your parents secretly crossed fingers hoping it was just a phase. Most of us have heard or read life stories of successful artists. Eight times out of ten they’ll recall how their parents weren’t happy with their career of choice.

When radio stations such as Yfm gave upcoming DJs a platform to mix on some of their shows, it sparked a movement. As South Africa established itself as one of the top House Music- consuming nations in the world, it came as no surprise when there was a surge in the number of individuals wanting to be DJs. The Model-C generation had officially arrived.

Sunday rags have had exclusive front-page stories of artists dying as paupers countless times over the years. So it comes as no surprise that many parents had visions of the “struggling artist” label shackled on their offspring for a lifetime. Growing up in Joburg in the 1990s one often heard the struggles of back-up singers and voice-over artists making a living in the City of Gold.

Young black individuals saw opportunities and they grabbed them. Even though the likes of Vinolia “V-Mash” had successfully had multi-faceted careers (in this case as Jam Alley presenter, actress and singer) the Model-C generation had education from elite schools to back them up career-wise. (Not everyone took this route though, it must be said.) The ModelC artist generation is one that isn’t afraid to push boundaries.

At some point, with the change in the education system, it opened many doors for youngsters to choose various career paths. The buzz post-1994 elections also paved the way for a boom in local black musicians’ endeavours on the scene. The likes of Brothers of Peace and Arthur Mafokate became pioneers of the Kwaito movement. What made these guys different from the older generation is that they continued to empower themselves and others by diversifying their talents. These guys didn’t limit themselves to just being musicians. They set up their own studios. They distributed their own material. They marketed their brands vigorously.

Technological innovations also gave this generation an advantage. These artists were able to take the “Triple Threat Artist” to a new level; possibly even making the term obsolete. You had the likes of former child star Sipho Ngwenya aka “Psyfo” leading the way with the launch of SABC 1’s Wildroom in the early 2000’s. Marking his steady exit from a presenting career, Wildroom revolutionized kiddies and pre-teen television. He went on to pursue a career as a hip hop artist and renowned producer. Artists like Psyfo showed that a career in “the arts” wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

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Groundbreaking and fresh

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Actors Rapulana Seiphemo and Kenneth Nkosi formed a formidable partnership as filmmakers. Gone are the days when one heard of theatre actors calling themselves “struggling artists.” The likes of Mary Sibande are taking fine art to another level by utilizing further education and grabbing opportunities previously afforded to white artists only. (Sibande was recently named as the winner of the Standard Bank Young Barcoded Magazine

Artist- Visual Art Award for 2013.) She has also participated reer as a radio DJ and a blossoming acting career. in successful solo and group exhibitions worldwide. Widely misunderstood by older generations, the hip hop fraternity has had to defend itself on countless occasions. Many David Kau is a name synonymous with success. A few years were proud when Hip Hop Pantsula’s (HHP) star rose steadinto the new millennium, Kau and a few more comedians ily over the years. More particularly after an appearance on found a niche market for the comedy scene in South Africa. reality show “Strictly Come Dancing” gained him cross-over No longer limited to dingy pubs or exclusive shows at various appeal to a wider market. The Motswako wordsmith’s brand arenas around the country, headlined by acts that had been earned him a prime-time slot on SABC 1, hosting his own doing it for years, the comedy scene found new life in the TV show. Along with recording an album, headlining multibrainchild of Kau, Kagiso Lediga, Chris Forrest, Riaad Moosa ple gigs and hosting a radio show in addition to his TV show, and the like. To say The Pure Monate Show changed the South HHP’s brand has grown monumentally the past decade- proving that the new generation of artists in South Africa is one African television landscape is an understatement. blessed with a pioneering spirit. Groundbreaking and fresh, this show provided opportunities for instant commercialization of a performance art previ- One of the most enigmatic presenters on SA television is Siously slept on. The success of this particular show paved the yabonga “Scoop” Ngwekazi. Having worked his way to the top way for the likes of Thomas Gumede, Tumi Morake, Kedebone of the entertainment industry, he epitomizes the power moves Mulaudzi and Trevor Noah. The latter took comedy to a new that the Model-C generation is known to make. With a fiery stratosphere with sold-out performances and multi-platinum personality and drive to succeed, Scoop is co-founder of the selling DVD’s after making the tough decision to leave a ca- most popular street-wear brand in Mzansi: AmaKipKip. 8

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He adds this feather to a hat that he frequently changes as co-host of “The Full Clip” on Yfm, presenter on Vuzu and voice-over artist. He also forms part of a trio that are the stars of “Forever Young,” a reality show on the DSTV channel. Artists of yesteryear have had to grapple with the reality of dealing with young artists who are moving with the times. Whereas older musicians relied on television shows to debut their music videos, younger generations are using social media platforms and the internet to promote their own music. Instant gratification is a term personified by this new generation of artists. The rise of the urban young South African artist has shown that just like other careers, a career in the arts is dynamic and progressive. The good news for parents with youngsters interested in the arts is that coupled with smart decisions, networking skills and mandatory talent, “the arts” is no longer a career marred by “obscurity” but rather, one that is both enjoyable and profitable. By: Phumzile Twala

celeb endorsements

CELEB ENDORSEMENTS ZIZO BEDA GARNIER BONANG LIFESTYLE PADS LEGIT

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DJ Q-NESS BEATS BY DRE HHP STATUS VODACOM

MINNIE NONHLE TERRY PHETO

JEEP REVLON FIRE & ICE DARK& LOVELY L’OREAL

celeb endorsements

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IS THIS REAL? S

outh Africa has its fair share of attention-seekers. All not an unknown. I RELATE and give her my respect.” one has to do is glance at local Sunday newspaper Meanwhile, SABC1’s flagship Reality Show, Khumbul’ekhaya headlines to get an idea. has widespread popularity with viewership figures of more than 2.5 million. What makes this show different is that it’s Local TV viewers are spoilt for choice when it comes to the based on the personal element; reuniting long-lost family latest bandwagon everyone seems to be jumping on: Reality members. Social network fanatics helped boost the show’s Shows. ratings by taking comedic jibes at it (the programme is a regular trending topic on social network Twitter.) “Sushi King “Kenny Kunene caused a stir when his show gave viewers a glimpse of his flamboyant lifestyle. Known for Forever Young is based on the lives of Thomas Gumede, Lungflaunting his flashy cars and controversial opinions, Kunene ile Radu and Siyabonga Ngwekazi. This show launched to gave viewers entertaining content when his show was flighted much fanfare in 2012 and is cementing the trio’s footprint on on etv. the social scene as “uber cool kids on the block.” The show influences popular culture among urban black youth, who Hour-long shows dedicated to getting a view of local stars’ identify with the trends these young men embody. daily experiences is a phenomenon that seems to be gaining popularity among locals at a rapid rate. Jozi Moving the City (based on hip hop duo Jozi) made headActress, Club 808 co-host and entrepreneur Dineo Ranaka lines when it was announced that the show would be broadhas her own show (Dineo’s Diary) which is popular among cast in the United Kingdom. young viewers. The outspoken Ranaka, who used to host a drive-time show on Yfm, captivates viewers with her business “Blame it on Fame” follows the lives of Yfm jocks Hlelo and acumen, vibrant personality and sense of humour on-screen; Ntando Masina also known as “The Twinz” The show profiles something that seems to be a winning formula for the Vuzu the deejays and social butterflies as they journey through the channel. industry. Viewers are treated to the successes and struggles of their daily living. Channel 24’s Thinus Ferreira shredded the show soon after its debut with his review, calling it “a shockingly amateur trash “Personally, I am not a fan of reality shows that seek to porproduction, marred by multiple spelling mistakes, erratic tray the lives of our celebrities. I struggle to find the significamera work and a self-indulgent, self-obsessed, egotistical cance and the concept in itself is flawed because I don’t think and narcissistically vapid Dineo Ranaka so full of herself that they behave the same way without the cameras present,” it leaves no room for the viewer to get anything out of it.” says Prince Maseko.

In a counter-argument to the criticism, viewer Kekeletso commented, “I have to disagree with this piece of drivel! The show isn’t perfect, but it’s HER story. It might not be entertaining to you, but it’s still HER story! I’d rather watch her than some housewives of some American State who make no difference in my life. At least when I watch her show, I know who she is, what she’s about and her claim to fame… She’s

“South African reality shows are also a bit empty in the sense that they don’t tackle issues that are relevant to the average person. It isn’t fascinating to see how celebrities drink cocktails with their friends in Sandton. I think SA reality TV shows should focus on more than just the glitz and glam lives of celebrities. I’d love to see people that contribute to the betterment of humanity,” Prince adds. Barcoded Magazine

Carlos Olivier says what makes local shows unique is that there is always something new to learn for everyone in the country- alluding to South Africa’s rich diversity. “If a local celeb were to have a reality show it would have to be someone I liked before he/she started the show. For example, if Khaya who won the Idols 2012 competition had to start a reality show now, I would watch it, but he would have to introduce something very interesting to keep the fans he has earned himself through the competition.” What remains constant is the fact that these individuals keep viewers glued to their screens every week. It would seem that while some South Africans cannot get enough of celebrities telling their stories, some do not relate to the content at all. By: Phumzile Twala

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Upcoming Movies

PARKER Parker (Jason Statham) is a professional thief who lives by a personal code of ethics: Don’t steal from people who can’t afford it and don’t hurt people who don’t deserve it.

DJANGO UNCHAINED

But on his latest heist, his crew double crosses him, steals his stash, and leaves him for dead. Determined to make sure they regret it, Parker tracks them to Palm Beach, playground of the rich and famous, where the crew is planning their biggest heist ever.

Django is a freed slave, who, under the tutelage of a German bounDonning the disguise of a rich Texan, Parker takes on an unlikely ty hunter, becomes a bad-ass bounty hunter himself. After taking partner, Leslie (Jennifer Lopez), a savvy insider, who’s short on down some bad guys for profit, they track down Django’s slave wife cash, but big on looks, smarts and ambition. Together, they devise and liberate her from an evil plantation owner. a plan to hijack the score, take everyone down and get away clean. Starring: Christoph Waltz Samuel L. Jackson Leonardo DiCaprio Jamie Foxx Kerry Washington James Remar Directed By: Quentin Tarantino Release Date: 25 December 2012 16

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Starring: Jason Statham Clifton Collins Wendell Pierce Jennifer Lopez Michael Chiklis Nick Nolte Directed by: Taylor Hackford Release Date: 25 January 2013

PIXELS NEWS

newsflash NATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FOR tALENTED YOUTH 2013 Directors and filmmakers aged 22 and below are invited to submit their films for the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, which will take place in Seattle from 25-28 April 2013. To be eligible, the film’s director(s) must have been 22 years old or younger at time of filming, and all films must be in English or subtitled in English. Music and other copyrighted material used in the film must be properly licensed. Categories for film submission, include Feature films (over 30 minutes in length,) short films (less than 30 minutes,) documentaries, music videos, animation, experimental (a film that does not fit the mould of typical filmmaking) and action sports.

DWAYNE ‘THE ROCK’ JOHNSON STARRING IN NEW MOVIES Following a shaky crossover from the wrestling world to film, Johnson has steadily gained more popularity. After starring in an assortment of films, from The Mummy, The Tooth Fairy, to a cameo in Tyler Perry’s Why Did I get Married Too, he hasn’t been the golden-child of film critics. Regardless of this, his star-power can’t be ignored.

Entry forms are available on www.nffty.org/submit. Additional information can be obtained by emailing: His latest ventures are Snitch and Justin Lin-directedfilmmakers@nffty.org or by visiting www.nffty.org Fast and Furious 6.

TV NETWORK FOX DEVELOPING A NEW GANJA COMEDY

In Snitch, he co-stars with Susan Sarandon, Barry Pepper and Benjamin Bratt. He plays a man who strikes a deal with an attorney to be an informant in a drug cartel in exchange for a dismissal of the drug charges now facing his son. The film is “inspired by true events.”

The recent grassroots campaign for legalization of mari- Johnson has reprised his role of Diplomatic Security juana in the US will serve as the backdrop to a new Service Agent Luke Hobbs in upcoming Fast and Furious 6, alongside the likes of Vin Diesel, Paul Walker comedy being developed by television network, Fox. and Jordana Brewster. Tiled ‘The Happy Tree’ the show centres on a brilliant young corporate attorney who, after a nervous break- In the film, Luke Evans will be playing the role of the down, quits his job and seeks a life of peace and seren- villain. He is filling in a role originally offered to Jason ity on Venice Beach only to find himself the unlikely Statham as leader of a crew of thieves targeting the same heist job eyed by Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel.) voice for the marijuana “legalize it” movement. The project is set to be produced by 20th Century Fox Johnson’s character will continue to hunt Toretto and TV and will be scripted by Entourage producer Rob his gang, with Gina Carano playing a member of his team. Weiss. Barcoded Magazine

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URBAN MOVEMENT” TRACE URBAN MUSIC PROGRAMMER MELANIE TRIEGAARDT:

You’ve previously worked as a music compiler. How dif- What qualities does one need to have in order to succeed ferent was this from your current position as a music in your profession? programmer? You have to have a deep passion for music; discovering new My position now works extremely closely with audience analysis, sounds; an understanding of your audience; dedicated to the Afriresearch and interpretation to the minute. There is a lot more strat- can movement; attention to detail and maintain good relationships egy involved especially since we are not only competing with rival with people in general. My position takes a lot of overtime work music television channels, but also YouTube and online. which wouldn’t be the case if I was not passionate about the music industry and it’s possibilities. 18

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Looking at how TRACE has established itself as one of the Mind sharing some of your favourite job perks? most popular music video channels in Sub-Saharan Africa, what do you attribute this success to? I get invited to some of the coolest parties, album, single and media launches and exciting video shoots on the continent. I get inside Trace Urban prides itself on being as up to date with music video info about the latest releases, and get given CDs and live DVDs on content as much as possible as well as breaking new artists. I also the regular. I also get to travel to exciting places and meet very believe we play music that the audience wants to hear – what’s inspiring, interesting and awesome people! in demand not only internationally but in our back yard too. Each video is literally hand-picked. If one would like to submit their video for consideration, what procedures should he/she follow? Are South African musicians stepping up when it comes to They can either: producing quality, entertaining music videos? 1) Email us an HD online link of the video with a completed broadI have seen a big difference in the past 2/3 years with regards to cast authorization form. music video quality, which is exciting – especially newcomers to the game. 2) Email us an HD download link of the video with a completed broadcast authorization form. However, I think there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in terms of ‘thinking outside of the box’ and creating video content 3) Last resort is to submit it on DVD (mov format) with a completed that makes one actually sit and watch for those 3 and a half min- broadcast authorization form. utes. Sometimes artists rely too much on the song to carry the video and This form can be downloaded from our website: http://www.trace. that is to your art’s detriment. tv/en/urban/envoyer_une_video What is a typical day in your work life like?

Any parting words of wisdom you’d like to share?

It’s crazy. Each day is not the same at all. From dealing with artists, labels, Managers and PR; to making sure on air is running smoothly; to liaising with our teams in Africa and Head Office in France and satellite; to making sure online in consistent with what’s on air and production is up to date with African music news; to meetings, meetings and more meetings.

Remain true to you, your sound and where you are from. What does ART mean to you? Art is anything that inspires someone. Art is relative. “Art is what you can get away with” – Andy Warhol

What are some of the job challenges you face? 1. Artist personalities and egos - frequency of some artists not being able to take positive criticism and feedback. 2. Ideally in broadcasting you need to please every single viewer watching, however realistically it’s more often than not, impossible. 3. Extremely long and random hours that only media folk understand.

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lookout feature

IT ’S ALL LIN K E D

Korean artist Seo Young Deok tells his story through the human form, using an unusual medium: metal chains. He creates nude sculptures that capture the anxieties of the modern human, especially the younger generation. His body of work is characterized by a strong sociological meaning that mirrors the fragmented world we live in. This is shown by some of the pieces which lie on the ground in fragmented pieces. By breaking down the pieces and sewing them back together in circumstances of stress, the artist indicates the position on the man of today and his state of mind. He uses welded metal chains in order to model them linking piece-by piece.

“Un (sea) n”- until Now. Franschhoek-based artist Ingrid Bolton was announced as 2012’s winner of the Sasol New Signatures Competition, which is a springboard for emerging artists. Bolton’s entrance into the competition was inspired by the discovery that “diatoms, despite being at the bottom of the food chain of all sea life…produce up to half the oxygen we breathe.” Over millions of years, they become oil. Currently studying visual art through Unisa, Bolton has a background in microbiology. The conceptualization for the installation took over a year. The installation presented diatoms made from porcelain, which were suspended in the shape of a ball, above a circular tray of motor oil. Describing the installation, Bolton said, “The way the installation suspends above the circular oil tray requires balance and echoes the precarious dynamic of these organisms in nature. Their fragility reflects back and becomes a metaphor for our own existence and the fleetingness of life.” Reflecting the way climate change has affected the environment, the installation got Bolton a solo exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum in 2013 and a grand prize of R50 000.

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KEMANG WA LEHULERE

PRODUCING THE GIFT OF ART

Born in 1984 in Cape Town, Kemang Wa Lehulere has a BA From which cities do you draw most inspiration? Fine Arts Degree from Wits. His body of work ranges from I draw inspiration from anywhere and everyone; it would be difvarious exhibitions such as ficult for me to pin it down but Joburg’s energy is great, and there “A Terrible Beauty is Born” to “Our bodies become Radios.” is something seductive about Amsterdam. So are Dakar; New York; Berlin; Cairo; London; Lagos, and many other foreign cities I have Using diverse media such as ink drawings and video instal- been to. lations, he is regarded as one of SA’s most talented and thoughtful young artists. His work is making waves local- Did you have any fears of being considered “weird” or “obly and internationally. He has exhibited at the New Museum scure” by your peers when you were starting out? in New York as well as at the 11th Biennale in the Museum No, art was the only thing I have really understood, besides politics. of Contemporary Art in Lyons, France. Currently based in Johannesburg, he continues to probe In your opinion, are African communities adequately informed unwritten and unspoken narratives in order to create in- when it comes to visual and fine arts and the opportunities it pregenious works of art. sents? Well, this of course depends on how the opportunities are presentWe get a glimpse of the inner-workings of one of Mzansi’s ed. With the work I did with Gugulective, we managed to colonise greatest minds. a generation of young people to be politically conscious (to some degree) and they were very excited about the work we did. What inspired you to become an artist? Tell us about forming the Gugulective? What was your aim I grew up in creative family. My mother was a singer-she worked when you co-founded this collective? with Winston Mankuku and was part of a band (at least so I am told) called “Skyf” in the 1970’S and 1980’s. I have brothers who The formation of Gugulective comes from a very socio-culturalwere working in theatre and were fairly successful in their careers. political space. Unathi Sigenu and I felt a strong need to exhibit So arts was the only thing I knew growing up, be it modelling for and work within our own community at the time, especially given magazines as a teenager, doing voice-overs for radio ads to ap- the history of our country (where blacks were previously banned from studying at certain Universities let alone the arts). The aim pearing on screen. was to conscientize people out of post apartheid complacency and 22

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to rebuild a culture of self-organising that had fast fallen with the portant to be engaged with. After all, if one is religious in the Chrisnew liberal democracy. tian sense, then one would agree that the history of mankind comes from an act of disobedience: eating from the forbidden fruit! You had a recent solo exhibition, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some Deleted Scenes Too.â&#x20AC;? What inspired this particular exhibition? Do you have a preferred medium of expression? This exhibition was a body of work in the making for a number of years. It is both a personal expression (aligned with the burden of history) and a theoretical approach to art production and exhibition. The idea of a finished product as what the public sees has always bothered me, so I decided to show works that I would have otherwise not been comfortable to show.

I prefer any medium that scares the shit out of me! What has winning the Tollman Award for Visual Arts meant to you as a young black contemporary artist?

Well, being a young black contemporary artist is indeed a hard encounter but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not what I choose to focus on. Before I was black Your work has been exhibited in the US, France, and Swit- I was human, just like I was human before I was a male in a pazerland as well. Has the level of appreciation for your triarchal society. Winning the Tollman award has been great, an work been the same in your country of birth? affirmation that the work I have been doing is appreciated even if by a few individuals. Well, what is important is that my community appreciates what I do. The rest of the country I cannot speak for because it is too What sort of challenges have you faced so far? large, but the art world, yes, I have felt some semblance of appreciation. I have faced every challenge you can imagine just like any other human being, be they personal, cultural, social and political. A recurring theme in your works is about re-visiting the past, or retracing steps before a final product is pre- What projects are you currently working on? sented. Have you at any stage considered some of your works too taboo? I have a couple of exhibitions and publications I am working on, both self-organised and invited. Revisiting the past is important in understanding the present, so yes I do engage with that, but that is not my only concern as a What does Art mean to you? creative intellectual. Art means many things to me. It is personal, cultural, social and Retracing the steps before a final product is important for me in the political. To be alive is to be all these things! classical Marxist sense of denying the products/works I produce By: Phumzile Twala the aura or fetishness that Karl Marx writes about. With regards to the taboo, I think, that which is not allowed is imBarcoded Magazine

Legends 24

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Legends

HUGH MASIKELA

A H UG H

STORY A

multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer, Bra Hugh Masekela was born in Kwa-Guqa, Witbank in 1939. Worldrenowned for his incomparable skill as a trumpeter, Bra Hugh is an iconic figure in the music world. He learned how to play the trumpet as a teenager in the 1950s. Growing up at the height of apartheid, Masekela was influenced by the oppression at the time to make music that spread messages of political change.

From the 1970s to the 1990s, his career was marred by struggles with alcoholism. In 2004, his autobiography “Still Grazing: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela” was released. Journalist D. Michael Cheers co-authored the book, which chronicled Bra Hugh’s struggles. With a career spanning more than five decades, Bra Hugh isn’t slowing down at all. In 2010 he was an opening act at the FIFA Soccer World Cup Kick-Off Concert and somehow managed to find time to create the musical “Songs of Migration” with acclaimed director James Ngcobo. The year also saw Bra Hugh honoured with the highest order in South Africa: The Order of Ikhamanga, by President Zuma.

He was part of the King Kong musical which toured SA for a year and later achieved critical acclaim in London. At the start of the following decade, Bra Hugh left his country of birth and studied at the London Guildhall School of Music, specializing in classical trumpet for 4 years. During this period Bra Hugh found himself immersed in the jazz culture. He was interacting with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong. His debut album, Trumpet Af- 2012 saw Bra Hugh touring Europe with Paul Simon on the Graceland 25th Anniversary Tour, as well as visiting Amsterdam, London ricaine was released in 1963. and Washington with “Songs of Migration.” Four years later, Bra Hugh performed alongside Janis Joplin, Jimi According to his website, “Bra Hugh is currently using his global Hendrix and Otis Redding at a festival. This was just a taste of the reach to spread the word about heritage restoration in Africa- a success that was still to come. The following year Bra Hugh had topic that remains very close to his heart.” commercial success with his smash hit release “Grazin’ in the Grass.” The track peaked at number one on the American pop He’s also quoted as saying “My biggest obsession is to show AfriCharts and was well-received all over the world. He went on to col- cans and the world who the people of Africa really are.” laborate with Paul Simon and has worked with Harry Belafonte, The Byrds, Fela Kuti, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder over the years. Bra Hugh is a legend of the arts who continues to spread messages With over 40 albums to his name, Bra Hugh’s journey hasn’t been of hope and he shows how one can increase their artistic repertoire consistently with passion and dedication. smooth-sailing.

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feature

| creative chronicles

THE GIFT OF

“THE SAB” Barcoded Magazine

creative chronicles feature

RADIO JOCK “DJ SABBY” SHARES SOME OF HIS SECRETS TO SUCCESS AND TELLS US HOW HE GETS AHEAD. Sabelo Mtshali was born and raised in Durban, KZN. He describes his childhood as “all over the place.” While waiting for our doeeyed waitress to pay our table a visit, Sabby begins telling me of his childhood. “I was born and bred in Durban. My childhood was all over the place really.” He recalls various events like having to change schools all the way to losing one of his parents. “I actually never planned on coming to Joburg,” he begins. Watching him relate his journey so far, Sabby is calm and has a certain warm energy about him. I gain the sense that there’s a lot more to his story than he lets on. His humble demeanour reveals that despite any challenges he has faced, he’s determined to overcome them and soldier on. “When I was eight, my father used to tell me about being a lab scientist. So for a while I guess I thought about going that route. But as I got older, there wasn’t anyone around to really guide me along that path. So I enrolled at NEMISA, and had support from my mother, but my dad’s side of the family didn’t understand what I was going on about,” he says wistfully. His journey sent him to Jozi city lights in 2008 and he completed a gruelling one year course at the institution. He then received an offer from KFM in Caper Town. Describing how he juggled projects along with having to fly down to Cape Town every week, it’s evident that this was bound to take its toll at some point; “You know, when you love what you’re doing, you often don’t realize Barcoded Magazine

creative chronicles feature you’re tiring yourself,” he enthuses. Continuing, he recalls a wake-up call: “I applied for the Y-Academy,’ he says. Looking at the application forms for Y-Academy forced him to weigh his options. He made the decision to start from the bottom. After making the cut, he worked his way up the ranks. It turns out “a typical day” in Sabby’s world isn’t so typical after all. From waking up at about 7h30am, to getting calls from his casting agent about an hour later, to dropping his girlfriend off at work… A 3-hour workout at the gym is scheduled too, while the two hours after midday are dedicated to following up on proposals and with (sometimes impromptu) meetings. Three pm is when he has his first big meal of the day. Thereafter, depending on the day, he’s quite flexible, and might fit a voice-over or two into his schedule. It’s not unusual to get a call from the programmes manager to fill-in for one of the daytime jocks. “When this happens, usually I’ll have to rearrange my day, because I can’t do without radio in my day,” Sabby reveals. He’ll usually come in 30-45 minutes earlier and get briefed by the producer, regarding the topics for the show and then take it from there.

With aspirations of becoming a media guru, Sabby names Ryan Seacrest as an inspiration. “I’d like to live the kind of life he’s living. The guy has a syndicated radio show, hosts Idols; he’s involved behind the scenes with some great shows. Having your 24 hours in your day planned before you even live it. But even as an all-rounder, I’d still want radio to be the crux of my career,” he reveals. Locally, he thinks Proverb comes pretty close in terms of achieving similar feats. When it comes to his ultimate professional goal, Sabby breaks it down: “I think I’d like to leave Yfm after a good 7 years, having hosted the Breakfast or Drive Time Show. But I think Breakfast is the flagship show really. Just getting to start people’s mornings would be great.”

The only downside that comes with the territory in Sabby’s experience is the idea of having to smile everyday even if he’s having a bad day. “I have this thing though, that whenever I leave home, my problems stay at home,” he says sternly. In contrast, being a DJ and media personality has its perks too. Smiling, he says, “I’d have to say not having to pay for stuff and During his days of being one of the Y-Academics, Sabby had an op- getting begged to attend events are some of the perks I have. That’s portunity to do the traffic reports on three different shows. really the fun side to my job.” “Doing traffic on Yfm for a year and a half has to be one of the best His humility shines again when he adds that none of it would be experiences I’ve had on radio.” possible without support from people who believe in him. He clarifies this by explaining what he learned from working on those three shows: “For people trying to crack it in this industry, I’d advise them to “Being exposed to working with the different deejays was one of just be patient. Work hard. And remember that no-one owes you the best experiences. I mean, Warras is an amazing story-teller. anything. Be persistent. Even on your brokest day, make the effort. So from watching him, it showed me that radio is about identifying Go to media events. Build relationships. Network. Always have your yourself within the content.” He goes on, “Dineo showed me that demo ready. To this day I make sure I have my CV with me. Be preradio should be fun. But she knew when she had to be serious, at pared for when an opportunity presents itself,” he advises. the right time. But she was spontaneous man…” He describes Tholi B’s presenting style as very structured. 2012 was a year that saw Sabby venturing into the music industry. “Tholi B respects the listener. So from being in an environment like He released his first single, called “Takin’ It.” that you get to choose the elements you want to take. These three defined radio for me,” he exclaims. He tells us,” 2012 really was the year of the dragon for me. I believe in new sounds and by dropping the single hoped to motivate Sabby hosts The Adrenalin Rush on Saturdays and Sundays on Yfm people. In 2013 I’d still like to explore more music. I’d also like to from (12 midnight to 3am.) He also co-hosts Bonisanani, which airs get back to my online business. I’m working on a new site, which on SABC 1 on Sunday mornings (6:30am.) will enhance concerts and benefit local artists more than anything. I’m open to chatting about funding, so hey, if anyone would like to One if 2012’s highlights include getting his own show. help out, let’s talk.” “I never looked at it as just getting a graveyard slot, but it was more like: I have 3 hours of my own, to shape the way I want,” he says with a glint in his eyes. The most surprising thing about his experience of commercial radio is that it takes more than just the host and producer to make the show come together. “It’s a different ball-game altogether. You realize that even though you’re steering the ship, there are so many more people involved. There’s so much that goes into it really, from ads, competitions to content. Time is money on radio.” He relates.

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A man with a quiet confidence and the drive and talent to fuel his dreams, Sabby is a creative with boundless energy. It’s clear he has what it takes to thrive in the cut-throat entertainment industry. Contact him here: The DJ Sabby World (facebook page), @DJ_Sabby (twitter), DJSabby@djsabby.com or call 078 167 9363 for bookings. By: Phumzile Twala

review

: 3 1 A F I F T BALL GAME DIFFEREN

EA Sports has once again dropped its Soccer Series game FIFA 13the world’s favourite Football game. At some Point Pro Evolution used to be the giants of soccer gaming but FIFA has upped its game in the past few years and are ahead of their Rivals PES (pro evolution soccer). This year EA has upped its level again - the game has really been taken to another level, I bet this series will keep gamers tied to their couches with game pads and killing time while gaming. FIFA 13 has changed its ball control. No more near-perfect first touches and long passes, accuracy in passing is vital and therefore one cannot make the predictable perfect passes that easily reach the player passed as if the ball is metal and the soccer boot is magnet “lol” The ball just sticks to the boot. The control improvement therefore adds unpredictability and excitement to the game play. This ball control change is something that gamers have to get used to. The player stats now reflect their real-life counterparts; dribbling is super improved and commentary now includes reports from the touchline and one can turn on updates from other game reports when playing tournaments so that you can get updated about scores on other games.

most important added feature is the ability to be called up to coach a national team while on career mode. The defending system in FIFA 12 was a bit sluggish now FIFA 13 has tweaked that and made the defending system even better. The FIFA 13 installment is more realistic, the player movements and runs, the spectacular goals make the game looks so realistic just like watching a real game on TV. It is graphically well done. Sit back and Game on. The more you play the more ‘Super Saiyan’ you become, as for me I am a Goku of FIFA in my own words.

In a nutshell FIFA 13 for me becomes the leading football game, the best that EA ever made, thanks to the hard work and advancement, The new score-based challenge mode as well as my favorite Skill PES has to work harder. Games mode, is an addition to players addiction. If you love ca- I rate this Game: reer mode you will definitely love it even more- buying players is 9/10 not just so easy just like in real life. Good players know what they deserve to join your team and some of the players who are on the bench will always ask for game play or seek to be transferred. One By: Brian Khumalo Barcoded Magazine

A DIFFERENT BATCH ALL TOGETHER:

THE MUFFINZ “Have You Heard?” is their debut album’s title; befitting for the young band, as their name consistently rolls off the tongues of music lovers around the country. Their eleven track offering, released in May 2012 has cemented their position as a refreshing addition to Mzansi’s music scene. With airplay on radio stations across the country, their lead single Khumbul’ekhaya catapulted them onto a different level altogether. They’ve managed to achieve popularity with both young and older South African markets equally well and are on their way to conquering other African markets. Signed to independent music label, Just Music, The Muffinz are a welcome deviance to a market that has of late been saturated by rappers and house music DJs. The group has been together since 2010, with Keke and Skabz joining in 2011. Their sound ranges from a soulful R&B groove to an Afro-centric, jazzy sound, backed by acapella singer Simz and drummer Keke’s deep harmonies. They are able to take one on a journey, with lyrical content laced with vernacular.

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soundbooth feature Oven jokes aside, The Muffinz are a band that has what it takes to We are men of vision, men of focus lol! [Oven joke.] We want to rule have a lasting reputation and to leave a lasting legacy of timeless the world by touching one ear at a time in Africa and abroad. We’re about the music more than anything. music. You all add different ingredients to The Muffinz. What in- Who are your musical influences, as a band? gredients are you adding to the African music scene as a Ah its Tidal Waves from the North West! Those fathers are amazing whole? lol. Talk about diversity! We all have individual different musical backWhat sort of flavour does each individual bring to the grounds. collective? Simz (electric guitar) flirts a lot with acapella music. Mtha (acoustic guitar) grooved to your Britney Spears and Back- Sfiso Atomza - our word smith: he writes a lot. Simz is good with arranging. street Boys, lol (weird.) Sfiso (electric guitar) is the hippie lol. Reggae, Hip hop, poetry are Mtha Mthizo Mathembula - Mr Reeves is also good with melody. Skabz - Mr bass groover is good with chord arranging and his thing- he’s the wordsmith. Keke - ah he sings in his own made up lingo-good when it comes to Skabz (bass guitar)-he does jazz and American gospel. composing melodies. Keke our drummer listens to a lot of West African music. So the sound we have as the Muffinz is from all those special inDescribe in one word, the way each of you felt when you gredients. heard your first single on radio? Atomza, Skabz and Simz goin’: “No No No No it can’t be us on radio.” Mtha and Keke in the background jumping and goin’ Yes “Yes Yes Yes it’s us playing” (laughs) Has the youth of SA embraced your sound? Wow the response from the youth has been incredible. We thought they won’t buy into our sound but they love it hey. What challenges have you faced along the way? Iyho Sister you don’t want know… We struggled a lot in the area of What milestones have you achieved following the release finance and transportation. of your debut album? What advice would you like to pass on to upcoming musiIt has to be the Standard bank Ovation award at the Grahamstown cians trying to get a break? Arts festival. They shouldn’t be anything they’re not. Be real and the music must What did you collectively learn from working with a mu- come from the heart and they must own the masters of their music. sic heavyweight such as Robin Kohl? Where can people get hold of your material? Robin and his team made us feel comfortable in studio and told us to relax and give it our best in the booth. So yeah it was an honour Our CD is available at all Musica, Look and Listen, CNA and Jive City outlets nation wide. to work with him. Take us through the basics of how you’d create a song as The What can we expect from The Muffinz in 2013? Muffinz. Muffinz 2013: We’ll be touring and winning people’s hearts. The creativity takes place in the oven. We all have our strengths, so it’s really a team effort when it comes to that area. By: Phumzile Twala When you guys were starting out, what did you envision for yourselves? Barcoded Magazine

soundbooth extra

UNLIKELIEST MUSIC COLLABOS ACCORDING TOâ&#x20AC;Ś SEAN PAGES

Sean Pages is a renowned producer and rapper, with hits such as Naledi, and Get Right.

AKA MEETS L-TIDO Imma keep it local with this one. Aka and Tido. The beef between them did good for both their careers and at the same time laid a big block between them. A lot of cats have tried putting them on a remix together but to no avail. A track with just both of them on it would be something else.

DINEO LUSENGA

Dineo Hosts a show on 5FM every Saturday and Sunday morning from 4am till 7am and is also a freelance scriptwriter, television producer and actress.

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LADY GAGA MEETS DIE ANTWOORD Now we know they don’t really like each other, and they’ve been taking jabs at each other lately via music videos and twitter. It would be interesting to see all that energy being invested in a hot song. They are very talented artists, and are evidently very completely different from everyone else. They would make magic together.

DESMOND AND THE TUTUS MEETS FRESHLYGROUND Both amazing bands, edgy and ground breaking. Every time they release singles, they have people singing along. Imagine what they could do together? Merging that “Zim Zala Bim” and “Do be doo” kind of sound.

TAMARA DEY MEETS JR Tamara has got an AMAZING voice and she’s the lead singer of Flash Republic, and JR has proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that he has crossover appeal. I think they’d do great together.

TAYLOR SWIFT MEETS KANYE WEST AKA MEETS TOYA DELAZY Need I say more? Young, fresh, energetic, talented. FIRE!

After the incident at the MTV awards (2009) it would be interesting to see them get together on the same track. You put Kanye West on any song, it’s guaranteed to be massive! Taylor Swift’s slightly moving into the pop market and she’s doing pretty well at it. She’s beautiful and she writes well. It’ll be a beauty and the beast kind of collaboration. Literally Barcoded Magazine

FRENCH CONNECTIONS A

fter a short wait at reception, (where we received a warm welcome from Charles) we headed into the Phillips Gallery. It was exciting being in the presence of actual art works produced scores of decades ago by greats such as Henri Toulouse-Loutrec and August Bodin.

Botshabelo, near Middelburg, Mpumalanga, he is widely regarded as the father of urban black art. Our mood quickly turned sombre as Sabelo retold of some of the struggles that Sekoto faced as an African artist during the apartheid era. The story of his piece titled “Yellow Houses in Sophiatown” was particularly poignant. This piece was the first of his works deemed fit to gain prominence by being exhibited at the Joburg Art Gallery. What was saddening about this tale was that Sekoto was denied the honour of viewing his own work at the venue due to the colour of his skin. A pained Sekoto had to wear overalls and enter the premises under the guise of being a “garden boy” in order to see his own work.

Our guide Sabelo Lukhele gave us an informative tour around the gallery. Telling us about Classical art which featured a lot of landscape art, he explained how artists of the time complained of arthritis due to having to work in cold conditions outside. The pieces titled LaBelle Epoque (beautiful Times) represented a time of celebration after the French Revolution. This period represented Another painting titled “Watching the Dancers” is reflective of the a movement away from landscape art. style and conditions at the time. This one shows the conditions of Artists of the time were renowned for visiting brothels and cap- the time and the Impressionist influence. Sabelo went on to explain turing the birth of arts such as ballet and cabaret theatre. One the symbolism of Sekoto’s subjects (many of them are painted with such artist is Henri Toulose-Lautrec, who was an Impressionist. their backs towards us) as reflective of his feelings towards the Although he was short and physically handicapped, he didn’t let way the country of his birth treated him. Sekoto moved to France that hinder his artistic escapades in any way. Sabelo pointed out and lived there for a long period of time, due to disgruntlement with the type of images he painted- which featured a lot of nudes and the Apartheid system in S.A. homosexuality. By the time our visit came to an end, we were more informed about The story of Miss Fairfax left us very intrigued. On first inspection, various types of art, as well as the work that places such as the JAG this marble bust looks like a beautiful woman with her shoulders continue to do to preserve it. Our visit to the Gallery was entertaindraped in a thick coat. The history of the piece however, revealed a ing and a refreshing experience that allowed us to question the story of love, lust and controversy. Looks can be deceiving! type of legacy that artists of today will leave behind. The art of the likes of Maurice de Vlaminck came from a time of French Connections is on at the Joburg Art Gallery until the 10th of wild, radical art, while Spain-born Pablo Picasso is regarded as a March 2013. Entrance is free. Cubism pioneer. For more information, contact Tiny Malefane on TinyM@joburg. Sabelo at this stage told us of the friendship between Vincent van org.za or 011 725 3184. Gogh and Paul Cezanne, going on to introduce us to a new version By: Phumzile Twala of the story we knew of how the former lost his ear. Photography by: Hazel Mphande Standing in the room where the works of Gerard Sekoto hung was surreal. Sabelo gave us a brief background to the man: born in 34

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pure art

FRENCH ART EXHIBITION AT JAG. JAG PRESENTS FRENCH INSTITUTE AND SOUTH AFRICAN ART COLLABORATION, RUNNING UNTIL 10TH MARCH 2013. Located on King George Street, between Wolmarans and Noord Street, Joubert Park, The Johannesburg Art gallery is at the heart of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic and media hub. As part of the French Institute and South Africa Season, the Galley is running an exhibition consisting of a collection of French art works. Forming part of the foundation collection of JAG, the French collection includes Romantic artists, Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. During the mid-1830s, French artists rebelled against established artistic rules- many of them seeking a more realistic depiction of their surroundings. Incorporated in this exhibition, the works of the likes of Gustave Courbet, Camille Corot and Jean-Francois Millet are on display. The gallery has work by Post-Impressionist artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Andre Derain and Paul Gauguin. The aim of this particular exhibition is to investigate alternate forms of visual expression from 1830 to the 20th century. Works by the likes of Spanish-born Picasso are on display. The gallery has also dedicated some exhibition space to an artist considered the pioneer of urban black art and social realismGerard Sekoto. He left South Africa in 1947 to live in Paris, France, on a self-imposed exile.

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SA ART SCULPTURES ON EXHIBITION AT THE HAGUE

MARY SIBANDE, NANDIPHA MNTAMBO, WILLIE WEBSTER WORKS IMPRESS INTERNATIONALLY.

“The Rainbow Nation” is an exhibition, of art works by contemporary South African fine artists, which recently ended, at The Hague in the Netherlands. From Willie Webster’s “Trojan Horse” to Pieter Hugo’s photography, over 50 original works were exhibited.

Featured as a centre-piece at the exhibition, one of the Sophies is adorned in a blue and white Victorian gown and is seen knitting from a giant ball of red yarn. The sculptor moulds each Sophie using her own petite body as a cast and thereafter paints each one pitch black before clothing her in Victorian apparel.

Mary Sibande’s sculptures tell a compelling life-story of a woman who was the first of her family to go to college. Compared to her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, who rose no further than the role of domestic worker, Sibande’s journey was enriched by further education and training at Wits Tech and the University of Johannesburg. This artist creates life-size sculptures of her alterego, Sophie the domestic worker and creates various installations.

Sibande’s works comprised part of the youngest generation’s works on display. Exhibiting artists came from three generations. Among the first, being Sydney Kumalo, Edoardo Villa and Noria Mabasa. The second was represented by Andries Botha, Willie Bester, Jane Alexander and Angus Taylor. The Nelson Mandela monument was also unveiled at the opening of this exhibition, a few months earlier.

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pure art

2012: THE YEAR THAT WAS IN THE ARTS WE LOOK BACK AT A FEW HEADLINES THAT CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION The Spear

President Jacob Zuma and his genitalia hogged the media spotlight yet again this year. This time around though, artist Brett Murray made JZ and his “mshini” the subject of a painting he called “The Spear.” Exhibited at the Goodman Gallery, the piece made international headlines with Zuma supporters defacing the painting, deeming it disrespectful.”

Whitney Houston Dies

The RnB/Pop Diva’s star faded early in February this year. Houston’s unconscious body was found in a hotel bathtub. Reports suggest Houston died of a drug overdose. She had an illustrious career as a singer with a velvet voice. Unfortunately, Houston’s personal life seemed to over-shadow her career exploits in latter years.

Kelly Khumalo Book Release

Writer Melinda Ferguson has written a book about troubled SA singer Kelly Khumalo. The star of “Rolling with Kelly Khumalo” has been tabloid fodder for a few years, since mixing with the wrong crowd and getting immersed in the drug world. The book release comes at a time when Khumalo is attempting to get her career back on track. Ferguson is also a recovering addict. 38

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Songs of Migration Hits International Stages

Renowned playwright James Ngcobo and legendary musician Hugh Masekela collaborated to form the theatrical piece “Songs of Migration.” A musical tribute to the great songs of migrants across the African continent, the show features songs by Joseph Shabalala, Gibson Kente, Dorothy Masuka and Masekela. The show has been seen on stages in London, Amsterdam and Washington.

iphone 5 released

The thinnest and lightest iphone ever was released this year. With faster Wi-Fi and larger display, the phone has an 8MP iSight camera and more. One critic said “Cementing its status as being regarded as one of the most elegant devices on the market, the iphone 5 looks and feels like a high luxury item that’s instantly recognizable anywhere you take it.”

Avengers- Highest Grossing Movie of 2012

The Avengers Movie was released in mid-2012 and was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. Starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson, the superhero film made history by becoming the fastest film to gross $1 billion. It is also the 3rd highestgrossing film of all time.

ARTSCAPE THEATRE PRESENTS DIRTY DANCING The show is based on the 1987 blockbuster movie of the same name, starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Following a run at Montecasino in Fourways, Johannesburg, the show will make its way to The Artscape Theatre in Cape Town in January 2013. The show will be at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town from the18th of January to the 10th of February 2013. Barcoded Magazine

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USING ART TO PROMOTE EDUCATION EFA GLOBAL MONITORING REPORT, YOUTH AND SKILLS: PUTTING EDUCATION TO WORK This report seeked to examine how skills development programmes can be improved to boost young peoples’ opportunities for decent jobs and better lives. The winner of the 2012 EFA Global Monitoring Report art contest, Khalid Mohamed Hammad Elkhateem’s artwork was titled :In the middle of nowhere.” This work describes how youth of today are lost in the mismatch of skills and work. He says it shows the difficult situation many children and young people are in today. Khalid, who had a challenging childhood on the streets of Sudan, says: “I hope my story and my art can inspire street children and other marginalized children to not give up their hope to get an education.”

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Art...The Fountain Of Youth?

t’s been said that the creative adult is the child that survived, but I feel like a creative adult is a child that REFUSED to grow up for a good reason. Growing up is good, but either way you look at it, you’re closer to dying and I do not know anyone that is looking forward to their last day. My point is this: a creative child or young person with really amazing creative skills who makes something of epic proportions in their career that catapults them to legendary status- even when they grow old- that masterpiece they created will keep them relevant with the youth. I feel like finding success in the art world is like taking a sip from the Fountain of Youth. The fountain of youth is non-existent. But have you realised that the artists (musicians ; actors, dancers and painters) we liked 10 years ago don’t seem to have aged at all even though we know all the changes and the progression they have gone through in their lives? [Laughs] Most of these people are in their 40s and still dress like they are in high school or university. Society thinks it’s acceptable because they are artists- they represent the “youth’, which is true, but ironically these people don’t even qualify to be called youth when it comes to their age. But since they are in the arts, entertainment and media industries they’ll forever appeal to that youthful audience for as long as they are active in that area. Remember the 27Club? Yes, the elite group of famous people. As much as they may be dead, all the things they did up until their deaths will always be a part of pop culture and the youth will always love them.

Brenda Fassie passed on when she was 40, but hey, she was still dancing like she was 16 and nobody judged her or saw her as an old woman trying her best to be young. All they saw was a “young vibrant” artist. Most people don’t know that Charlie Sheen is almost 50 (that’s if he isn’t already 50). Graffiti artist Stay High 149 died at 61. He was still active in the Graff world, still dressed like he was young; his work, his art kept him feeling young. Artists are never really seen as old people, that’s because of the work they did and for whom it was done. Child stars are perfect examples of this, as much as they may age in years; too many remain perceived as those little kids they portrayed on screen. Art and creativity keeps us young and our brains active and we all have to do our part in keeping ART alive. If we let art go as we age it would die. The earth was created, it is a work of art, and the earth without “Art” is just a plain “eh!’” We don’t want that. Let’s keep this fountain of youth running through staying young at heart and being innovative. By: MduzavanGogh Barcoded Magazine

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pure art

D O W N

Mahlatse James is a fashion journalist, visual merchandise coordinator, Creative consultant to designers, retail outlets and personal clientele. He gives us his Top 5 Trends of 2012: Fashion has had a great run this year and I must add that being on the pulse of fashion this has been a really difficult task trying to compile this mini trend report. I didn’t quite know which level of fashion I am meant to translate here because across most (if not all) spheres, boxes have been ticked. In no particular order, here are trends I do believe were quite big news this year! Africania! Tribal prints have created a massive wave this whole year. Industry elite saw it as a stunning return of various print works to the motherland, retail availability was abundant and consumers bought into it in throbs. We all developed a relationship with unique patterns and textures and adopted the African print as it suited us whether it’s in minimal injections through a Babatunde trilby or those stunning cotton trousers by Sonia Von Mellenthin. The whole world claimed tribalism as “hip” and I agreed.

the trend can very easily cross the barriers of chic to cheap or the other way around. Available in different forms too, from grunge all the way to dressier preferences.

The Luxe in Sports! Who would have thought that sports and fashion would ever reach a meeting point? We live in times where style is whatever you make of it but the call we didn’t see coming was the injection of active wear into high end fashion. Sports luxe is a trend I am most happy about because it integrates two totally different industries, the result of which is very good. There is no set rule to styling Sports Peplum love! There is something very woman about an hourglass figure. Every Luxe. Just one piece of advice, using street style as inspiration has season fashion folk study designer collections to try and define better results. the “current woman.” One shape has always been certainly “in” though. The kind nipped in around the waist parts so as to bless Sweet summer pastels! every woman with an effect commonly desirable to the eye. The Every year, when spring and summer hits we anticipate customary peplum gave them that and then some with a domed flower petal floral prints and a wide selection of bright colours. The former was appeal. Be it a fitted blazer with flaring bits, a structural frock or without doubt well served by tribal print and the latter saw a difa pencil skirt with an all round frill, the peplum design stood firm ferent kind of sweetness to the uniform brights. Out with last year’s throughout the year. neon and in with fondant hues. Pastels are just too cute and they suit most shapes and sizes. The best way to wear the less bright Crop top! colour notes is to block not more than four colours –they are just Another trend with nostalgic elements is the unforeseen return of too cute to “block”. Long tale short, there is a pastel item for evethe crop top. Reeled in to have a run throughout this year’s heated ryone out there. seasons, the midriff became the hottest accessory. I love that as This year has been great with regards to trends worth bringing into much as this trend is really made to be worn by the toned few, it one’s wardrobe. I cannot wait for the next year and the fashions it remains topical and its desirable edge is dependent on the fact that will bring with. Barcoded Magazine

THE PLATFORM EXPERT FEATURE

RADIO AIRPLAY INDUSTRY EXPERT LESIBA MAROKANA EXPLAINS WHAT IT TAKES TO GET YOUR SONG ON RADIO.

101!

Drawing from your experience, can you name the Top5 What basic requirements does one need to get right mistakes that artists make when submitting songs before submitting their music for airplay? for radio airplay? Make sure that your song is registered with SAMRO. Provide 1. Guys not getting their music registered. full publishing details; we’re talking track-listing, record label & publishing company (Include all the names of everyone 2. Presentation of their music (submitting blank cd’s with no involved in the composition of the song so they can be credtrack-listing.) ited for their work.) 3. Submitting wrong songs for the target market. 4. Not getting your song mastered and mixed properly.

Scenario: I’m an upcoming artist with a hit track on the streets. Does that automatically mean my song is play-listed?

5. When songs get rejected guys give up and think that the Nope. Like I said earlier different radio stations have differstation has beef with them. They end up hurling insults, when ent target markets, so if the song is aligned with that station’s they should be going back to the drawing board. sound, then it shouldn’t be difficult to get it play-listed. Remember: stations are chasing those hits. 44

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THE PLATFORM EXPERT FEATURE

How important is it to follow-up once one has sub- studios and threatened us, saying we have to play his music. mitted material for airplay? Security had to remove him off the premises. Once a week because you don’t want to be a pain in the neck One of the major success stories that we’ve had as YFM was whenever you call or email; but if your music is good enough with AB Crazy: We got his material just as he left Octave Couplet. We put his music on, there was a positive response you don’t have to wait for long. from the listeners and he ended up being with Cashtime Fam Do you have a submission “horror story” or two you’d through the buzz he got on YFM. After he left Cashtime, Kallike to share? What are some of your most memorable awa still managed to sign him and all of this was because of submission stories? (On a scale of most shocking to YFM and his talent. the most impressive) (At the time of the interview Lesiba was the music compiler Yeah, there was guy whose music was terrible and we told at YFM- Ed.) him it doesn’t meet the criteria. He ended up coming to the Barcoded Magazine

THE PLATFORM ARTISTS

“THE LAYDERS”

FOR ALL SEASONS

Who are The Layders?

It’s been quite overwhelming, and the sales have exceeded our expectations. We have also triggered The Layders are a musical collective, comprising of audiences from Japan to Kalamazoo, in the US, so we 5 members who all share a mutual interest in mak- are very grateful, and honoured to have come thus ing good music. far. Thanks to our label Soul Candi Records. We have also been receiving a lot of love from our homeland For those who haven’t yet experienced your sound, South Africa. how would you best describe it? The sound is very versatile because we cover vari- Did you collaborate with anyone on this alous genres. It most definitely has some ‘Soul’ which bum? resonates with anyone listening to our music. We only had one collaboration on our album with Are you also instrumentalists? ‘Young Slugz’ who is a Zambian born rapper, who now resides in Botswana. He is a very talented and Yes we are. We have a Saxophonist ‘Barvu’, a key- articulate fellow. boardist ‘VtheVowel’, a Bass guitarist ‘BootyBayz’ and Scott Ross is the producer and the beat conduc- What makes “The Layders” stand out as a collective? tor for the band. Ckenz Voucal (The songwriter and What makes us stand out is that we create music vocalist) faintly plays the trumpet. with no boundaries, and are able to execute our ideas quite effectively. We also have fresh sense of You’ve released your album, For All Seasons. style, and we give the word ‘Layder’ meaning by doHow have sales been going so far? ing what we love, which is creating good music. 46

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How have you guys adapted to the changes in What changes do you aim to bring to the Afrithe local music industry over the past few can music scene? years? We aim to bring versatility and an open-minded apItâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an ongoing process, but we try to keep up. Es- proach when it comes to making music. pecially with the technological changes, and how simplified music making has become, a lot had to Where can people get hold of your album? be learned. A lot of reading helps, and the yearning to learn more. The local industry is growing, and Its available at all major record stores like Musica, the gap between local and international is narrowing LooknListen, and you can also get it online on iTunes and Traxsource, immensely. What goals do you all envision for The Lay- What does Art Mean to you? ders within the next 3 years in terms of your Expression. brand and the music you create? We aim to inspire more bands, and expand the market so that more people get to experience the type of sound we create. We aim to basically grow our following from all over the world, and represent South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own talented musicians.

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SKIN2 SOUL: LIVING THEIR ART AND PURPOSE

Skin2Soul was founded at the rooftop of the Noord MTN taxi rank by five travelers whose roads converged to form, what is known as skinicology- the manifestation of the greatest love of music and blackness. Xolani on drums, Thabang on bass, Lichaba on guitar, Olebogeng on percussion and Tshidiso on vocals; Skin2Soul is a refreshing contemporary band that aims to bring joy and wisdom to the streets through music. The dynamic group fuses a variety of sounds to pro- Do you choose to classify yourselves as a parduce a sound that’s often describes as ‘alternative ticular type of band? and eclectic.’ No, not at all. We mix all these different genres and we are able to then come up with our own kind of The name does rather express the inheritance of mu- sound. sic from generation to generation and the effect of one being touching another, through a positive mes- Urban audiences are spoiled for choice when sage and love. it comes to local bands on the indie scene. What makes Skin2Soul stand out? The band’s vocalist, Tshidiso tells us more: I’d say our energy on stage. Our sound is different, ‘cause we use different elements, such as having Tswana on a rock track. We’re dynamic. How long has Skin2Soul been around for? Your motto, “Live your art and purpose…more It’s been 5 years now. love…more life” sort of embodies what the band is In your bio you mentioned that Skin2Soul fus- about. es kwaito township rhythms, rock and reggae. That’s it… 48

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THE PLATFORM ARTISTS Alive as well. This year we had a great experience as part of the June 16 Sound of our Time Festival, which was basically about giving Joburg youth bands a platform. You name them… From “The Fridge” to “Love Glori” What other plans do you have in store for 2013? We’d definitely like to tour around Soweto, and outside of SA as well. We’ve been getting some nice responses from crowds wherever we’ve performed. How can people get hold of you for bookings, etc? We’re on twitter, facebook, flikr…basically all social networks. Otherwise, you can email gideon@storehousemusic.co.za for bookings and EP copies once it’s available. How have you guys ensured that you live up to your purpose in the music scene? We do our best not to be influenced by various factors… I mean in reality, when dealing with some promoters, you get problems of not getting paid, as an “alternative” band. Do you currently have any projects out? Tell us about that We’re working on our EP at the moment. Still recording it. We don’t have any features on it, it’s just us. It’ll be 5 or 6 tracks in total. It’ll be available online and we’ll have some hard copies, which we’ll have available for sale at our performances too. We’ve learned a lot about the recording process from Leon (at Yebo Studios.) I mean, you don’t just go in and record. It’s a process, in terms of clearing out sound and stuff. It’s been great working with someone like him because he believes in the band. Where can people catch you performing in the coming year? We definitely want to do Oppikoppi, Macufe and Arts Barcoded Magazine

THE PLATFORM ARTISTS

PULLOVA ENTERTAINMENT: TAKING CHARGE AND MAKING THAT CHANGE

How and when was PullOva Entertainment es- How did you come up with the name? tablished? PullOva is an Industry hijack! We figured by learning PullOva Entertainment was formally established/ the rules, we can be able to adapt and break them. registered in 2010 as a Musical extension of PullOva The name came as a way of the need to make change productions founded by friends Juan Mandlazi, Bri- in our lives and the communities we come from and an Mangxola, Mondli Buthelezi aka Substance and as a way of bridging the gap between young black Thabang Moqobai. companies from the township and the big mainstream corporates. We always see problems around Pullova Productions is a company which has been us and the only way to start tackling them is to “Pullin existence since 2006 founded by Juan Mandlazi. Ova”, take charge and make that change. It’s more PullOva Productions is an umbrella brand that co- like a thought pattern, where you zone out and reach exists with two other companies, PullOva Entertain- a decision to make a difference not only in your life ment and PullOva Media. These brands house the but in the lives of those around you as well. PullOva, passion we have for the media/entertainment indus- recognize and take action. try as a collective. The PullOva™ brand was established as a way of turning creativity and passion into profit. 50

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THE PLATFORM ARTISTS What sort of artists do you align yourselves doccies and short films. with? What challenges have you faced since incepWe started the company as way of learning more tion? And how have you overcome them? about the industry and give to it, what we believe will contribute to it’s growth and development in Our biggest challenge when we started was raising our country. Before the business, we are fans of mu- capital for the vision, on getting to where we needsic. Now as an Independent label, we are looking ed to be as a business. A business needs money/ at growing our business by aligning ourselves with resources to operate and be fully functional. We artists that share the same interests and passion in practically invested in our passions, supported their craft as we do in what we are willing to offer each other’s dreams and continued working hard to them. With regards to genre, we’re currently pre- and not losing sight of the vision. dominantly a hiphop/urban music label with inter- We also suffered from Rejections from Radio staest in expanding to include other genres because we tions, TV, just media nje…where in 2008 we literalbelieve music is a universal language; so we keeping ly had to wait outside radio stations until we saw a our eyes open and ears on the ground for the next familiar face from TV or a Mag and submit our mubig thing. Visit www.soundcloud.com/pullovalibrary sic to them. Now we have built relationships with or PullovaTV on Youtube to check out some of our guys and we don’t have to stand outside now, doing interviews with the likes of Zama Dube. That’s big artists. for us just ‘cause one of our singles-Substance’sWhat has been your most memorable high- Shayisandla from the record label was shown love from Yfm, 5fm and your Magazine and is still doing light so far? best. Our most memorable moment happened in 2008 when we released our first mixtape (Substance-Do Are you involved in any youth projects at the the knowledge Mixtape.) We were nominated in two moment, in terms of giving back, or mentorcategories in the first ever Hype Magazine Hip Hop ing? awards for: Best Mixtape of the year and Song of the year, Substance-High school girls. It took real be- We have a mentoring programme where we work lief to go to a bank and ask for a loan to release a with ‘youngens’ that aspire to start a career in the Mixtape. The lady at the bank was like ‘guys if you entertainment industry ranging from (marketing, know that you’re going to pay it back then there is no graphic design, audio visual and events.) We’re reason not to grant it’ the next day we had money in coordinating this to fully develop into an internship the account to release our first album as a business. program. This is most memorable to us because it proved that it doesn’t matter where you come from. If you work We’re also involved in the development of awarehard in what you believe in, the sky is not the limit ness campaigns to raise awareness about the but your own limits which you set up for yourself. epidemic of drugs (nyaope) abuse that is fast deIt also holds credibility in our growth with regards stroying the lives of our young fellow brothers and to longevity and as pioneers in the industry through sisters and as an aftermath, causing the crime rate influence. That “hype” expanded to other avenues to increase around townships. where we then got commissioned to take part in various music productions for TV magazine shows, Barcoded Magazine

THE PLATFORM ARTISTS Using one word, how would you describe your Where do you see PullOva Ent. in the next two current position in the entertainment indus- years? try? We see it being a household name; a one stop shop Futuristic. when it comes to the entertainment industry in providing edutainment through music, events, fashion Who are some of your clients? and audio visuals, etc. We have been setting up this Web to achieve this, now we’re working with We’ve done work for Ekurhuleni municipality, Etv, our Sister company that is called Spyral Technik, a SABC, McDonalds, Audi, Jack Daniels, Spyral Cloth- clothing brand that is growing so much, with very ing, Absolut Vodka, Cappello Greenside, Substance, creative individuals where they had a 2 metre pair Kabomo, TTP, Siya Shezi, Selwyn, Dr Nthabiseng, GB of Jeans made just for STRCRD this year-taking the Collective, Back to the City, Hotbwoys ent. Default, art of making clothes to another level. So in 2 years Skavengers, Lany, EsphiProducerSA- to name a few. we should be blazing hot Music, Audiovisual, events We thank all these guys for believing in a 100% kings….and we will mos def WIN. black owned business; however which still puts out the quality that any label, Production Company can Do you feel that various art bodies in South produce. Africa are promoting art enough? How do you keep abreast of developments in Until corporates and government treat art as a cayour industry? reer and come up with initiatives that support artists (upcoming and mainstream) to grow themselves We’re all contributors in the industry through the as individuals and as businesses; we feel that still, various skills we offer to other production houses there isn’t enough that is being done to promote art; in our different fields of interest. This helps us in especially in the townships- where the majority of getting exposed to the latest info and technological our population dwells. It’s sad to see how art is bedevelopments/advancements that are happening at ing treated in our country, with that said it doesn’t that time so this keeps us abreast. mean we should stop creating, love and put passion We also do a lot of individual research separately, in what we do. The more people see something, the come back to share with the team and develop strat- more important it becomes and it will attract the egies from that. The internet is one of our biggest guys with the cheque to promote art. sources of information and we also attend industry workshops, RISA general member meetings where What does art mean to you? they inform you about how the music business is doing and trends. We find a lot of indies sleep on Art is expression, art is life. these and a lot of events for networking purposes in our various fields interest. Plus now we’re part of a collective call Future Currency that is doing an online show called ‘DropXVI’ http://www.youtube.com/ user/DropXVIafrica a series/episodic where South Africa’s dopest emcees drop their hottest 16 bars on one super fresh beat. This has forced us to research and keep our ears on the ground. 52

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Off ramp article

i am not my hair So when Ms Arie graced our shores a few years back for the first time, she was surprised to find that black ladies this side of the equator have no qualms about short hair. Back in her home country women who decide to go that route are apparently shunned for such decisions. This I found fascinating because even though we were declared a democratic country in 1994, the sistas overseas had been free for much longer but were still tied to unrealistic beauty standards. Inspired by South African beauties, the chocolate- coloured musician recorded the track. Her aim was to spread messages of posiAt a time when black kid’s career aspirations amounted to tive self-esteem for women all over the world. becoming a “presenter on Simunye,” we had the likes of Caroline Fassie donning glamorous weaves and Boom Shaka My fascination with this topic has no limit because of women with their trademark super-long braids. I was always more like Solange Knowles. The singer and DJ recently caused a fascinated by women like Bonnie Henna (nee Mbuli) and buzz when she rocked a brush cut in public. So naturally, tabloids and paparazzi had a field day with her. I don’t get Zandi Nhlapo. what the big deal is. But in my opinion, it seems American Here were these gorgeous black women, who were killin’ it society finds this look ‘exotic’ for some reason- attributing with their respective careers, yet they chose the road less to it to a cry for help (Britney Spears tendencies) or very travelled. In an industry that placed so much importance on bold fashion moves. Either way, fact is that these women look beauty standards (usually defined by European standards) gorgeous with or without hair and don’t seem to be slaves to they chose to sport clean-shaven heads or brush cuts. For- vanity, in my opinion. get Aaliyah’s straight hair and SWV’s weaves. These women set style trends for African women. Growing up, these women Check out some pictures of the likes of Chrisette Michele, showed me that having long fake hair doesn’t define me. They Noni Gasa, Bonnie Henna, Pabi Moloi and Amber Rose, showed me that it’s okay to flaunt a beautifully-shaped head who’ve all rocked this look effortlessly. and a stunning jaw-line to go with it. Over the years many black women followed suit and went bald, celebrating their By Phumzile Twala African beauty. Musician India Arie summed it up the best on one of her tracks called “I am not my hair.” As a South African woman I grew up in an era where a lot of women were trying to find themselves by identifying with American trends. The 1990s saw South African youth conforming to trends set by their African-American (back then known as black American) counterparts. Fashion was dictated by the latest threads on R&B and hip hop stars at the time- baggy jeans, Doc Martins and Kangol hats. Hairstyles were no different.

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Off ramp article

DAVID TLALE DAZZLES NEW YORK Since making his catwalk debut in 2003, David Tlale has sketched his brand notably locally and internationally. His elaborate designs have made their way on to ramps such as Joburg Fashion Week and other premium platforms. However, his most recent international foray was at the New York Fashion Week.

In 2012 he made history by becoming the first South African designer to showcase at the Mercedes Benz New York fashion Week. His collection, “Cultural Intimacy” flew the SA flag high and marked groundbreaking progression for the local fashion industry.

Contact the David Tlale Studio here: The designer has a penchant for making history; as +27 83 583 2635 evidenced by his “Made In The City” collection, pre- studio@davidtlale.com sented in 2011 at Joburg Fashion week. 92 models strut down on what was deemed the long- By Phumzile Twala est ramp in the history of South African fashion: The Nelson Mandela Bridge.

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TRIVIA Chemical dyes were introduced for underwear in The term ‘long johns’ came about after famous 19th In 1967, legendary Hollywood designer, Edith Head banned minithe late 1860s. Frilly underwear came about in the century boxer John L. Sullivan wore wool drawers as his skirts from the Academy Awards because she “felt they lacked mid-nineteenth-century, with the invention of the boxing outfit. elegance.” sewing machine. Barcoded Magazine

MERCEDEZ BENZ FASHION WEEK: AFRICA 2012 A number of designers from all over the African continent also showcased their work. Nigerian designer Ituen Basii seemed Melrose Arch in Johannesburg played host to 2012’s Africa to be a crowd favourite and won the coveted Designer of the Fashion week. Sponsored by luxury vehicle brand Mercedes Year –Africa Award this year. Stand-out pieces by the London Benz, the show took place at the end of October, featuring the College of Fashion graduate included the pencil skirt in newspaper print and hand-made capes, made of Small colourful likes of Gavin Rajah, Marianne Fassler and David Tlale. printed fabric. Taking part in the Fastrack segment were Kyra-moon Halfpenny, Kim Gush and Wetive Nkosi. Kim Gush took the Fas- Gavin Rajah’s designs were characterized by bright colours track designer of the year award, gaining the opportunity to and silky designs, while Marianne Fassler’s collection fea“fast-track” her career through intensive mentorship, busi- tured print-trimmed coats, sequin skulls and recycled mateness development and mentorship. As winner, she also won rials. The designer manages to surprise season after season, an opportunity to shadow French designer Fred Sathal. and it was no different this time. Audience members came from all over the world. Julee Wilson of the Huffington Post hoped to “experience a world of Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe was the host for this year’s edidesign that goes beyond kente cloth, tribal references, safari tion. She expressed her joy at being able to partner with varithemes and excessive use of beading.” ous sponsors. AFRICA’S FINEST SHINE

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“I am very happy with things not just from a sponsorship side acknowledged for the talent it possesses, on an international if things but also with our collaboration with South African stage. tourism.” Taibo Bacar had this to say after winning the Best Emerging The colourful creations that floated down the runways kept Designer Award: “Finally people can know who I am; they will audience members enthralled (despite a few complaints of finally know who Taibo Bacar is. I have been to many countries but not a lot of people knew about me. I am proud to tardiness.) be from Mozambique but I am more than just a Mozambican African designers showcased elegant designs and are prov- designer. I want to be known for my talent.” ing that the African continent is well on its way to being duly

BREAD & BUTTER SHOW 2013 One of the biggest trade shows in Europe, Bread & Butter, kicks off on January 15 2013. Founded by Karl-Heinz Muller in 2001, with the aim of offering lucrative brands a marketing platform, the fashion fair boasts over 600 brands. Street apparel lines like Puma, Adidas and Billionaire Boys Club will be part of the Sport and Street section. Berlin will host over 100 000 visitors from all over the world. Leading denim brands from Europe, America and Japan will be on showcase at the bi-annual event. Visit www.breadandbutter.com for more info. Barcoded Magazine

spot on artist

my name’s

ETCETERA! Thabang Masibi, otherwise known as Etcetera within rap circles is an artist who is redefining the local hip hop industry. With a style of rap characterized by a laid-back flow with intelligent punchlines, he’s known for cheeky lyrical content, retold with captivating story-telling abilities. Humble and not so much of an attention-seeker, he chooses to let his music do all the talking... Why the name Etcetera? I’ve never actually shared the story about how I got my name, so people usually make up their own explanations. Some believe I got it ‘cause I can freestyle for hours, so my verses go on forever. Others think I’m the last born of many children, so my parents just named me Etcetera... LOL, I’ll share the story, one day.

How did your family react to your choice? They supported me hey. We felt like, let me finish my studies first, then everything else will fall into place.

What sort of experiences did you encounter while recording your EP, Shooting Stars? It was incredible! I had recorded a mixtape “Learn Your E.T.C.’s” a year prior so I was already comfortable in the booth. In fact, we finished recording the entire EP in a single Tell us about how you got started in the game? I got started in Primary school actually. We were fascinated weekend. by the sound but it wasn’t really serious. It wasn’t until late high school that I started honing my skills at every possible What was it like working with Ntsika of The Soil on opportunity- from cyphers at Ghandi Square to battles at Sla- your EP? ghuis. uNtsika is a huge talent. Not only his singing, but songwriting ability too. So I was delighted and honoured when At which point did you realize that you could take he agreed to be featured on Shooting Stars. I simply gave your talent beyond neighbourhood cyphers? him the brief for 2 songs “This That” and “Welele,” then he I was battling one Sunday and a record label A&R approached worked his magic. He’s a great individual and I look forward me. The next weekend he took me to a recording studio- that to collaborating with him some more in future. was my first time! We finished a song and I was offered a contract right there. I was just about to finish high school and You released Amaphela as the lead single, which was was set to start studying at WITS the next year, so the timing chart-topping. Have you released any other tracks for radio airplay? wasn’t right. I don’t think anybody could have anticipated the kind of re58

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spot on artist sponse we received for “Amaphela” [Link http://www.mp3t- Musically- no. Not yet. I feel it’s important to establish myself wit.com/ivR.] as a mainstream artist first, so as to be better positioned to help others. I was deeply humbled by how many people resonated with I do however offer a free tutoring service for Maths, English the song. We shot a viral video for it [Link http://youtu.be/ and Accounting to matriculants in and around my neighbourBef-4WKoG5g] before releasing a follow up single “Pay Day” hood. [Link http://www.mediafire.com/?79pdk67tjjui2uh] several months afterwards. What would you love your fans and general hip hop lovers to know about Etcetera the artist? How did you meet your partner in crime, Speeka? Tell LOL is this the part where I get to blow my own horn? I’m Mulus about your working relationship? ti-faceted; ambitious; intelligent; driven; talented; meticulous We met at a show one night round about the time I was re- and hard working. That’s me. I take what I do very seriously. I cording my mixtape. He ended up producing 3 songs on it! know these sleepless nights will be worth it in the end. Shooting Stars was a direct result of our synergy. We worked well together from the get-go, and we’ve been good friends What does art mean to you? since. It’s a great time to be alive! Art, particularly music, has evolved into this beautiful form of expression it is today. We’ve recently seen the likes of Kendrick Lamar Our constitution, coupled with technological advances, allows blowing up after releasing a number of mixtapes. Do us to express ourselves freely and quicker than ever before. you think it’s a “rite of passage” as a hip hop art- Words can’t adequately describe the overwhelming joy that ist, that you release mixtapes or EPs before getting comes with being an artist. your time to shine? It’s a trend that has picked up even locally. L-Tido dropped What’s your take on the current education system in the “City of Gold” mixtape before his debut “All Or Nothing.” SA? So did AKA with “24/7/365” before “Alter Ego.” For me it’s Splitting the education ministry in two was among President important to develop a following before releasing an album. Zuma’s best decisions. As a result, (Minister) Nzimande’s Especially if you’re independent! efforts to make quality higher education more accessible to even the poorest of the poor, is truly commendable. I share his Do you choose to classify your sound? vision of giving free tertiary education to those who couldn’t Oh yes! I call it Mzansi Hip Hop. My music has a distinctly afford it otherwise, and he has brought us closer to realising South African feel. One of my major influences is Kwaito, that objective than ever before! and subtle undertones come through in everything I do, from my beat selection to my lyrics. What are your plans for 2013? I’m dropping a mixtape in January. It’s a collection of freeWhat have you learned about the music industry, on styles I did on Yfm’s hip hop show “The Full Clip.” We’re comyour journey so far? piling all the clips that didn’t make it onto their official mixtape If you want people to take you seriously don’t compromise series, and releasing it for free download. It’s called “The Lost on quality! Rather pay a premium fee for good quality beats Clips.” Look out for it! I also plan to release an album later in than use substandard ones. Make sure you record in a de- the year, Insh’Alla. cent, well-equipped studio, and get proper engineers to mix & master your material. When you put a product out, make Is “Shooting Stars” still available for sale? How can sure its perfect. people get hold of it? No. It was available for purchase for exactly one year. The What more would you like to achieve, as Etcetera, thing is, from the very beginning we wanted to keep it excluthe artist? sive, strictly for a niche market. I wanna grow musically, and as a brand. I wanna become self-sufficient in the next few years. You know? Build my For more info about Etcetera, visit: own studio, shoot my own videos, and host my own shows. http://facebook.com/etcworld http://twitter.com/etceterakai1 Are you involved in any mentorship programmes or any form of giving back? By: Phumzile Twala Barcoded Magazine

newsflash STANDARD BANK YOUNG ARTIST AWARD FOR VISUAL ART 2013 WINNER

Johannesburg-based Mary Sibande was recently awarded the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Visual Arts (2013.) The 30-year-old Fine Arts graduate attempts to critique stereotypical depictions of (particularly black) women in our society.

shaped and are still shaping perceptions about women’s narratives,” she noted.

Sibande’s work has been displayed in various solo and group exhibitions. The fabric used to produce uniforms for domestic workers is an instantly recognizable sight in domestic spaces Upon winning the award, she said, “It is also a compliment in South Africa. By applying it to Victorian dresses, Sibande and honour to me personally to be rewarded in this way, and attempts to make a comment about the history of servitude as to be recognized for my dedication and focus on my art.” it relates to the present, in terms of domestic relationships. Sibande’s work focuses on looking at the general disempow- “I think this kind of validation is needed and is very encouragerment of black women. ing for young up-coming artists, in particular female artists, to be recognized nationally in South Africa for their artistic “I have joined a small group of women artists who have talents and contributions to South African art,” said Sibande.

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newsflash

ART STOLEN IN PRETORIA

Three men, pretending to be students and an art lecturer recently stole artworks from the Pretoria Art Museum. The thieves tied up a museum official at gunpoint and stole six paintings, after having asked to view specific pieces. They left one painting by Irma Stern behind, presumably because it was too large to fit in their car. “Two Malay Musicians” is valued at about R12m. In a twist of events, four paintings were recovered in Port Elizabeth a few days later. Found under a bench in a small cemetery, the works by Irma Stern, Maggie Laub-

ser, JH Pierneef and Hugo Naude are still undergoing a verification process. The painting that was still missing was Gerard Sekoto’s “Street Scene” (1939), valued at about R7m. Tshwane mayoral spokesperson Pieter de Necker said, “The city will tighten security at the museum.”

METALLICA IN MZANSI US rock band Metallica will be performing in South Africa for a second time. Following their 2006 performance, the multi-platinum selling 2011, the group celebrated it’s 30th anniversary. outfit will rock SA stages yet again. Scheduled to perform in Johannesburg and Cape Town in April 2013, Metallica are one The band will grace Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday the of the most commercially successful rock bands in history. 24th of April 2013 and Joburg’s Soccer City on Saturday the 27th of April 2013. Metallica Live in South Africa is a Big Concerts Experience presented by 5FM’s Power Nite of Rock and MK. Ticket Prices range from R295 to R900. Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and Robert Tru- Tickets are available online from www.bigconcerts.co.za or jillo make up the collective known as Metallica. In December Computicket. Barcoded Magazine

ground up

! D R O YW

M H O

he out t ed k Mic chec as we estival Open e u he ven usic F was t and Live M down… y &Bree Emonti und Poetr ’s what went NSo Here Word 2012. for Finale

On a blazing Saturday morning, we found ourselves at the epicentre of Joburg art, in Newtown. Headed for the WordNSound Poetry and Live Music Festival, we strolled down Bree street anticipating a unique show experience. As WordNSound virgins we had no idea of what to expect. (I was hoping for nothing below ecstasy and multiple eargasms obviously.)

Photography by: Gontse More

“Big girl, do you see how great you are?” Her piece captivated the crowd from the first line.

The following act had a style of presentation that I can best describe as “intelligent mastery of performance art.” A gifted story-teller, Bonga gave the audience descriptive poetry that talked about his experience of lost love. This guy had the We stepped into the venue (Emonti&Bree) and were greeted crowd “ooh-ing and aah-ing” over his expression of feelings. by visuals of a few guys handling sound check on stage. One He fully used the intimate setting to his advantage-painting a of the organizers, Afurakan, gave us a warm welcome and picture of his anguish in soft-spoken words. made sure we settled in nicely. After setting up it was a while before anything started. Three finalists into it and I was pleasantly surprised by the elegant grittiness of the poetry we were hearing. Patrons trickled in every few minutes and before we knew Introduced as the current inter-varsity, KB Kilobyte cast a it, the place was buzzing with chatter and laughter. The deceptive figure when he stepped on stage. Looking like a mood was vibrant as the room filled out with a smorgasbord soft-spoken guy, he described himself as “an Engineer who of spring fashionistas who came to show love to the move- does poetry.” The Spartan began his set to the sounds of a ment. While waiting for the show to start, Gontse and I had saxophone in his background music. He paid tribute to the the (mis)fortune of listening to a nervous Diema –Dika relat- women who raised him, and had the audience on their feet ing his struggles of being a poet who uses his mother-tongue with his second offering. The complete performance of “A (SePedi) to articulate his art. Man” had everyone excited as he and a partner wove through the crowd with their booming voices spewing metaphors that Fortunately Afurakan stepped up to the mic to welcome the touched on popular culture. As to how he didn’t make the top crowd and lay down some ground rules, also thanking the five baffles me. sponsors who made the show possible. Names that appeared on the banners on stage included Loxion Kulca, British Coun- As author of the book “Quietly Loud” Mpho Khosi started his cil, Nixon, DJ 1d and Look& Listen. Judges for the Open mic set by relating a typical kasi-story from the point of view of Finale included Joshua Bennett and Quaz. a grandmother watching her misguided grandchildren meander through life. His second piece marked a popular topic for The opening act was Diema-Dika, who shared a piece over the day- socio-political commentary. His words “What is your some house music. Unfortunately the Limpopo native’s per- country’s name? Azania is calling,” had audience members formance didn’t take off as planned. (First anti-climax of pondering about retracing their steps. He concluded by singthe day had me skeptical, I admit.)Petite yet potent Vuyelwa ing “Nkosi Sikelela i-Azania,” with some audience members Maluleke stepped onto stage with a commanding presence. joining in unison. She had the crowd eating out of her hands while she uttered Comic relief came in the form of Kedebone Mulaudzi, a well62

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ground up known comedian. He cracked a few jokes that had the crowd gotten Planet planted seeds of thought with each sentence. in stitches in between introducing the top 5 finalists. A refreshing addition to the music scene is a group that mesAndrew Manyika, who had a charming demeanour on and off- merized patrons from the first track they performed. Lovestage raised the bar when he deciphered the four words men Glori oozed class and a genuine love for their craft as they fear the most: “We need to talk.” This guy defined Slam poetry jammed on stage. Flawless harmonies with soulful tunes kept for me on the day. Accompanied by a pianist on stage, he de- us entertained while the judges tallied the scores. They gave livered a morose yet thought-provoking poem titled “Struc- us a set tinged with fun melodies and soulful lyrics. tural integrity.” He rounded off his performance by adorning an orange caftan, carrying an exercise ball and proceeded And finally came the time to announce the 2012 winner… to mimic an image of Greek mythological character Atlas, by carrying the “world” on his shoulders. A crowd favourite was When the 3rd placed runner-up was announced the place was a thought-provoking piece in which he questioned the rea- roused by jeering and boos; Anti-climax of note. (Clearly Ansons why women wear make-up. drew was the preferred winner by a lot of people.) But the day Another standing ovation. belonged to one Mendi Poefficient whose meticulous delivery

The competition’s inaugural winner Masai Dabula’s words pulled at the heartstrings of the crowd. Claiming that apartheid will never die, the dreadlocked wordsmith oozed passion as he tackled powerful topics. He concluded his first piece with “Africa doesn’t need the world to live. The world needs Africa to survive,”-piercing words that struck a chord. His second offering covered a sensitive topic, showing the poet’s fearless creativity. Walking on stage shackled in chains, I found this particular offering poignant as he immersed himself in a female character, uttering “but I was told there was no rape in marriage.” Making an equally dramatic exit, Masai walked out after his impressive performance. Forgotten Planet is a duo with a lot to say. These guys also touched on social issues such as apartheid, truth and righteousness and iyikhothane. “Hector, your legacy is dying. Democracy’s dying, but Madiba’s still alive.” With a performance style characterized by fast, fluid word formation, For-

was hard-hitting and edgy. As the 2012 winner the statuesque poet got herself a cash prize and a nice goodie bag filled with prizes from sponsors. Mutle Mothibe blessed us with words that left us panting for more, proving his foray into being a full-time artist was no fluke. Renowned Napo Masheane delivered a vernac piece in which her fluent Sesotho construction drew ululations typical Mzansi style. Her poetic plea to God to find her a man had the crowd blushing, laughing and agreeing all at once. WordNSound is a super movement keeping art alive. I hope to see this event growing solely because of the platform it gives to young artists who have a story to tell. Another Round Please! By: Phumzile Twala

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STRCRD 2012 Last year during this event I was sitting at home staring at my computer screen, blogging and looking something like a nerd while every cool person I knew was at STRCRD (pronounced as Street Cred.) I was asking myself “Why is everyone going on about this event?” So after that fateful day in September of 2011 I made a vow to myself that I’d attend the following year’s event. STRCRD is an annual event where street artists and street culture- orientated brands converge and showcase and sell their material; basically a street tradeshow. Designers showcase different things like sneakers, shoes, t-shirts and jeans and basically everything ‘street.’ This event is meant to showcase local designers and expose them to a lot of things and they manage to learn a lot from each other and from their international counterparts. This lifestyle event started on the 27th of Sept and finished on the 30th .The first two days it was basically people setting- up and media briefings and all that boring stuff [laughs]. The 29th was definitely the best day to attend STRCRD because it was a Saturday and the weather was perfect for such an event.

I never knew that we had good sneaker customizers in SA; I met a few people that were doing that for Superga. It was awesome getting free liquor. I was like a kid at Disneyland, drinks in both hands as I watched Zaki Ibrahim blow the crowd away. She isn’t the only performer who did wonders that night; I don’t remember some and some never really caught my attention. DJ Duo Christian Tiger School from Cape Town had people growing crazy with their mixes of dubstep, hip hop and ambient beats, that just got the crowd warmed up for New York artist Jesse Boykins III to shut it down and take our women’s hearts with him, singing in his falsetto voice to smooth R&B beats. What can you do but just watch in awe & envy [laughs] “I wish I could sing like this %$&%#%*&*&*&%”. That was a beautiful night of great artistry. I had to go home to rest for a bit, (a good 3hours of sleep) and I had to be back to see what the event had in store the last day. On the 30th it was Street Kings, a street basketball tournament. A few celebrities were there: Clint Brink from Scandal and rapper Tumi (from the Volume) were playing, and... they can actually play. The celebrities were just adding up the numbers; the boys from Wits ended up winning. This tournament was sponsored by STRCRD and Nike and it was the highlight of that day. It had been a great weekend, a successful one for the previously unknown talented designers and artists from our shores and hopefully those from abroad will tell their friends about us and show them what South African artists are made of.

The event was a success from the beginning and in my opinion what made it better was the fact that people never held back when it came to the fashion. Jo’burgers took street fashion to a whole new level, from Jordan 1s to 7s; Airmax’s to Adidas Jeremy Scotts and Y-3s to Reeboks...not forgetting the grand daddy of all sneakers the Converse All-Star Chuck Taylor. Teens dressed like hippies; for a while I felt like I was back in the 80s, I was inspired...hell I looked fresh myself. It was great seeing people buying local brands like 2Bop, Temprecha, GALXBOY, BMK (Bitches Must Know) and numer- By: MduzavanGogh ous other local designer things. I even met Brazilian shoemaking genius Mattheus, founder of Mutta Shoes. He is a very A special Thank You to Jerri Mokgofe and the organisers of humble person. In fact everyone was just in good spirits. It STRCRD.-Ed. made the event what it was.

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ground up article

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ground up PUMA SOCIAL CLUB

Fashion brand Puma recently opened their first store in the Open every Friday from 5 October 2012 to 22 March 2013, Joburg CBD. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be happy to know that the team has also behind the mosaic wall, the pop-up retail and nightlife venue decided to revive the Puma Social Club. is gaining popularity among urban youth culture. Patrons are able to book a spot on the guest-list online, or pay R20 at the For only six months, party-goers will be treated to a vast ar- door. ray of live music performances set in a trendy, chilled, urban environment. Visit www.pumasocialjozi.com for more information. The Puma Social Club is situated at 81 De Korte Street in revamped Braamfontein.

OPPORTUNITY: GETTY GRADUATE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 2013-2014. Internships are being offered to students who intend to pur- Location: sue careers in fields related to the visual arts. Getty Center in Los Angeles or the Getty Villa in Malibu. Details: Eligibility: Internships are open to students of all nationalities. The grant includes health benefits, but housing and relocaApplicants must be: tion funds are not provided. Students currently enrolled in a graduate program leading to All positions are full-time beginning September 9, 2013. an advanced degree in a field relevant to the internship(s) for which they are applying, or individuals who have completed For more information, visit www.vansa.co.za a relevant graduate degree on or after January 1 2010, with postgraduate activities in their field, paid or unpaid. 66

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ground up CALL FOR ENTRIES: AFRICA MOVIE ACADEMY AWARDS 2013 The 2013 edition of the Awards will be held at a gala event Submission forms are available on the AMAA website. televised around the world in April. AMAA founder Peace Anyiam-Osigwe says, “There is this Submissions are open and the deadline is 30 December 2012. great awareness of the possibilities in Africa. This has been Nominations are to be announced in the first week of March an exciting year for African cinema as many big budget pro2013. ductions have been produced on the continent and distribution is becoming more accessible to African films.” Feature length films, short films and documentaries are welcome. Only films produced, premiered and or released In 2012, South African films How to steal Two Million and between December 2011 and November 2012 are eligible. Otelo Burning were winners. Feature films may not exceed 120 minutes and short films should not be longer than 40 minutes.

OPPORTUNITY: DURBAN FILM MART The Durban Film Mart is set to take place alongside one of SA’s premier film festivals, namely, the 34th edition of the Durban International Film Festival in July 2013. The DFM provides filmmakers from across Africa a valued opportunity to pitch projects to financiers, distributors, sales Africa in Focus agents and potential co-producers. 4-day series of workshops and seminars for entry level filmmakers with a special focus on the development of African The submission deadline is 15 February 2013. content. Peter Rorvik, director of the Centre for Creative Arts and the Durban international Film Festival (DIFF) says, “At the DFM we also want to reflect the energetic and creative vibe of our continent. We want to engage and inspire our local talent, and provide them with a platform to be heard and as well as a chance to get their foot in the door through the opportunities available.”

Submission Requirements:

All submissions are to be made in English. Full scripts brought to the Durban FilmMart in July 2013 may be the original language of the project. Fiction features with theatrical potential must be a minimum of 70 minutes. Documentaries must be a minimum of 48 minutes. Finance Forum Entries are open to Africans wherein the producer, director or Sits for 4 days with selected projects chosen by an interna- writer must be an African citizen. tional “project reader committee” who engage in a two-day All projects should have a producer attached. pitching and packaging training programme prior to the oneon-one meetings with investors where filmmakers pitch their For more information on Durban FilmMart visit: projects. www.durbanfilmmart.com Masterclasses For further enquiries email: 4-day forum for professional filmmakers whereby experts durbanfilmmart@durban.gov.za present master classes and seminars on critical issues in film.

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multimedia SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2013: CALL FOR ENTRIES A widely recognized Awards programme, The Sony World Photography Awards, recognize excellence within the art of photography.

There are various categories in which people can apply. Open Competition: For amateurs and enthusiasts. Youth Award: For anyone aged 19 and under.

The mission of the Professional competition is to discover highly skilled talent from photographers with a true passion in their field. This competition is for serious photographers who are in the process of building their professional reputation or have already achieved notoriety in their field.

Moving image Award: For those experimenting with moving Photographers stand to gain the opportunity of having their image narrative formats. work featured across the WPO website and in international exhibitions, offering unparalleled exposure through their anStudent Focus: For Higher education photography students nual marketing campaign and international media coverage, aged 18-28. and publication inside the annual Sony World Photography Awards book. 3D Award: For anyone using true 3D technology in photograEntries will be judged in January 2013. phy or video. Professional Competition: Entries open until 9th January Overall winners will be announced in April 2013. 2013, 11:59 (GMT) Closing date for entries: 4th January 2013, 11:59pm (GMT.) Visit: www.worldphoto.org for more information. 68

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multimedia

MI-FONE: CONQUERING THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

Mi-Fone is a cellular brand competing with the big brands of viding solutions targeted primarily at African youth. the local cellphone industry. Founder and CEO, Alpesh Patel has over 25 years experience in the telecoms industry. Mi-Fone has handsets available, such as the Mi-W100, which is a low cost 3G QWERTY phone, able to surf the net at very Currently operating in over 17 markets in Africa, including fast speeds. West, Central, East and Southern markets such as Angola and They also have the Mi-A303, which is a 3.5â&#x20AC;? Touchscreen AnSouth Africa, Mi-Fone is a solution-based business. droid 3G Smartphone. From 2008 until 2012 the company sold over 1 million units. For more information, visit: www.mi-fone.mobi Mi-Fone focuses on the needs of Africans and innovates, proBarcoded Magazine

salute article

ART MEETS AFRICAN TRADITIONS

an exhibition entitled ‘Mask and Masks.’ In his quest to explore more African symbolism, Makhanya’s work became more abstract. Some of his work has also been influenced by family circumstances. He has now returned to African traditions and atIn 1986 he began teaching at Ntuzuma College of Education. tributes this to a calling of the spirits. He is always inspired During this time a lot of his work focused on socio-political by beautiful artwork, and talks of a ‘silent dialogue’ between issues such as violence, township life and poverty. On retir- artists. ing, he established a base for artists in Durban, going on to form a group called ‘Third Eye Vision.’ He has taken part in a number of group exhibitions over the years, and had his first solo exhibition at the African Art CenThe collective criticized old artistic traditions and placed tre in Durban in 2003. His work has also been included in a great focus on the importance of being African. They explored celebratory compilation called ’10 years 100 artists: Art in a the use of African symbols. 2001 saw the collective holding Democratic South Africa.’(2004.) Lamontville-born artist Zamani Makhanya obtained a Fine Art degree at Fort Hare University in 1984. He later received his Honours Degree from the same institution. He prefers to work with oil pastels.

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salute article

‘FIX’-ING THE ARTS Fikile Moeti, better known as ‘Fix’ in the entertainment industry became a familiar face on television screens in 2006 after winning the nationwide competition search for an MTV Base VJ.

She has revealed plans to build her own art empire, starting with a foundation. This will be aimed at giving disadvantaged women, anyone from 16 to 60 the opportunity for work placements, internships and vocational experience in the arts.

After putting her studies on hold, Fix journeyed all over the world with MTV. The free-spirit later shocked family and friends when she decided to quit her jobs and to move to the U.S to complete her studies. The 26-year-old has described her journey as feeling like Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray Love.

Since returning, Fix is back on the airwaves on 5FM and is continuing her studies through GIBS. We Salute Fix for her efforts at empowering women and for uplifting the arts community.

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no.1 Hustler article

GETTING A FIX ON ARTS-PRENEURSHIP Fikile Moeti is a well-travelled individual. She was crossing borders way before her days of MTV Base. Growing up in Botswana, South Africa and briefly in England has ensured the bubbly trendsetter has an open-minded view of the world. Her motto in life is “On the other side of fear is freedom.” Since winning the nationwide competition to find a new host for the MTV Base World Chart Express in 2006, “Fix” has travelled all over Africa, representing the channel. During her three years on the show, she visited countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, Angola and Tanzania. But it was her recent foray to the United States that opened her eyes to how much potential there was back home.

BM: How has travelling all over the world changed your life as a South African woman? Fix: I actually travelled quite a bit with my folks. We spent two years in England while they were studying. I’d say it’s taught me how to appreciate different cultures. I think as South Africans we don’t travel that much; well a lot of white people travel, but not so much in the black community. I think it’s about making that choice to go out there and learn a whole lot She left her jobs at MTV and 5FM to further her studies more. I like to call myself a “student of the universe.” abroad and has only recently returned- with more passion and the drive to make her dreams come true. BM: Of all the places you’ve been, are there any places that top SA, in your opinion? BM: Have you always known what you want to do career-wise? Fix: Ahhhh definitely New York. Fix: No…Kind of… Growing up in Botswana I used to watch Fix spent some time studying in the US, where she studied at MTV religiously. My sister and I always loved performing from Columbia College in Chicago as well as New York University. a very young age. So I guess you could say I’ve always had Of one of the most important lessons she learned about herself she has said, “I learned that I can be quite a hardcore an idea. b**** and extremely resilient. New York is not a friendly city 72

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no.1 Hustler article and it’s a place for the survival of the fittest and hustlers! newspapers with positive, motivational content. For now, it’s Remember…there is a difference between visiting New York my dream project; it’s still in the process of developing. and living in New York.” BM: As an experienced media personality, what imBM: So what sparked your decision to form an Arts provements in the SA media industry as a whole, are you most proud of? Foundation for girls? Fix: Well let me start by emphasizing that it’s no longer just Fix: That’s a tough one. We have a long way to go. I can honfor girls. When I was studying at NYU there’s a course I did estly say in the year and a half that I spent overseas, I came which was about the Business of Art Entrepreneurship. This back and most of it was still the same. Within broadcasting, made me realize how little emphasis is placed on entrepre- I’d have to say Vuzu has developed its brand quite well. Muneurship within the arts. So it’s about setting a firm foun- sic-wise, what I’m most proud of is the rise of smaller agendation for youths who are interested in the arts. It’s about cies or companies in terms of organizing more concerts. I mean we’ve had Big Concerts bringing in big names like Lady development really. Gaga and Linkin Park, but then these smaller companies have come up and said “F%*k you guys, we’re gonna bring Chris Brown to the country!” That’s awesome. BM: What message of hope would you like to pass on to African girls who look up to you and aspire to gain similar experiences within the arts? Fix: Keep dreaming. But be realistic about your dreams. I don’t know if that’s the right word… maybe rather Smart. Be Smart about your dreams. Be unique. And I must add it’s important to consistently educate yourself- whether it’s by reading, or studying something or travelling. BM: What can we expect from Fix in 2013? Fix: More Entrepreneurial Projects, focusing on young people. I’ll be focusing more on my Arts Entrepreneurship Foundation, and on making a strong social impact. There are tons of opportunities out there, and we can’t sleep on them. If we do, other people will grab them. Main focus will be on entrepreneurship.

BM: What do you think the problem really is, in this regard? Is it ignorance, or lack of information? Fix: There are quite a few problems! I think for starters, there isn’t anyone really fostering an entrepreneurial spirit. I think there are too many handouts. Even with BEE, it shouldn’t be just about giving, but more about training. It should be about giving that young person skills and training, so that they can Fix, who regards Leadership expert Robin Sharma’s books as build a something sustainable. life-changing, reckons she’d name an autobiography of her BM: Have your industry peers been supportive of your life “The Black Swimmer.” She describes the hardest thing she’s ever done as “Becoming a New York hustler during my initiative? Fix: At the moment I’m still in the stages of finding like-mind- travels in the US.” ed individuals. But, I’ve gained quite a lot through the programme I’m currently doing at GIBS. It’s a Social Entrepre- “I’ve definitely grown. I entered the entertainment industry neurship Programme where they look at your initiative and at 19 years old, so since arriving back from my US travels I feel like a new woman. My love for the arts, entertainment help with refining it, by providing skills and training. and media industry will never change but I have my entreBM: How can the youth become involved once your preneurial hat on this time round- working on projects that I enjoy.” foundation is up and running? Fix: It’ll be open to anybody, but I chose to focus on the medium of the arts specifically because I relate to it the best. But She is also currently on 5FM from Monday to Fridays between it’ll be open to anyone with a passion for the arts- that wants 9am to 12pm with Rob Forbes, and on Saturday nights beto pursue it further. There are so many opportunities. Like tween 10pm and 1am. for journalists for example- there are so many gaps to create Barcoded Magazine

columnists

The Coolest Age to DIE BY MDUZA VANGOGH

When we think of death normally thoughts of sadness and melancholy creep in, the thought of dying is just too horrific. We fear death, it’s what we’ve known, what we’ve been told and we’ve become accustomed to it because we are all hit by it everyday directly and indirectly. When do you want to die? 56, 78, 113 or 600? Well, whatever the answer may be, we all don’t know when we’re going to take that final bow and head to our permanent home...hell [laughs] I’m just kidding. There’s a poem I did in high school titled Death Be Not Proud, which was written by some smart English guy. Anyway I don’t care who he is, he can fornicate with his mother for all I care. There’s an elite group that one can join when they die; No membership card, no angels nor devils, you just have to be famous and have a history of self destructive behaviour...yes, you guessed it: the 27 club. A slew of dead celebrities have made dying at this age so cool, 27 is the age to die [laughs.] Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Jean-Michel Basquiat , Brian jones, Janis Joplin, Fat Pat, Rodrigo Bueno and more recently Amy Winehouse. These people made it cool to die at 27. David Beckham and Michael Jordan made it cool to wear the number 23, but the 27 club is on another level on its own. 74

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The most common thing about these stars is that they all had a history of substance abuse; they were heavy drug users at some stage in their lives. Basquiat and Jimi Hendrix are believed to have died after using cocaine. Kurt Cobain killed himself but he also indulged in drug usage. We all know Amy’s story, right? There’s also mystery regarding this 27 club. How come so many celebs have died at this age; do they plan it? Is it a conspiracy? Conspirators haven’t slept on this matter yet- they are still in their mother’s basements thinking of what bullshit information they can try to feed us in the outside world. It seems like everyone has their own theory about the 27 club. Some believe these celebrities made a Satanic pact with the devil so that they can be famous. Most of these artists achieved superstardom before 27 and it seems like this “pact” with the devil ends when they reach 27. Do you believe that? I don’t. I don’t think it’s planned or there’s a conspiracy to it. I just think shit happens. Just because I take a shit everyday at 2:15pm it doesn’t mean the illuminati or the devil is behind it, its nature and it’s part of life. Death is a big part of life & what a big SURPRISE PARTY it is.

we say

Black Butterfly Black butterfly, although your past is gore Please listen clearly, I’ll give you reason not to hide anymore. Swing your bright black wings straight across the winds; Set the sky ablaze. Let all your weariness depart with the Haze Because a new Sun, my words hope to raise. Tell your sons and daughters how the struggle begins You face predation because of the coat you didn’t choose to wear. Tell them that it is within you that your survival depends You don’t have to feel free only after the Sun kisses the Earth goodnight. But also, when Darkness is overpowered by Dawn That’s when your true freedom is born. Let the current of Valleys lift your heart And the clear streams show you, How beautiful you are. Write your story across the skies The morale being a dream conceived in truth could never be deceased And that your true colours spark from within. Nature and nurture, which will provail? Have faith in yourself; Whether you’re bud or honeycomb. Walk on with eyes wide open For the paths of the wild can be beguiling. Know that you are a flying flower, Let the world marvel at your brilliance. A butterfly that does not eat dung, does not grow. Winds of change, from your wings you flap; that’s the true power within you bestowed. The whole world is your stage, And every season is time for you to grace it with your image. By: Sisonke Chronicle_ Son Papu

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