Barcoded Magazine

Art Meets Mainstream ISSUE 12 JUNE 2014

WHAT YOUTH MONTH MEANS TO MAK MANAKA AND KG MABUSELA

SPOT ON: PDOTO

DAZZLING DESIGNS SANAA Africa Festival

Volume 44 Exhibition : Migrant Sex workers tell their stories

COMMERCIALIZATION OF CULTURE IS CULTURE BEING LOST IN TRANSLATION? Cover image by : FeelgoodStyle.com

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CONTENT

COMMERCIALIZATION OF CULTURE

Publisher Infin8Media Editor in Chief Phumzile Twala @PHUMIT

IS CULTURE BEING LOST IN TRANSLATION?

Production Manager Mbuso Mafuyeka @youngbuu

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IT Manager Brian Khumalo @Brian_DeITwiz

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ENTERTAINMENT WHY ARE YOU SO OBSESSED WITH ME? COLUMNIST THE CULTURE YOU OWN.

Sales Manager Khethiwe Twala @misskittyred Baile Ramaisa

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SPOT ON PDOTO

Graphic Designer Mbuso Mafuyeka @youngbuu

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OFFRAMP LADUMA OF AMAXHOSA

Contributing Writers Mduza van Gough @MduzavanGough

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SOUNDBOOTH THE ROOTS: NEW ALBUM RELEASE

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PIXELS SEX TAPE

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PURE ART ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM

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PURE ART SERIES WHAT YOUTH MONTH MEANS TO ME: MAK MANAKA AND KG MABUSELA

Lorian

OPPORTUNITIES

For advertising enquries email sales@barcodedmag.co.za khethiwe@barcodedmag.co.za baile@barcodedmag.co.za

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Phumzile Twala @PHUMIT Namile Mkhize @NAMILEMKHIZE Bafentsoe Molete @Dopeill Art Photography Hazel Mphande @HazelISHUTTERBURG

Ukhamba Soul For general enquiries email info@barcodedmag.co.za

011 486- 9488 f : barcodedMag t: @BarcodedMag w: www.barcodedmag.co.za e: info@barcodedmag.co.za i : barcodedmag wechat: Barcoded Mag BARCODED MAGAZINE

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LETTER FROM THE

EDITOR

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”- Marcus Garvey Culture is forever changing and evolving. As young people, we constantly aim to leave our own footprints on culturecreating new trends, new styles, new languages... The commercialization of culture is a phenomenon with quite a history. There are those who have done it right and there are those who’ve missed the mark. Fact remains, it’ll always be there, but right now, young people have the opportunity to do it right.

Case in point: fashionista Laduma Ngxokolo of ‘Maxhosa.’

Read up about him in this month’s Off Ramp feature. Then we have our regular features- Ground Up has some great opportunities. We give Yinks The Platform to shine this youth month, and we ask the question, ‘Do Artists really have the power to initiate change using social media?’ (Pure Art BARCODED MAGAZINE

@PHUMIT

Report)

Two celebrated young individuals in the arts share their opinion of what youth month means to them. Exploration of the themes of empowerment and imagination can be found in the Multimedia feature, as a local artist re-works images for the exhibition, Con/Struct.

Our Columnists, MduzavanGogh and Bafentsoe Dopeill Art Molete contribute some thought-provoking pieces: ‘Shades’ and ‘The Culture You Own’ respectively. We also share some visuals from the SANAA Africa Arts Festival and Africa Day Concert held at the Bassline.

We hope you celebrate Youth Month responsibly and remember the significance of this month. Make your mark on the world. Create a culture of tolerance, peace, support and unity.

Signing Out Phumi T. (@PHUMIT)

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UN COVER

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UNCOVERED

IS CULTURE BEING LOST IN TRANSLATION? As young people the concept of culture is one that is in danger of being forgotten or modified so much that it loses its core values. As with any valuable idea, culture has been a victim of commercialization on a number of levels over the years. From the first cover edition of Drum magazine, to the TV show Isibaya, African cultures have been a topic of fascination for decades. The issue of contention lies in the attempts made to commercialize these cultures.

The official definition says commercialization involves using something as an opportunity to make money. This presents itself as attempts to gain mass audiences through the utilization of culture. Culture then becomes a tool to make material gains in the form of profits. Not all commercialization falls into this category however. There are artists who proudly promote culture with the aim of preserving it and passing it on to the next generation.

When kwaito outfit Boom Shaka released their smash hit “Lerato” in the 1990s, not only did it cement their status as mega stars, but it represented a win for African languages. In the context of the times, in the South African democracy’s infancy, when Americanization was king, the track shattered any notions that local culture was irrelevant to the youth. Lebo Mathosa’s silky vocals and use of her native Sepedi language, combined with Theo’s Xhosa narrative over the beat resulted in a timeless track, still popular and relevant today.

In the world of fashion one individual who has boldly proclaimed his culture as a source of inspiration

for his art, is Laduma Ngxokolo, founder of knitwear brand ‘Maxhosa.’ His use of Xhosa prints emblazoned on the garments he creates is motivated by his desire to promote the Xhosa culture. Commercialising this aspect of the culture has had a positive response from the design elite and growth of the proudly SA brand could translate into more job creation in the near future.

His success in this regard was precluded by a fashion brand which boldly stepped out of the norm and started a trend of African pride in the early 2000s. Stoned Cherrie founder Nkhensani Nkosi has said, “We’re about more than just making pretty clothes. Part of my mission was to create a sense of pride about being South African – whatever that means to each individual, and I think that people really bought into the idea of having a brand that went a little deeper than the latest trend.” On their use of Bailey’s African Historical Archive prints on the clothing, she added, “Our history has such a blight on it and I wanted to use those images in a positive way, and attempt to make history part of popular culture and to re-

move some of the stigma attached to that era,” she says. It’s a taking back of history, if you will.” The winning formula for Stoned Cherrie lay in the fact that their use of culture helped birth a new popular culture that identified firmly with African roots and culture.

Through the creation of his production Muvhango, which airs on SABC2 on weekday nights as a soapie, Duma Ndlovu tapped into an under-represented market in terms of local content at the time.

Historical factors of tribalism played a role in ensuring that the minority cultures of the country were misrepresented often in the media. The advent of the show created more opportunity for individuals from majority black cultures to learn and embrace the traditions, values and ways of minority cultures such as the Venda and Tsonga cultures. Through the medium of language, the show was able to successfully permeate a market previously ignored by mainstream media. As a result, the show has been able to educate masses about Venda customs and create the idea of a multi-cultural society living together peacefully.

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COVER STORY

Some people however have a different view of the way culture is represented or commercialized through the media.

Mcebisi Buthelezi believes, “In this day and age culture is very much misunderstood. Culture used to be a symbol of our ‘’Africanism,’’ it was our connection with mother-nature and our sacred trail that led back to our African history. Unfortunately all of that is lost in our media controlled society.

Our culture is losing its essence. In our generation the media mostly represents culture as a thing of misfortune, usually associated with poverty, HIV/AIDS and a lack of education.

The youth is westernised; they want little to do with culture because of the misleading representation of culture that the media has spread. Some examples of the way media has represented culture negatively are the fact that on TV shows cultural people are usually portrayed as being very ignorant, uneducated and backwards.”

Warrior Knights

South African African Hip Hop dancers BARCODED MAGAZINE image by : www.redbull.co.za

Despite a few negative interpretations, the commercialization of culture has mostly been positive and has helped to keep culture alive. It’s a phenomenon that keeps culture alive and allows for various re-interpretations which only strengthens the arts.

By: Phumzile Twala

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ENTERTAINMENT

WHY ARE YOU SO

OBSESSED WITH ME?

I’m an information junkie. Unashamedly so. I scour the net daily for a fix of the latest news, innovation and music. I also have my favourite gossip sites (which shall remain nameless) which I visit when I want to switch off and read mindless stuff. You know, the kind of sites which seemingly worship the word ‘allegedly.’

The kind of sites that post ‘articles’ (and note, I use that word with a lot of trepidation) which defy most laws of journalism and come out tops in sensationalism. Then I pop into the twittersphere for a few minutes, where I’m usually greeted by ramblings about ‘Oomf’ and since I subscribe to young, black twitter, I’m usually skimming over words peppered with references to ‘turn up.’ But when Solangegate happened, it exploded in a way I never thought entertainment culture could. So thanks to new media, popular or ‘scandalous’ videos can go viral within a matter of minutes.

American gossip site TMZ leaked a video on their site in May which showed Solange Knowles physically attacking her brother-inlaw Jay Z in an elevator, while her sister Beyonce meekly stood back. Now I can count between my index finger and ring finger the number of times Queen Bey’s squeaky clean image has been tainted by bad press. But this time, what was a jaw-dropper for me was that this scandal made headlines across all media platforms. Which leads me to the question, when did the lines between gossip and news become so blurred? Ok, I get that the Carters are high profile figures of society, I get that.

Then of course there’s the question on everyone’s mind, which is what the hell made Solo so angry that she’d physically attack Jay Z? When did we become a crazed celebrity-culture-obsessed society that’s addicted to every tidbit of salacious gossip we come across?

There are levels to the obsession of course.

Some of us are able to just leave it at reading about the lives of those in Tinseltown.

Then there are those who take it up a notch and start daydreaming about exchanging vows with celebrity crushes. I won’t even get

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into the stalker level debate.

They have their daughter Blue Ivy after all.”

So those who run tabloids make it their mission to find out all details of the story. This usually means quotes from official statements, such as the one released by the Knowles- Carter clan PR folk. ” “As a result of the public release of the elevator security footage from Monday, May 5th, there has been a great deal of speculation about what triggered the unfortunate incident. But the most important thing is that our family has worked through it. Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred.” “They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family. The reports of Solange being intoxicated or displaying erratic behavior throughout that evening are simply false,” it continued. And expectedly, there is the quote from the “insider,” whose name we hardly ever get to know. Case in point: An “insider” revealed to British magazine “Look” that, “Behind the scenes, Bey’s in hell. She loves her sister and Jay, but to take sides is torture for her. Everything is under question now. That shocking glimpse into their private lives is not what people would’ve expected. Beyoncé will be struggling. It can’t be easy having a sister who seems to have absolutely no respect for her husband and even physically attacked him. But she’s not leaving Jay. She’s a devout Methodist Christian and takes her marriage vows very seriously. He isn’t perfect, but she’ll fight tooth and nail for her marriage regardless of Solange’s alleged feelings.

They have made it in the worldview we are so entrenched in.”Actor Alec Baldwin just pities the culture. According to a blog he posted up, “This country’s obsession with the private lives of famous people is tragic. It’s tragic in the sense that it is so clearly a projection of people’s frustration about their government, their economy, their own spiritual bankruptcy.

You have no voice in Washington. In Washington, or in any statehouse, no one actually cares what you think.”

According to Psychologytoday.com, “we love celebrities because they are an integral part of culture.

Dr Phil’s advice on the subject is his usual straightforward stance: Pursue a realistic passion.

No more daydreaming about becoming Mrs Brad Pitt and dedicating a room in your house to him as his shrine.

Celebrities don’t always look like celebrities.

It’s all smoke and mirrors. Surgical enhancement rules the industry. Make up and lighting performs miracles.

Learn to accept yourself.

Love and appreciate yourself. You have your own talents and beauty. Embrace it.

Don’t be duped by the marketing machine!

“Stop measuring your self-worth as a function of what somebody marketed to you,” Dr. Phil warns. Be a star in your own life.

So I think it’s natural to have an interest in the shenanigans in celebrities’ lives to some extent, because we feel like we ‘kind of’ know them somehow. They’re in our faces all the time, so obviously they have our attention. I just think that the media needs to prioritise better. News of Solange’s flailing arms and kicks in an elevator doesn’t really change the price of bread in my life. But our Number one in Office sending troops to Nigeria to help #BringBackOurGirls could...You know, that’s if he isn’t too busy with his own issues. Which wife did he bring to the fifth democratic Parliament when he was elected head of state again...?

The first one with the tuckshop or the one who was caught cheating...? Aaarrgh...Let me just get back to my gossip sites.

By: Phumzile Twala

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NEWS

COLUMNIST

NINA MOVIE CONTROVERSY A new movie chronicling the life of legendary jazz musician Nina Simone recently debuted at the Cannes Film Festival. Starring ‘Avatar’ actress Zoe Saldana, who is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, the film has been embroiled in controversy since news of its imminent production was made known. The film is unauthorized, according to the late icon’s daughter.

The Ealing Studios production has been shrouded by squabbles internally too. Co-writer and director Cynthia Mart filed a lawsuit against the company, claiming the terms of her directing deal had been breached. According to her, the film deviates from her original version.

34 year-old Saldana responded to the backlash she received following her casting. Critics expressed disdain at her casting, mainly due to her not resembling Simone physically and some complained that her voice would not be as strong as the “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” artist.

“The Nina Simone story needed to be told, and I’m really blessed that I did it,” said Saldana.

“I do believe that if everybody had more information about how all this came to be, it might help. But then again, I’m not here to get the acceptance of people. I’m here to be an artist first,” she added.

WHITNEY MOVIE IN THE WORKS Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett will be making her directorial debut in a movie chronicling the tumultuous relationship between late singer Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown. The film, currently titled Whitney Houston, is slated for a 2015 premiere and will be produced by the Sanitsky Company.

“I have such regard for both Whitney’s and Bobby’s amazing talents and accomplishments and I feel a responsibility in the telling of their story,” said Bassett.

Larry Sanitsky will serve as executive producer and the script was penned by Shem Bitterman.

SA’S GOT TALENT SEASON 3 Auditions kicked off late in May for the 3rd Season of talent search show ‘SA’s Got Talent.’ The Johannesburg leg will be on Saturday 7 June and Sunday 8 June at Focus Rooms.

Executive producer Kee-Leen Irvine said, “Every year we are so impressed by the level of talent South Africa has. With the competition so strong, we’d like to encourage those who won’t to enter to start working on an act that will really impress the judges.”

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SHADES I love social media, but I hate the ignorant users of it. We all know one or a few people that are extremely ignorant on these platforms. The ones I hate the most are the ones that make hidden jokes about complexion. It is very sad to see black people make jokes about each other’s complexion and making one feel a little insecure just because the shade of their skin is slightly darker or lighter than the next person. As a people we’ve come so far and we’ve been through so much to be having these petty fights on these platforms; that shit sets us back 15 – 20 years.

Referring to each other as “dark/ light skinned niggas” is wrong; people on social media seem to think light skinned black males are less masculine because...they are light in complexion [laughs]. I really do not understand the logic behind that, some of these jokes are funny, but it got to me at some point. I also feel like black women get hurt more by these snide remarks about beauty and complexion. Society deems light skinned females as “beautiful” and the dark skinned female “ugly”we’ve all seen this before. The western world and the modelling industry seem to think otherwise: the dark skinned woman is said to have “natural African beauty”...does that mean for a person to have “African Beauty” they have to be dark in complexion? I’ll use Alek Wek and Lupita Nyong’o as examples.

A lot of us have seen Alek Wek in TV ads and on magazines and on runway shows doing her thing, but I’ve never heard one man say that she’s beautiful, I’m talking about the average guy in the streets-a lot of men say that they wouldn’t even look at her twice even if she was sitting next to them in a bus or walking down the street. I didn’t know about Lupita until a few months ago when Hollywood decided she is the definition of “African beauty.”

I’m an African, I live in Africa and I see extremely beautiful women every single day on my way to work, at parties or wherever I am and I’ll tell you this, Lupita is pretty, but she’s far from being the definition of “African beauty”. I hate how her appearance is being exploited by Hollywood; not a lot of people are talking about her talent (I do not think she’s that good) but it seems like her complexion has got the world abuzz and “dark skinned women” are in

style [laughs]. I hate how we think as people; some still feel inferior to others because of the shade of their skin. Luckily I don’t have that inferiority complex in my DNA, I’m black and handsome. You can’t tell me I’m not. I wish everyone felt this way about how they look regardless of race and complexion.

Young black woman look at yourself in the mirror with all integrity and strength to detest what inexcusable slurs and jokes people make up about ‘colour’ and ‘complexion’.

You’ll come across people who will try and discredit your beauty, due to your darker appearance – but you must think the opposite. Your skin colour is what latches on to everything great of black history, so snugly, that you even represent a visual – a canvas – allowing our history to never be forgotten. Your skin colour has never subtracted a woman’s strength, preventing them to do anything in this lifetime. That is an illusion. You are still able. Your skin colour does not hinder you from achieving any goal in life, and you need to fully grasp this concept. It is fact that you will turn on televisions that will spotlight women of a lighter shade of skin and with nice synthetic hair, overlooking all of your unique factors of beauty – including your dark skin.

To think skin tone determines beauty is stupidity at its finest drenched in self-hate, but you can’t stop that weak process of thinking.

As much as we may love to enlighten people, but you can’t stop the mindset of people who have such warped concepts of what actual beauty consists of. All that you can do is be beautiful in the skin you’re in, and challenge yourself to stay within that realm of thinking, with a head held high. You don’t need to provide any explanation as to why your shaded skin is its complexion. All you need is a strengthened level esteem. I challenge you to be beautiful, no matter what ignorant people on social media or people you come cross everyday may say.

Your acceptance of who and what you are will be your truest riches.

I challenge you dark skin girl (and light skinned girl) to love yourself – above all, anything, and anyone that tells you different. Be beautiful, above all strife and ignorance.

By: MduzavanGogh 13

SPOT ON

THE CULTURE

YOU OWN. You are young; you believe that rules do not apply to you and with that belief comes this unmistakable sense of conviction that you can accomplish whatever you put your mind to and no authority will tell you different. You are young gifted and free and your limits are yet to be experienced or should we say reached? Out of this streak of rebellion we see a new sense of fashion, lingo, music and just a new view on the ordinary. You are like a kid who realises that the world is too bland for you and you’ve just got yourself a brand new set of crayons and you are itching to liven things up; Colour outside the lines by being unconventional. Elders find this amusing although some will find this to be humorous and chuckle a bit at your outlandish escapades as they have the benefit of experience but hey, one must experience things first hand in order to learn. You get a pack of pencil crayons now your strokes have that look of subtle consciousness as you begin to study your surroundings and examine more intimately, listen a bit more attentively to what has been said. Statements start to take form with opinions and reasoning. Now you look for a more permanent mark so what better tool than ink to make such a mark. Everything is more crisp and firm and realistic although not really perfect and with that experience, much has been learned and still needs to be learned. Culture is contextual and represents the inhibitions of the young and the brazen and if lucky something worthwhile will be birthed from this all. You are skeptic I bet… well let me prove it to you.

Hip hop and kwaito were born out of a necessity that the young had to voice their opinions to the world or whoever was willing to listen. Now years later something that was for fun and rebellion is feeding families and creating moguls of all sorts. It is part of our culture and it keeps evolving to the annoyance of the pure hearted enthusiast. Every generation has a voice and it’s seldom that the previous generation will ever see eye to eye. Yes it is true that nothing is ever done the same way but in the end it is all about who does it better and who or how many people decide on its value.

Culture is meant to usher in a new age of thinking By: Bafentsoe Dopeill Art Molete BARCODED MAGAZINE

as well as an indication of progress and evolution in a society and most of the time it begins with the young and yes most of the time it is unapologetic in its approach as much as it wants to heard and seen by all. So slowly it filters through other mediums from music, fashion and whatever else appeals to the young and rebellious. Some will fall victim to their own anxiety then it ends up in the most negative of circumstances but fortunately for others who utilize positive reinforcement they manage to make a positive impact.

As one grows there’s a level of maturity which in turn teaches you how to better understand and identify common goals with those that did not see things from your point of view. Not all will be willing to change orientation in fear of the unknown but that’s how generally life is but at some point, hopefully, they will be a bit open minded and appreciate or even see the positivity in what you were trying to accomplish.

Therefore for that to even happen your picture should be painted in the most vivid way as possible. Yes you’ve got the tools but what medium do you prefer?

Where do you want to make your mark? Conveying a message after all is the purest form of art. If there was no need for messages to be delivered then there wouldn’t be a point to art. Communication is what makes us human but how we express ourselves is also major factor. So you are standing there with your paint brush, chisel or pencil trying to create a picture riddled with visual diction that knocks some sense into those willing to open their minds and heart. Your canvas is brimming with enthusiasm and the bravado in your lines or brash sprays to the precision of your chisel eating away at the layers to reveal what lies beneath. Yes you are unapologetic because this now is your culture and you want to make your mark. The freshness of it all just grabs the attention without being repentant and demands a place amongst the greats of time who broke conventional means and dared do what many feared to do and thrived. Your showed resolve and it showed but most of all this is what you own and know and nobody can dictate the terms of what you own and know.

PDOTO COMPOSED SOLDIER INVITES US TO THE DEVIL’Z PLAYGROUND Born Siphelele Mnyande, and hailing from the Eastern Cape, performing artist, actor and writer, PDotO has more than 10 years to his name in the hip hop industry. With projects such as ‘Street Novelty’, ‘Blumurda’ and ‘Mind Over Matter’ to his name, he’s steadily made himself known within hip hop circles.

Possessing a style characterized by raw energy, grit and witty wordplay, his reputation for producing high-quality material has grown over the years.

Named one of Hype magazine’s top 50 MC’s in the country, it’s no wonder the ‘Forgive Me’ hitmaker’s debut is one of the most anticipated releases of the year. Besides being vocally talented, he will be spreading his thespian wings soon.

Also currently establishing his acting craft, PDot is a multi-faceted artist brimming with creativity. We recently had a chat with the Cap City Records talent, talking his upcoming album release, content and why he describes himself as a ‘composed soldier’:

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BM: The name, PDotO. School us please?

PDO: Well I used to write poetry. My name was Poet the Sonnet. Eventually it became a bit much, so I just shortened it. There really isn’t a specific significance to it. It’s more of just an ‘aka.’

You once described yourself as a ‘composed soldier.’ You work in a tough industry. What keeps you soldiering on?

I just think of my father’s words: “Never lose your integrity as a man.” The industry I work in has a lot of blackballing, and beef, people shutting you out... So yeah, I just think back to my father’s words to keep soldiering on.

You’re a multitalented artist...

Ah...thank you! Thank you kindly! (laughs) Can we expect to see your name on film credits soon?

Film credits... Well I’m going to be doing some theatre soon. I’ve been doing a lot of auditions for TV but I haven’t landed anything yet. You know it’s a struggle! Uhm, but when I do land something you guys will definitely know about it. But right now I’m going to be doing some theatre, like industrial theatre. I studied drama, so acting has always been part of me. From next month, I’m going to be doing a few shows with industrial theatre companies.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest score, how would you rate the South African music industry’s progress in terms of adapting to changes in the way music is consumed?

I think we’re at 7. In terms of making sure music is accessible to the people, that’s why a lot of artists will release their singles on a free digital medium. We’re not on that iTunes tip yet, ‘cause a lot of people don’t have the accounts. It’s a mission...you need to have a credit card account, you need to have an iTunes account...It’s hard to get the music out there. It’s hard for the music to be accessible to the people. It’s very difficult. These are the things we deal with everyday, but right now that’s why a lot of artists eat off shows, they eat off residuals and they eat off royalties, not so much CD sales, you know, or even, selling their music on iTunes.

We spoke to someone you’ve worked with before...

I hope it’s a nice person!

Well he described you...

Ahhh it’s a n*gga? (Laughs) (Laughs) Yeah, he described you as “a very visionary artist. PDot’s a very artistic musician, who’s very talented. He gels well with any beat he hears.”

You gonna tell me who it is?

That “someone” goes by the name of Dynamic (hip hop producer.) What do you have to say about his description of your work ethic?

Coming from him it means a lot. I like Dynamic. I’m one of those artists- Michael Jackson once said-(I’m a big fan, sorry.)

No worries...

He once said that you know how artists sometimes tend to get in the way of the music. They need to get out of the way of the music, stop thinking too much, just let the music write itself.

That’s powerful...

Yeah. That’s another thing with me...I don’t go into the studio with preparation... I don’t believe in that. I believe that music needs to be organic. You need to be in the moment. It doesn’t matter what the song is about, unless you get certain requests, when you’re working with someone and they say,’ I’d like you to write about this,’ then it’s a different situation. I like being ‘in the moment.’ I like to feel the beat. It needs to gel together; that’s when it’s natural’ that’s when it’s real; when it actually comes out best. I always cherished those Michael Jackson words; I mean, its Michael Jackson, he had to have known what he was BARCODED MAGAZINE

talking about!

“MIND OVER MATTER, MONEY OVER ALL. MY SPIRIT UNDER GOD MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FALL.” Devil’z Playground! What can your fans expect?

A lot of cussing! (Laughs) They can expect me man...just me in a nutshell. If you’ve been following what I’ve been doing. I’m a very honest artist. Like, when I was broke, I was talking about being broke. When I lost my dad I talked about it. I’ve never been afraid to be vulnerable.

So you speak a lot about your personal experiences...

Right. And there are a few artists in South Africa who do that. Very few; Like 2 or 3. Like everybody you know is a victim of ‘cool.’ Uhm, you always gotta look cool...you always gotta sound cool... Me I don’t give a f*ck about sounding cool... You know, if people relate, they do, if they don’t, they don’t. So it’s just me being honest. There’s sex talk, there’s love talk. There’s me talking about certain things, you know, how difficult it’s been for me to just be in this industry, and people pushing, and trying to get in. So it’s just me being honest, in a nutshell.

Did you collaborate with anyone you haven’t worked with before on the album?

I did, I did. A guy by the name of Red Button.

Oh yeah, on ‘Burn’ right?

This is true. Yes ma’am. I worked with him, I worked with Sean Pages, and I worked with Maggz. I worked with the usual suspects, guys like J-Lawless, Blaklez. Oh, and you need to look out for a lady named Melina- she’s beautiful, she’s hot and she sings nice, oh wow. She’s on a song we did called ‘Legacy.’ She’s on my album yeah, and I’m a fan to death.

What effect would you like Devil’z Playground have on the listener?

I want them to say, ’this is the best rapper in the country under the worst conditions.’

Is it dropping this year?

Yes ma’am. The album is finished. It’s wrapped. We finished it in February, so it’s just been a matter of, you know, the label. We’re waiting on the label to give us dates for distribution. It’s amazing, and frustrating for an artist. But it’s a done job. It’s mixed. It’s mastered, it’s done. Trust me, people always ask me. There’s nothing worse than people asking me, ‘when is your album dropping?’-and you can’t tell them. It’s really, really frustrating. I’m as hungry as they are to get the album out. I don’t want to wait much longer.

What’s the best advice you’ve received from a fellow musician?

Stay working. Stay humble. (Bongani Fassie.)

Follow him on Twitter: @PdotO_SA Facebook: PDoto Dp For bookings visit: www.Capcityrecords.com BY: Phumzile Twala (@PHUMIT)

THIS & THAT

Favourite artist of all time?

Tupac Shakur.

Have you asked Sashi Naidoo to marry you yet?

I love her. (Laughs) I love her. She’s gonna know of me soon and stop fronting. Let’s pour cold water over it, let it simmer, let it simmer.

Who do you think will be the next hip hop billionaire?

Slikour.

What music genre would you be doing if you weren’t doing hip hop?

Rock.

What would your dream collaboration look like?

Chris Martin and Joe Budden.

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CREATIVE CHRONICLES

How would you describe yourself in 5 words?

Passionate, Rooted, Socially Awkward, Silly What sort of creative process do you go through before writing your poems? For example, do you prefer being in a particular space?

I write whilst listening to music. I can write anywhere. External noise actually helps me to zone in on my thoughts and trace them more clearly.

What’s the highlight of your poetry journey been so far?

Encountering and sharing the stage with artists whom I looked up to when I started writing and performing poetry.

As a creative individual, what do you still dream of achieving?

I’d like to travel extensively with or through my craft(s). I hope to publish not only a collection of poems, but plays and novels. I do not have a specific time frame in which those things need to happen. The universe has its own perfect timing for everything, I believe. I do, however, wish to leave this life emptied.

Are young people adequately involved in community arts programmes, in your opinion?

Oh Yes! Most of the community arts programmes (well, at least the ones I’ve been involved in) are being initiated and driven by young people. Young people are hungry to infect and affect their community with the arts. The arts has become a saviour and an escape for most young people, and I think there’s a collective recognition amongst the creators and participators of these programmes of this, and the need to establish these spaces for the sake of survival.

KOLEKA PUTUMA: PERFORMING ARTIST SHARES HER CREATIVE JOURNEY

Tell us about some of your work with Badilisha Poetry X-change?

Last year I was paired with a Scottish poet, under the Badilisha Poetry X-change and Scotland StAnza Festival collaboration. I was commissioned to exchange a poem with a Scottish poet, and then respond to a poem they had written. The poems were digitally exhibited at the Stanza Festival in Scotland in honour of David Livingston. Earlier this year I performed at Badilisha’s Poetry Pop Up Shop which was part of the Infecting The City Festival. I currently have two of my poems featured on their website.

Do you have plans to release your own anthology?

Yes. The whens and hows have not yet been revealed to me.

21 year-old Koleka Putuma is a performing artist currently based in Cape Town. Born in Port Elizabeth, she has steadily used various platforms to gain recognition as a poet.

She has headlined at SliPnets’ Inzync Poetry Sessions, JamThatSession and at Off The Wall. Apart from sharing her skills through local community initiatives, her work is also featured on the Badilisha Poetry X-change.

She chats to us about her creative process, projects and community work as an artist:

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Where will you be performing next?

Right now to my knowledge, The Media24 Awards Ceremony and the Open Book festival later this year. I’ll also be doing smaller gigs around Cape Town. I have a blog where people can check out the event page for where I’ll be showing my face next. The Link: www.cocoputuma.wordpress.com.

What advice do you have for young people looking to spread their wings in creative industries?

I’m still learning and growing myself. But I’ll share what has helped me get to this point: Throw yourself in and out there. Find spaces and share your work as often as you feel the desire arousing in you.

Put in the closet work. Hone your craft!!! Seek mentors or like-minded artists who can guide you and help you sharpen your craft. Everything you desire is on you. And when you get up on any platform remember the mic comes with responsibility, as someone once said, the mind of the listener is fertile soil.

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OFFRAMP

They describe themselves as an “art collective and DJ crew whose image and sound is defined by the frenzy of new youth culture found on the pages of the deep web and the blocks of big cities.” #BEENTRILL# recently announced a new collaboration with British retailer Harvey Nichols.

High end designers have also been roped in to work on a spring/summer 2015 collection to be BARCODED MAGAZINE

shown at London Collections: Men. The list includes Kim Jones of Louis Vuitton, Hardy Aimes, Gareth Pugh, Shaun Samson and A.Savage.

Harvey Nichols menswear buyer and merchandise manager Darren Skey said, “We are thrilled to be working on one of the most diverse collaborations of recent times.”

image by : designindaba 21

MAXHOSA KNITWEAR AFROCENTRIC BRAND ALL ABOUT CELEBRATING CULTURE In our focus on the commercialisation of culture, we identified Laduma Ngxokolo’s Afrocentric brand ‘Maxhosa’ knitwear as one of those brands that got it right.

Founded by Port Elizabeth native Laduma Ngxokolo, the brand found increased popularity following a showcase at the 2013Design Indaba.

His line is a unique one, which proudly accentuates pride in the Xhosa culture. He has explained that the line is inspired by traditional Xhosa prints. He has managed to combine his design skills and his love for his culture to create a knitwear brand that is a fresh contribution to the local fashion industry.

He told ‘Between 10 and 5,’ “With the clothes I tend to focus on the beauty of the culture. Last year I was part of an exhibition called ‘The Beauty of Beadwork’ and I took it upon myself to showcase the beauty of knitwear which is what I know best and I pulled these two elements together to create something that people can appreciate and wear every day, instead of just on Heritage Day, which is what usually happens with beadwork.”

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image by : designindaba

25 by : Shanna Paxton Photography

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AFRICAN DESIGNERS DAZZLE AT SANAA AFRICA FESTIVAL BARCODED MAGAZINE

Festival celebrates Africa by connecting some of the continent’s finest emerging and established talent.

On Thursday 22 May, the chilly Joburg winter wasn’t enough to keep fashion lovers away from joining the extravaganza at the 5th annual SANAA Africa Festival, held at Moyo’s Zoo Lake. (Well that and the yellow blankets provided by sponsors MTN.) The theme for the evening, ‘Fashion meets Fine Art’ kept the audience in high anticipation. By the time the programme kicked off the venue was swarming with stylistas who came to witness the celebration of African design and art.

Hostess for the night, the glamorous Nambitha Mpumlwana gave the audience a warm welcome to the event which aims to unite Africans. Designers showcasing on the night included an eclectic mix of established and emerging talent: Scalo, Am-Ra, Loxion Kulca, Mantsho, Ephymol, Rubicon, Palse Homme, Tsotetsi KL and more. Founder and Director, Nonhlanhla Matshazi commented, “The show is strongly focusing on showcasing emerging talent, supported by established talent, but we really push hard to try and give an opportunity to talent that has worked hard, but is just in need of that little extra push in order to leapfrog to being a successful creative person. And it’s also about bringing Africans together.”

Designs by Khanyisile Dlamini excited the audience, with creative, classy, Afrochic garments, while Sello Medupe’s ‘Scalo’ range seemed to be inspire by an extraterrestrial theme. Mozambican singer Mimae (dressed in a stunning yellow number by Am-Ra) got the crowd tapping their feet with her catchy Afro-pop, samba- tinged “I wanna feel your love tonight” tune.

A highlight of the night was a fresh showcase

by Am-Ra, which featured a range of purple garments for fuller-figured women. Designer Teboho Tseke revealed, “I’ve been trying to push this concept of designing for fuller-figure women. I want to take it far. I’m also planning to get into lingerie for full-figured women in future.”

Loxion Kulca by Ole Ledimo showcased a trendy reinterpretation of the catsuit, with stylish African prints on the waistlines. Palesa

Mokubung’s Mantsho didn’t disappoint. The range added a distinct flair and extravagance to the show with bold, dramatic, opulent pieces.

She later shared, “This year it was important for me to come through because I haven’t showcased in about 3 seasons, because I’ve been studying. I was doing my BA in design.

You could tell today by the way the clothes are cut, who studied fashion design and who didn’t.

This is not necessarily a new collection, it’s just pieces that I’ve been making in the last three years that I haven’t had a chance to showcase and I thought it would be cool if they are seen today.” The bubbly designer added, “It’s a small collection, so they needed to be punchy. I hope the festival could improve by including bigger collections and I think they need to encourage the designers to make brand new collections. I found that the male designers were much more daring, more experimental.”

One of those daring male designers was veteran Ephraim Molingoana of Ephymol, whose range got it just right with classic cuts and a perfect combination of prints. The renowned designer who has been showcasing at SANAA since inception revealed plans to open a store in the Joburg CBD soon. He praised the emerging talent,”There’s so much talent. I would like to take a few under my wing and mentor them. Fashion is still new in Africa, so we need to explore it as much as possible.”

Taking a step away from the staple diet of African prints for the night, Palse Homme dazzled with a pastel, sorbet-inspired collection.

Thula Sindi’s underwhelming showcase of a sporty leopard print combination was overshadowed by Tanzanian designer Mustaffa Hassanali’s stylish black sequinned range, which received a warm reception from the audience on the night.

Although it felt very short, the showcase did not fail to impress. It was an all-round win for fashion, art and Africa.

By: Phumzile Twala Photography by: Hazel Mphande

“My range was inspired by culture. I was born and bred in Soweto and when I look at culture, we’ve got such an awesome variety of cultures. But again, our culture is Sophiatown, and Marabi, you know. So with me it’s all been about different cultures; Mapantsula and all that... putting all that into one pot and then baking it, exporting it to the world, but with an international flair as well.”

Visit www.barcodedmag.co.za to listen to the full interview.

Ephraim Molingoana Founder of Ephymol

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EXHIBITIONS

MIRROR IMAGE EXHIBITION

Niall Bingham’s collaborative exhibition ‘Mirror Image’ ends its run on the 8th of June. Currently showing at the MOAD in downtown Joburg (Maboneng Precinct) the exhibition is free.

The body of work includes paintings, installations, photography, prints, drawings and a short film. His explorations in

various media challenge the notion of authorship in artistic production and map the artistic community with which he associates.

He strategically acknowledges his collaborations in manifestos and foregrounds the role of process in his work. His use of self-portraiture to image his

various personas can be seen as a response to ‘I am Neill,’ a documentary that catalogues a moment in time, serving as appoint of departure for this iteration.

MOAD is at 281 Commissioner Street, Johannesburg.

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MARKET PHOTO WORKSHOP EXHIBITION

MARINA ABRAMOVIC TO PERFORM HER FIRST PERFORMATIVE SHOW IN THE UK She sometimes refers to herself as “the grandmother of performance art,” and was raised in a home run more like a boot camp in her native Yugoslavia. The 67-year-old alternates between the worlds of being a controversial artist and that of the mainstream cult art figure.

Her latest body of work, titled 512 hours will stretch her body thoroughly. Similarly to her performance at MoMA in New York four years ago, where she sat in a chair in the gallery for 8 hours a day, and faced visitors who sat in a chair opposite to her, this time she will be standing for 8 hours.

Set to exhibit at the Serpentine Gallery in London from 11 June to 25 August. She will wander around the gallery and visitors will be invited to come in and peer at her.

“I’ve never done anything as radical as this. This is as immaterial as you go,” she recently told The Guardian.

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Volume 44 is a body of work that was produced during a year-long participatory workshop project with migrant sex workers living in inner city Johannesburg and Musina.

The photographs and narratives provide insight into the stories of the participant’s lives, dreams, fears and ex-

periences. The exhibition also highlights the complexity of the project by featuring aspects of the multimodal visual and narrative approaches, such as mapping, narrative writing, storytelling and group image review/critique that were central to the participatory workshop process.

Volume 44 is a collaborative project by African Centre for Migration Studies (ACMS) at Wits University, Sisonke Sex Worker Movement and Market Photo Workshop.

The exhibition ends on the 27th of June 2014.

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MISSING

THEATRE

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Missing… tells the story of an exiled comrade who returns to South Africa with his Swedish wife and engaged daughter. Expecting to take up an illustrious new career in the newly democratic government, he finds an unexpected rival in one of his closest ex-comrades.

Missing… raises several important issues faced by those who went into exile and who hoped to be recalled by the ANC to join the government and take up a new life in a now democratic South Africa.

It also raised serious issues for the foreign spouse for whom ‘going home’ was always ‘in the future’ and ‘one day…’ until it became a distinct reality and the life they knew could be changed forever.

Equally for the children of these mixed race marriages ‘going home’ also raised questions and issues.

Are they the national of the country they were born in or of a country they only know about through the stories and reminiscences of their South African parent? If they live in

South Africa will they feel African?

The play stars John Kani as Robert Khalipa, Susan Danford as Anna Ohlson, Buhle Ngaba as Ayanda and Apollo Ntshoko as Peter Tshabalala.

Directed by Janice Honeyman, the show makes its debut on the 4th of June at The Market Theatre and ends its run on the 13th of July 2014. This is Tony award-winning Kani’s first full-length play since his ‘Nothing But the Truth’ in 2002, which received numerous accolades locally and abroad.

A review by the Cape Times called it “a fitting play to commemorate 20 years of democracy and revisit the individual and collective past.”

The Sunday Independent remarked, “Danford does an incredible job in matching Kani’s powerhouse acting word for word.”

Performance times are Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg.

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SOUNDBOOTH

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THE ROOTS:

NEW ALBUM RELEASE

And then you shot your cousin...

That’s the title of the latest offering by’ The Roots.’

Black Thought recently told XXL that the album is conceptual. “It’s satire, but in that satire it’s an analysis of some of the stereotypes perpetuated in not only the hip hop community. The album is the group’s 11th studio offering- an admirable achievement since they debuted with Organix in 1993.

The 37-minute production takes its name from a line in the 1997 KRS-One song “Step Into a World” (Rapture’s Design.) The crew continues to redefine what hip hop is with new sounds incorporated into their signature sound, such as the extended sample of Nina Simone’s 1959 recording of “Theme from the Middle of the Night.”

Black Thought reveals, “We created some of these characters that we kind of see. We as artists, musicians, Philadelphians, New Yorkers, we as black men, we’re familiar with very many of these characters, and we kind of introduce them to the rest of the world in a manner that makes them more easily understood than maybe seeing it.”

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The album’s soul-searching tone is defined by tracks such as “Never,” which sees the wordsmith rapping about inner-city hopelessness.

Described as a very ‘arty’ record, this extends to the cover, which features a 1964 mixedmedia collage by African American artist Romare Bearden. The album also features soul singer Raheem DeVaughn on “Tomorrow.”

From simple piano hooks to noisy excerpts, this album essentially takes a pop-art –meets-highart-approach.”Hopefully you’ll get something new from it every time you listen to it, you’ll hone in on something different,” said Black Thought.

“It’s short enough to digest, but it’s gonna be dense. So dense that maybe in one sitting you’ll listen to it and only listen to the piano and string arrangements, and then you’ll listen to it and only listen to the piano and string arrangements, and then you’ll listen to it again and get into some of the other musicality. There are very many layers to this record, but it doesn’t take place over very much time,” he added.

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PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL Musical weekend giving a platform to emerging musicians The line-up at this festival includes the likes of Grammy-nominated rapper Kendrick Lamar, rocker St. Vincent alongside Schoolboy Q, Neutral Milk Hotel, Pusha T and pop rockers Real Estate among others.

The festival by online music hub, Pitchfork, will be hosted July 18-20 at Union Park in Chicago.

The internationally recognized festival presents over 40 bands, highlighting the best in new and emerging music.

BEY AND JAY ‘’ON THE RUN.” Despite the drama in their lives due to ‘Solangegate,’ power couple Jay Z and Beyonce have seemingly carried on with their lives.

Mid-May, Jay Z’s Life + Times shared a trailer for ‘Run’ an action movie starring Mr and Mrs Carter as well as Sean Penn. Jake Gyllenhall, Blake Lively, Don Cheadle, Guillermo Diaz, Emmy Rossum, Rashida Jones and Kidada Jones.

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Directed by Melina Matsoukas and presented by Roc Nation with Parkwood Entertainment, the trailer shows Jay Z and Beyonce as bank-robbing outlaws on the run. Bey gets chased by a cop in one scene and is seen tending to Jay’s open gun wound in another.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ARTS AND IDEAS

Taking place June 14-28, the International Festival of Arts and Ideas is a celebration of various musical genres, experimental theatre and dance. Held on the New Haven Green Lawn, the concerts are free.

This year’s attractions include soul singer Lalah Hathaway, Ruben Studdard, the Martha Redbone Roots Project and Cry You One. Jazz empress Dianne Reeves fronts the sophisticated and versatile New Haven Symphony Orchestra on June 21st.

For more info, visit www.artidea.org

Their ‘On the Run’ Tour starts this month.

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PIXELS

SEX

TAPE

A married couple wake up to discover that the sex tape they made the evening before has gone missing, leading to a frantic search for its whereabouts.

When Jay (Jason Segel) and Annie (Cameron Diaz) first got together, their romantic connection was intense – and though they’re still very much in love, ten years and two kids have cooled the passion. To kick

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things up a notch, they decide – why not? – to make a video of themselves trying out every position in THE JOY OF SEX in one marathon three-hour session. It seems like a great idea – until they discover that their most private video is no longer private.

With their reputations on the line, they know they’re just one click away from being laid bare to the world... but in their race to reclaim their video, they’ll find that it will expose

even more than they bargained for.

Directed by Jake Kasdan and written

by Kate Angelo, the movie stars ‘How I met your mother’ star Jason Segel, ‘Bad Teacher’ actress Cameron Diaz and Rob Corddry.

Sex Tape is due for release July 25th 2014.

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X-MEN

DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION. Four years after an invasion that tore Chicago apart, a mechanic and his daughter discover Optimus Prime, which brings down all the Autobots, Decepticons and a paranoid government agency about them.

The highly anticipated fourth instalment of the ‘Transformers’ franchise, due for release on June 27th stars Mark Wahlberg, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz, Stanley Tucci and Sophia Myles.

Like its predecessors, the film is directed by Michael Bay and executive produced by Steven Spielberg.

This is the first film of the franchise to feature Dinobots as well as a completely new cast.

THINK LIKE A MAN TOO

An epic battle for our future The ultimate X-men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in X-Men: Days of Future Past. The beloved characters from the original “X-Men” film trilogy joins forces with their younger selves from the past, X-Men: First Class, in order to change a major historical event and fight in an epic battle that could save our future.

The film features an ensemble cast which includes High Jackman, James McAvoy, Patrick Stewart, Michael Fassbender, Ian McKeller, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Nicholas Hault, Shawn Ashmore, Omar Sy, Booboo Stewart, Fan Bingbing, Evan Peters, Josh Helman, Lucas Till and Evan Janigkeit.

Scheduled for a May 23rd release, Days of Future Past acts as a sequel to both 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand and 2011’s X-Men: First Class. Giving some insight into some of the characters, director Brian Singer described the younger Xavier as being “a very different beast from First Class feckless playboy. He’s a wounded animal, bearded, long-haired, filled with rage at the way the world BARCODED MAGAZINE

has treated him.” He also described McKeller’s role (as Magneto) as “also a fixture in the future war, facing an enemy so monstrous that it forces former foes to band together.”

Days of Future Past is the first of the X-Men films to be filmed in 3D and is the second most expensive movie produced by 20th Century Fox after 2009’s Avatar. The trailer was released to mixed reviews. One critic, Ben Child of The Guardian criticized the trailer for the amount of characters that will appear in the film, stating “overloading the movie with superheroes might please fans of the comic books, but the rest of us will be chewing on our own spleens when the umpteenth brightly coloured dude turns up to spout one line of dialogue, then drop off the map.”

Director Brian Singer announced a May 27 2016 scheduled release for X-Men: Apocalypse, which will act as a sequel to X-Men: Days of Future Past. According to Singer, the film will focus on the origin of the mutants and “it will be more of a First Class sequel.”

In the highly anticipated sequel, which was inspired

by Steve Harvey’s bestselling book Act Like a Lady, Think Like A Man, all the couples are back for a wedding in Las Vegas. But plans for a romantic weekend go awry when their various misadventures get them into some compromising situations that threaten to derail the big event.

The movie stars an ensemble cast including Meagan Good, Gabrielle Union, Kevin Hart, Jerry Ferrara, Taraji P. Henson, Jenifer Lewis, Michael Ealy, Terrence J, Romany Malco, Gary Owen and Wendy McLendonCovey.

The movie is set for a June 20th release.

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DURBAN FILM MART

‘TELL ME SWEET SOMETHING’ FILM SHOOTING ON LOCATION AT MABONENG PRECINCT

REGISTRATION OPEN

SOUTH AFRICAN ROMANTIC COMEDY FILM CURRENTLY SHOOTING

Held in conjunction with the Durban International Film Festival is the Durban Film Mart. Now in its fifth year, this year’s edition of DFM will run from 18 to 21 July at the Tsogo Sun Elangeni Hotel.

A new romantic comedy film is currently being shot on location at the Maboneng Precinct in Johannesburg. Called ‘Tell Me Sweet Something,’ the feature film is by acclaimed director Akin Omotoso and is produced by Robbie Thorpe.

Delegates in attendance will be treated to a scriptwriting master class by Miguel Machalski, who worked on the script for Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby.

Early-bird registrations are now open and close on 27 June 2014. A once-off registration fee of R1350 is payable and this will grant attendees access to all master classes, Africa in Focus workshops and networking functions. The event will provide African filmmakers with an opportunity to network with industry players and will have an emphasis on storytelling.

The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) takes place from 17 to 27 July 2014.

ENCOUNTERS DOCCIE FESTIVAL 2014 HITS CAPE TOWN AND JOZI THIS MONTH The 16th edition of the criminal Encounters South African International Documentary Festival will run from 5-15 June 2014 in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Many of the international documentaries to be screened take you behind recent news headlines.

Other documentaries explore contrasting responses to injustice.

Lauryn Hill narrates Frantz Fanon’s critique of the dehumanizing effects of colonization in ‘Concerning Violence.’

The Oscar-nominated ‘Cutie’ and ‘The Boxer’ celebrates the challenges and richness of both marriage and art. Africa’s most prestigious documentary festival runs from 5-15 June 2014 at V&A Waterfront and The Labia in Cape Town as well as The Bioscope in Johannesburg.

This year’s programme also includes two master classes, the SAGE Editing Seminar, the Al Jazeera Pitching Forum and Presentation, the National Film and Video Foundation In Conversation and two panel discussions.

Updates on 10 world premieres of South African documentaries are available on www.encounters.co.za.

GENTLEMEN OF LETTERS DOCCIE PAYTRIBUTE TO THE ARTOF SIGN-WRITING Videographer and editor Colin Brady recently created a sixteen-minute documentary titled “Gentlemen of Letters.” The film explores the world of sign painting in Dublin, Ireland. The tradition of sign-painting is continued by a group of men who decorate the city with numerous signs.

In the documentary short, the mysterious ‘Maser’ who produces large-scale lettering art with a message, something between sign-painting and graffiti, identifies Kevin Freeney (1919-1986) as a seminal influence.

Freeney was nicknamed ‘a Gentleman of Letters’ due to his enormous impact on the city’s pubs and shopfronts.

His personalized three-dimensional relief-lettering and ornamentation decorate at least 700 of these venues.

Artist and graphic designer James Early describes the appeal of sign lettering- you ‘feel’ the human quality, either subconsciously or consciously, that is present in hand-painted signs.

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Starring Maps Maponyane and Nomzamo Mbatha in the lead roles, the film also stars Thomas Gumede, Thembi Seete, Mandisa Bardill, Kagiso Lediga and Thishiwe Ziqubu in supporting roles.

The film tells the story of Moratiwa (Mbatha) an aspiring writer who owns and runs a bookstore in the heart of Johannesburg. The bookstore, like her love life, is not experiencing much success. This all changes when she meets and falls in love with the unlikeliest candidate in the world, Nat, a male model, who has never read a book in his life and is desperate to be loved for his mind not his body. Against the odds, they become romantically involved but then Sashi, Nat’s now pregnant ex-girlfriend, shows up and sets off a chain of romantic complications into motion.

The production follows the success of other local romantic comedies such as ‘Kafetti’ and ‘Fanie Fourie’s Lobola’ (starring Eduan van Jaarsveldt and Zethu Dlomo as lead characters.)

Local director Jahmil X.T. Qubeka was earlier this year announced as director of US romantic comedy ‘Heaven Hath No Fury.’ The film follows a New York playboy whose decision to break the wrong woman’s heart, knocks the world out of kilter, as men start to see the world through the eyes of women.

Great moves for the local film industry!

NAS DOCCIE ‘TIME IS ILLMATIC ‘SET FOR OCTOBER RELEASE “Time is Illmatic” the documentary based on New York rapper Nas and his 1994 debut album, is set to be released in October 2014. The film will be hitting theatres, DVD and VOD all on the same day. The film was directed by multimedia artist One9, written by Erik Parker and produced by the two along with Anthony Saleh.

created it.”

“Most importantly, we wanted to show how one piece of art gave hope to those searching for their voice in America. We are confident that our partnership with Tribeca will give the proper platform for this important American experience,” he added.

Eric Kohn reviewed the film following the Festival, writing, “The debut feature of multimedia artist One9 does justice to the record’s significance for the hordes of fans that have consumed it over the course of a generation.”

The North American rights were acquired by film distributor Tribeca Film in May. Nas (born Nasir Jones) will be complementing the release with a series of special performances of his classic album in select cities. He already gave his fans a taste of nostalgia when he performed every song from the album for hip hop luminaries and TIFF founder Robert DeNiro.

Released to rave reviews at the Tribeca Film Festival, ‘Time is Illmatic’ features vivid recreations from family members of the rappers’ upbringing and struggles.

One9 explained, “With ‘Time Is Illmatic,’ Erik and I wanted to celebrate Nas’ groundbreaking album Illmatic and shed light on the socio-economic conditions that SIMON MABHUNU SABELA FILM AWARDS KZN FILM COMMISSION SEEKS NOMINATIONS The Kwa-Zulu Natal Film Commission is calling for nominations for the Simon Mabhunu Sabela Film Awards.

The awards will be presented at a gala event alongside this year’s

DIFF on 19 July. In honour of South Africa’s first black director and respected film and TV actor, Sabela, the awards will recognise excellence with a special focus on filmmakers, producers, actors, directors and film technicians from the KZN province.

Categories include: Heroes and Legends Professionals

New Entrants Sabela’s career highlights include features in Zulu (1964), The Gods Must Be Crazy II (1989) and Gold (1974.)

Closing date for entries: 13 June 2014 at 5pm. For entry forms and guidelines, contact Adolphin on 031 325 0200 or simonsabela@ kwazulunatalfilm.co.za 49

WHY CHEAP SMARTPHONES ARE THE FUTURE

MULTIMEDIA

CON/STRUCT Cape Town based designer, Justin Plunkett, whose career has spanned two decades, recently had an exhibition at The Cabinet, called ‘Con/ Struct.’ With experience from writing at various agencies all over the world, he’s created design work for many local brands.

He recently released a new series of digitally manipulated photographs, as part of his exhibition, titled ‘Con/Struct.’

The photographs were reworked by Plunkett, in an attempt to explore themes of empowerment and imagination. He created new dystopian landscapes which he hopes will “encourage questioning and exploration: inviting the debate around how marketing-induced aspirations and perceived value can empower but also corrupt.”

SCIO: REVOLUTIONARYSCANNER Imagine being able to Google items in your fridge. Or being able to Google random pills you find at the bottom of your purse.

A Tel-Aviv startup has created a nifty new device called ‘Scio.’ It’s a scanner, about the size of a flash drive that can determine the molecular makeup of objects like food and medication. The device works by emitting a beam of light and connecting to a smartphone app.

Co-founder and CEO of Consumer Physics, Dror Sharon also revealed, “We are going to build the world’s largest database of fingerprints for our physical world and give developers a platform to create new applications.

As for the Scio, Sharon says, “I’m absolutely positive something like this will be built into smartphones, wearables, and internet connected devices.”

ccording to Ericsson, there were only about 1.9 billion smartphone subscribers at the end of last year.

It expects that number to reach 5.9 billion in another 5 years, fuelled by growth in the developing world.

Not everyone is convinced though. Chris Harrison, assistant professor of chemistry at San Diego State University, says another issue is that the Scio may not take into account the entire sample it’s testing, and might only measure the object where the light is hitting it.”

According to Wired.com, we’re rushing headlong into the era of cheap cellphones. For a lot of people in the developing world, their first access to smartphones will be to those that cost around $50. Alcatel has a model which runs Android 4.2, with 4G, a quadcore processor, a 13 megapixel camera and plays 1080P video, all for as little as $80. The processors, screens and apps of these cheap smartphones are all very good, so in a few years to come, the market is expected to be flooded with these models-a factor which will BARCODED MAGAZINE impact a number of industries.

Dr Oliver James of RMIT University’s School of Applied Science said, “I think the spectra that the instrument generates are not particularly detailed, which is why what comes out is also not that detailed.”

Despite this, Consumer Physics has undoubtedly succeeded in miniaturizing the particular technology and has made it more practical for consumers.

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Barcoded Magazine Celebrated Africa Day with Tumi and Reason at Baseline, Johannesburg. Images by : Lorian in association with Ukhamba Soul

The 5th annual SANAA Africa Festival BARCODED MAGAZINE

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PURE ART

ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM CELEBRATES 20 YEARS MUSEUM REINVENTS POP ART ICON ANDY WARHOL

ARTIST’S FOCUS

20 year commemorations aren’t only happening in Mzansi this year. The Andy Warhol Museum in his hometown of Pittsburgh is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

To do this, the museum has been rethought, with Director Eric Shiner commenting, “We want people to know that there’s much more to Andy Warhol than Campbells soup cans and Marilyns. The godfather of pop art’s work throughout various periods is demonstrated, from his work as leading commercial artist in the 1950s to his video art as an anchor to his role in the MTV culture in the 1980s.

His peers, such as Roy Lichtenstein produced work that drew inspiration from pop art, but Warhol fully immersed himself in the culture. The gallery also now features some work he did as a student, with a finger stuck up his nose. The 1948 painting uses expressionist brushwork.

A new lobby is lined in silver foil to echo Warhol’s 1964 Factory on East 47th Street in Manhattan.

The second floor is dedicated to future exhibitions which are set to explore how contemporary artists were influenced by or even reacted against Warhol. The Museum demonstrates the various aspects of Warhol’s personality, such as the display of his “Studies For a Boy Book,” a series of prePop drawings from the late 1950s and mentioning boyfriends in wall text. As one of the first notably gay artists to reach mass attention, Warhol’s impact on the history of the gay culture is vital. The museum’s rehang aims to strike a balance between presenting Warhol as just another “fascinating social figure” and art giant whose work continues to influence pop culture in the 21st century.

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PURE ART SERIES Katlego ‘KG’ Mabusela

"WHAT YOUTH MONTH MEANS TO ME"

Mak Manaka Poet

In the words of one of my fathers, ntate Don Mattera, “Memory is the weapon.” Youth month means just that to me, “khumbula my child”, Ingoapele Madingwane writes in his poem.

It is a month that must always be remembered as a month that marked the turning point in the fight for an ideal many died for, “freedom”. It is important to not only celebrate the bravery of that young and candid generation when June shows herself on the

calendar though, rather throughout the entire year, almost to a point that it becomes as natural as breathing air, when reminding our children of the greatness they descend from.

So, to me, I don’t really see youth month, I see another month to continue celebrating and commemorating the fearless, courageous and strong stock of young people that gave birth to you and me, remembering to stand for what we believe in, and that an unjust law is no law at all.

Kaya FM DJ, media personality, entrepreneur and motivational speaker: Youth month for me I think, is a reminder of the challenges. And when I say challenges, I don’t mean it in a negative sense, but there are the challenges that are put in from of us as young people.

I think a lot of the time we celebrate, and we get caught up in the festivities and the fun, but we forget that for us to enjoy the freedom that comes with South Africa today, a lot of people gave up quite a bit- and I’m talking their livesthat’s exactly what happened. Young people who understood that there must be more to life and the only way they will really ever guarantee that for themselves, and not even for themselves but for future generations to come, is to make the ultimate sacrifice that they chose; to go ahead and do that.

And so for me I think the challenge is to recognise what value I want to add to the world. How will I leave the world a better place as a young person?

Yes, sure, turn up, have a great time, but how will the world be better, because of what I’m doing? How will I represent South Africa, as an individual in a global context? How will I represent Africa in a global context? So if I celebrate 12 months from now again, I’m celebrating a year full of youthful victory; victories that make me proud to be a South African youth, but also that make South Africans proud to have me as part of the South African youth.

Follow him on Twitter: @ katlegomabusela BARCODED MAGAZINE

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OPPORTUNITIES

JOBURG PHOTO UMBRELLA The Market Photo Workshop in Newtown, Johannesburg will partner with the Brighton Photo Biennial and ConnectZA to launch a new platform for photography in the city later this year.

Brighton’s Photo Biennial will work with Johannesburg’s pivotal training school for young photographers; Market Photo Workshop, on a major outdoor commission by a South African and a British photographer to be exhibited in the public spaces of both cities.

This commission will form the centrepiece for a wider celebration of Johannesburg’s growing strength in the field of photography with an open call for projects alongside headline speakers and guest workshops from the UK. The Joburg Photo Umbrella is committed to bringing photography to public spaces.

John Fleetwood, Head, Market Photo Workshop stated, “We are eager to exchange and develop a shared critical approach to photography and understanding contextual specificity.”

For more info visit www.bpb.org.uk and www.marketphotoworkshop.co.za

SASOL NEW SIGNATURES ART COMPETITION 2014

Emerging artists with innovative ideas sought by Competition POW!WOW! STREET ART FESTIVAL HITS TAIWAN The POW! WOW! Festival is set to take place in Taiwan until June 3rd. The city of Taipei will host a bunch of international artists during the period of May 28- June 3. These artists will live and work with a group of local Taiwanese artists.

The likes of Aaron De La Cruz, Apex, Brendan Monroe, Graphic Airlines, INSA, James Jean, Jasper Wang, Jeff Hamada, Kristen Farr, Kamea Hadar, Madsteez, Rone, Sheryo, Skewville, Will Barras, Woes Martin, and Yok will join a roster of Taiwanese artists.

The Taiwanese talent includes artists Dabs Bobo, Candy Bird, Cherng, Chou Yi, Colasa, CYH Jason, Debe, Dzus, Easy, FlyFlyFly, Kleos, HANIBOI, Mr. Ogay, Reach, Saym, Seazk, Smoky, Optimist, Vita Yang, Xue, and Zishi.

Both sets of artists will be joining forces in forum discussions, exhibitions and in mural painting. The event will also be celebrating street art culture.

For more details, check out www.powwowtaiwan. com.

The longest running national art competition in South Africa, the SASOL New Signatures Art Competition is currently open for entries. Eligible artists should be 18 years or older, and should not have held a solo exhibition (a body of at least 20 works exhibited in a commercial gallery) except for academic purposes.

Emerging artists have until Wednesday July 16th to submit one or two artworks at one of several collection points around the country.

The winner will get R100 000 in cash as well as a solo exhibition at the Pretoria Arts Museum next year. The runnerup will get R25 000 and five merit winners will each be awarded R10 000.

In partnership with the Association of Arts Pretoria, Sasol will also be hosting nationwide university information sessions. The information sessions will cover the history and logistics of the competition, concepts and titles of works, presentation techniques, installations, as well as issues related to working in different media.

Chairman of Sasol New Signatures Art Competition judging panel Peter Binsbergen explained that, “Looking back over the past 25 years, we can clearly see the evolution of art through the finalists’ works and how these have changed from more traditional to contemporary works including digital and performance elements. We are looking for artists who push boundaries and challenge social issues with innovative and conceptual thinking and we encourage artists who are able to explore overlooked issues and encourage debate through their works.”

Past winners of the competition include Elmarie Constandius (2005), C. Malan (2006), Mohau Modisakeng (2011), Ingrid Jean Bolton (2012) and Dot Vermeulen (2013.)

Information sessions were conducted at various tertiary institutions between April 15th and May 16th.

For more information contact Nandi Hilliard at the Association of Arts in Pretoria on 012 346 3100, 083 288 5117 or artspta@mweb.co.za.

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Visit www.sasolnewsignatures.co.za

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OPPORTUNITIES

ACT/DALRO/NEDBANK PERFORMING ARTS SCHOLARSHIPS TO BE AWARDED LATER THIS YEAR

CELESTE PRIZE

AUDITION ROUND COMING UP NEXT

CELESTE PRIZE SUPPORTING EMERGING ARTISTS Celeste Prize has a great opportunity for emerging artists.

It is an international contemporary art prize which supports quality work by emerging artists in a worldwide, talent scouting environment.

20 500 euro cash prizes are up for grabs: Project Prize 4,000 euro Painting & Drawing Prize 4,000 euro Photography & Digital Graphics Prize 4,000 euro Video & Animation Prize 4,000 euro Installation, Sculpture & Performance Prize 4,000 euro Visitors Choice Prize 500 euro The selection panel is comprised of curators and critics from Egypt, France, Italy, Russia, Senegal and Germany among other countries.

Scholarships are available for ambitious youngsters keen to pursue a performing arts course at any accredited South African tertiary institution.

Sponsored by art bodies, Nedbank Arts Affinity and the Dramatic Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO), the ACT Scholarships Programme is aimed at learners in their final year of secondary education who wish to pursue undergraduate studies in the performing arts.

Also eligible for participation are individuals who are between the ages of 18 and 25, but are not considered to be professional or registered for an undergraduate course during 2013. Registrations closed on May 31st and next up is the audition process.

Auditions will be held in six cities: Saturday, 28 June: Durban, hosted by the Stable Theatre Monday, 30 June: Cape Town, hosted by The Stage Performing Arts School and Theatre in Bellville

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Wednesday, 2 July: Port Elizabeth, hosted by the PE Opera House Tuesday, 15 July: Johannesburg, hosted by UJ Arts Centre Wednesday, 16 July: Johannesburg, hosted by UJ Arts Centre Saturday, 19 July: Nelspruit, hosted by Church Unlimited (R40 Barberton Rd.) Saturday, 26 July: Bloemfontein, hosted by the Scaena Theatre at the University of the Free State Through an annual country-wide competition, participants are assessed on their acting, dancing and singing potential; with the process culminating in a final showcase to the value of R150 000, R105 000 and R60 000 will be awarded.

Winners will be announced after the final performance, which will be hosted by UJ Arts& Culture at the University of Johannesburg on 13 October 2014.

Antonia Alampi - Curator at Beirut Art Centre, Cairo, Egypt Natasa Petresin Bachelez - Chief-Editor Manifesta Journal, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Daniele Balit - Independent curator and critic, France Daria de Beauvais - Curator at Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France Jelle Bouwhuis - Curator at Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Andrea Bruciati - Independent curator and critic, Italy Katerina Chuchalina - Curator at V-A-C Foundation, Moscow, Russia Jonathan Lahey Dronsfield - Independent curator and philosopher, UK N’Goné Fall - Independent curator and founder of Gaw-Lab, Senegal Andrew Hunt - Director of Spacex, Exeter, UK Mélanie Mermod - Independent curator, Switzerland Solvej Helweg Ovesen - Artistic Director at Grosses Treffen, Berlin, Germany Oscar Roldàn-Alzarte - Curator, Museum of Modern Art Medellin, Colombia Pedro Vélez - Independent curator, Chicago, USA

Deadline for entries is July 15th 2014, with a 50 euro entry fee payable online.

Celeste Network is a fertile environment in which to promote artwork, make contact and start up projects around the world.

For more information, visit www.celesteprize.com or info@celesteprize.com Tel: +39 0577 1521988 65

PLATFORM

YINKS MAKING THE LOCAL INDUSTRY GO BANG BANG!

BM:

For those who don’t know, who is Yinks?

YINKS: Well Yinks is an upcoming hip-hop rapper and songwriter of all genres being published by Sheer publishing and also growing fast as a brand in the South African music industry as well as internationally. I’m originally from Ghana but have been based in Bloemfontein for quite some time now and I’m currently residing in Johannesburg.

BM: You’ve been described as a versatile songwriter. Do you have a specific genre you enjoy more than others?

Y: I dig and can adapt when it comes to writing different genres, ranging from Afro pop, dance hall, house music and even country music (Laughs) but all in all I like writing southern trap club bangers, rap and r&b rap.

BM: How successful has ‘Touch the Sky’ been? Has it been what you anticipated?

Y: Touch the Sky was a great record from set. I had a lot of positive responses from people who heard it at the launch and others who bought it digitally from all over the world. It’s opened some doors for me. I must say I’m going to give it a plus.

BM: Who do you look up to for inspiration- production wise and in terms of song writing skills?

Y: The William brothers of Cash Money Records, they have been commercially successful for a long time now, I like their trends and the strategies they’ve been on.

Production wise I like what Bangladesh and Mike Will have been doing lately as well as my team of producers I work with; they also inspire me with their sounds. As for writing music I look up to Neyo, I dig his construction of lyrics, must say he’s a true song writing playa. (Laughs)

BM:

Which mainstream artists would you still like to work with?

Y: I like competition so I’m always looking out to work with the best. As my brand grows I am hoping to do something along the way with other SA rappers such as Maggz, Tido, Tee-Pee, Aka, K.O of Teargas and probably this new homie Casper Nyovest.

BM:

What’s next after your latest mixtape?

Y: Well, we planned to drop four singles from my current yet to be released mixtape The Red Carpet, from which we pulled out Touch the Sky, Bang Bang (which is currently also in a release process) then we intend to drop two more singles before letting the whole package out, so until then fans should keep visiting my official website which is www.yinksofficial.com for any surprising news. But probably on my next project, we plan on an album.

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