Barcoded Magazine by Barcoded Magazine

July /August 2013

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ART MEETS MAINSTREAM

GLOBAL IS LEKKER! The world is a village.

SHARP SHARP VUYO!

TIME FOR “REALITY CHECK!” July / August 2013

YEEZY

TROUBLE CHEF OR BRILLIANT BAD-ASS?” 1

CONTENTS

Publisher Infin8Media Editor in Chief Phumzile Twala @PHUMIT

LEGENDZ

Production Manager Mbuso Mafuyeka @youngbuu IT Mnager Brian Ntuli @Brian_DeITwiz Sales Nomfundo Shabalala @angelicShabs

CON ARTISTRY

Khethiwe Twala @misskittyred Graphic Designer Mbuso Mafuyeka @youngbuu

CREATIVE CHRONICLES

Contributing Writers Mduza van Gough @MduzavanGough Devour @DevourKelrnyora Phumzile Twala @PHUMIT

THEATRE

Photography Hazel Mphande

For general enquiries email info@barcodedmag.co.za For advertising enquries email sales@barcodedmag.co.za

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GROUND UP

PURE ART

5 9 36 39 40 43 Barcoded Magazine

ART MEETS MAINSTREAM

RIP VUYO!

GLOBAL IS LEKKER! The world is a village.

SHARP SHARP VUYO!

TIME FOR “REALITY CHECK!” July / August 2013

YEEZY

TROUBLE CHEF OR BRILLIANT BAD-ASS?” 3

EDITOR’S LETTER “Good art is art that allows you to enter it from a variety of angles and to emerge with a variety of views”Mary Schmich. When compiling this edition, we thought it would be interesting to explore the movement of going ‘glocal.’ Or ‘glocalization’ if you prefer. Sure, the word doesn’t exist in the dictionary, but studies have shown and practical daily events have proven that the hybrid of local and global does work. So yeah we’ve seen KFC’s menu changes (with pap added to the menu) to appeal to SA markets, but how has glocalization affected the art scene. One of the most exciting projects I’ve seen in a while is “Humans of Durban” which was started by local photographer Micaela de Freitas. (Going glocal hasn’t been more beautifully embodied, trust me.) Then we have some info about this year’s SA season in Francewhich involves a cultural exchange between local artists and their French counterparts. It was pretty cool having the SA flag colours on the Eiffel Tower when the Season kicked off.

COVER STORY

Fashion lovers can look forward to Africa’s Next top Model, which starts this August. Sihle Hlophe reviews a great African film, Sankofa, in the first of our Black Cinema reviews. We also love the initiative Art&UNION. Read more about it in our “The Platform” section. We also pay tribute to late Morning live anchor Vuyo Mbuli (R.I.P.) The National Arts Festival had some great productions showcasing this year. Read more about it in this issue. Our columnist MduzavanGogh gives us a twist on artistry. (You’re going to love this piece) All in all, this issue is jam-packed with insightful views on artists as well as views by some great local artists. Young people are making beautiful art and celebrating our local talent, while sharing that with the rest of the world. (Shout out to Donald and Toya Delazy on the BET Awards nominations.) Let’s not forget to give some time towards a worthy cause this July for Mandela Day, and to celebrate our Divas this August for Women’s’ month! Signing Out PhumiT 4

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SHAP SHAP VUYO! Sharp Sharp! This saying was immortalized by one of South Africa’s most loved television personalities. Vuyo Mbuli, who anchored one of the SABC’s flagship breakfast shows, since its inception in 1999, recently passed on at the age of 46.

Many South African’s woke up to the startling news of his death on the Sunday morning (19th of May), although the twitter world was buzzing the night before as news of his death spread. Mbuli died on Saturday night, while out with his son at a rugby match (Cheetahs versus Reds) in the Free State. He had complained of chest pains before collapsing. Postmortem results later revealed the cause of death was due to a pulmonary embolism.

LEGENDZ

Born in Soweto, Johannesburg on the 14th of May 1967, Mbuli made his television debut as a continuity presenter in 1993 on SABC 3. He had previously taught Business Economics before embarking on a career in broadcast. He later started his radio career, hosting his own show on SAFM in 1995, while he had previously worked as a News reporter on Talk Radio 702.

During his tenure as co-anchor on SABC2’s Morning Live, he interviewed a vast array of individuals, from Cabinet Ministers to sports stars and ordinary South African folk. What stood out about Mbuli’s interviewing style was how he treated everyone equally. He had a way of asking relevant questions in a probing yet non-intrusive manner, with the outcome resulting in well-balanced, factual reporting. Mbuli was unequivocally patriotic and displayed his patriotism on a daily basis by greeting viewers in a number of the country’s official languages often.

“Sanibonani , Good morning, Goeie more , Ndimacheloni , Avhusheni , Dumelang,” he would say.

An avid runner, Mbuli never failed to tickle many people’s funny bones by sharing his own experiences of marathons and weekend antics. Charismatic and professional, Mbuli embodied a true

VUYO MBULI July / August 2013

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star in the broadcast industry, after working his way up.

“It ’s hard to think of a more patriotic and positive person than Vuyo.” “We thought, as the SABC, that Vuyo was ours, but he belonged to the nation,” said Lulama Mokhobo, chief executive at the SABC at Mbuli’s memorial service. President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (as Vuyo fondly referred to him without fail) said in a statement, “It’s hard to think of a more patriotic and positive person than Vuyo.” His co-host, Lee Ann Manas had nerves of steel as she anchored the show on the Monday morning following Mbuli’s death. Fellow colleagues couldn’t hold it back and cried throughout the broadcast. In an unscheduled speech at the memorial service, Manas had only kind words to share of her colleague. “I never got to thank him, but I don’t believe that without him taking me under his wing, I would have reached the heights in broadcast I never thought I would reach,” she said. A loving father of two, Mbuli was fiercely protective of his private life. Local tabloids managed to dig up dirt on him following his split from his wife of 16 years, Savita. Regardless of the negative publicity he garnered at this point in time Mbuli continued to be a pillar of strength for his children- who described him as “a really cool guy.”

you’d walk into him, he would be the type of person who greets you first. He’d never hide away his face whether he knew you or not. With Vuyo, even if you met up with him at the stairs, corridor or even elevators, he would never avoid eye-contact, and he would greet you. You would see him talking to people everywhere at the SABC, from security guards to CEOS,” says Khumalo (Technical producer at the SABC.) Mbuli will be sorely missed by his family, friends, colleagues and most certainly by the millions of viewers whose homes he visited by default every weekday morning. The South African nation has lost a true stalwart of the broadcasting and journalism industry.

We at Barcoded Mag would like to Salute Mbuli for his commendable work. Sharp Sharp! Rest in Peace . By: Phumzile Twala

Charming and witty on air, Mbuli revealed in an interview with the Sowetan (a real typical Vuyoesque goeie genade moment) that he harboured a goal of interviewing Naomi Campbell. He went on to say, “I think Naomi would make an interesting interviewee. She has a big temper- that interests me.” As a young person working at the SABC, Lloyd Khumalo often bumped into Mbuli at work. “That guy was just really one of a kind. I remember the first time I saw him at the SABC. Whenever

July / August 2013

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Con artistry: The Art Of mental trickery A con artist is defined as someone who misleads others for personal and financial gain. The world has had so many con artists dating back to medieval times. Have you ever been conned before in Jo’burg? I’m a Jo’burg boy and seen and heard stories of people being robbed and conned of their hard earned mon-

ey and possessions. So I just want to shed some light on some of the greatest con artists of our time. These men have deceived even the most skilled law enforcement agencies all over the world and made the front pages of newspapers many times.

Frank Abagnale was a true legend, with that said I am not in any way condoning coning Lustig was so confident in his skills that he people, but this guy forged bank cheques and convinced probably one of the greatest ganggot away with over $2 million in over 20 coun- sters that ever lived, Al Capone, to invest in tries. I think you would agree with me that only $50 000 with him, stored the cash in a vault, a great artist can be able to do this successtwo months later he returns and tells Capone fully, but as the saying goes ‘crime doesn’t that the deal fell through. Capone impressed pay.’ Frank was caught and was sentenced by Victor’s honesty he gave him $5 000 for his to 12 years in prison. After being caught, he effort. escaped from prison after masquerading as an undercover officer of the Bureau of Prisons In 1925, which was probably his master con (clearly South Africa isn’t the Lustig read an article The Man Who Stole the Eiffel Tower, sounds like only country with shitty law in the French paper a title of a Hollywood blockbuster, right? “ enforcers.) Frank was caught that discussed the again and he ended up servproblems that the city ing 5 years in prison before the Federal Govwas having maintaining the Eiffel Tower. He ernment offered him freedom in exchange for adopted the persona of a government official, him helping them catch people like him. Frank and sent six scrap metal dealers and invitation has since gone the legal route and he runs to discuss a possible business deal. Abagnale and Associates, a company that Lustig told the group that the upkeep on the deals with Financial Fraud. Spielberg’s Catch Eiffel Tower was so outrageous that the city Me If You Can was based on Frank Abagnale’s could not maintain it any longer, and wanted life, it was a blockbuster, and it is a classic to sell it for scrap. So he sold the Eiffel Tower movie. to one of the scrap metal dealers and took a train to Vienna with the suitcase full of cash. The buyer was too humiliated to complain to The Man Who Stole the Eiffel Tower, sounds the police. like a title of a Hollywood blockbuster, right? But it is Victor Lustig’s nickname; this man was I know you’re probably laughing too while a mastermind when it comes to mental trickreading this, Lustig was finally arrested and he ery. spent the rest of his life in Alcatraz and he died

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of pneumonia in 1947. My favourite of all the con artists is Christopher Rocancourt. Christopher pulled his first big con in Paris, faking the deed to a property he didn’t own, then “selling” it for a whopping $1.4 million.

Making his way to the United States, Rocancourt pretended to be a movie producer, ex-boxing champion or venture capitalist. He dropped names like “his mother” Sophia Loren or “his uncles” Oscar de la Renta and Dino De Laurentiis and was associated with various celebrities. He married Playboy model Pia Reyes; they had a son, Zeus. He lived for a time with Mickey Rourke and apparently convinced actor Jean-Claude Van Damme to produce his next movie (Is Van Damme really that dumb or was Mr. Rocancourt really good? (Laughs.) One of his trademarks was to always have a stunningly beautiful woman on his arm. Besides being married to Pia Reyes, accord-

ing to the press, he lived with Playboy model Rhonda Rydell for six months. She did not know Rocancourt was married, July / August 2013

and said he had told her he was of French nobility, the son of a countess. In March 2002 he was extradited to New York and pleaded to charges of theft, grand larceny, smuggling, bribery, perjury and fraud against 19 victims. He was fined $9 million, was ordered to pay $1.2 million in restitution and sentenced to five years in prison. In Switzerland, the police have connected him with a jewel theft and barred him from the country until 2016. He once estimated to Dateline that his various schemes/ventures netted him at least $40 million (USD), but this cannot be confirmed. What a man. While many people do not know the name Ponzi, the Ponzi Scheme is extremely well known and continues today in Internet Make Money Fast schemes. Charles Ponzi’s early life is not entirely known as he was prone to fabricate stories about it. What is known is that he spent a short amount of time at University in Rome and, after dropping out, caught a boat to Boston, USA where he arrived with $2.50 in his pocket. He created the famous “Ponzi scheme,” a scam that pays early investors returns from the investments of later investors.

“

He promised clients a 50% profit within 45 days, or 100% profit within 90 days,”

He promised clients a 50% profit within 45 days, or 100% profit within 90 days, by buying discounted postal reply coupons in other countries and redeeming them at face value in the United States as a form of arbitrage. By the time he was making 10

$250,000 a day. In 1920, federal agents arrested him, after The Post started a series of articles that asked hard questions about the operation of Ponzi’s money machine. He was sent to prison for years; in 1934 Ponzi was released, sent to Italy, and eventually Brazil, where he spent the last years of his life in poverty, working occasionally as a translator. He had a stroke in 1948, and died in a charity hospital in Rio de Janeiro on 1949. I just wanted to show y’all that art transcends music, painting and all that mainstream stuff, being a con artist isn’t a good thing but it goes to show it takes a special artist to do that- a con artist. I’ll end this piece with the great words of Queen Victoria “Beware of artists, they mix with all classes of society and are therefore the most dangerous.” By: MduzavanGogh

COMPETITION! Artists! Stand a chance to win a studio kit from Barcoded Magazine by voting for your song, get your family and friends voting now. Voters also get a chance to win double tickets to the Rihanna concert this August.

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Tribute

PUFF JOHNSON 1972 - 2013

July / August 2013

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PUNK& IVY Punk& Ivy refers to a style of dress that came about in the 80s in Soweto to describe a style of dress for men. If you were not a pantsula, you were either called ‘iPunk” referring to a street style influenced by London Punks or an Ivy, which was the up-market, dapper style of dress. Founded by Diepkloof native-Khaya Bhubesii, a renowned fashion stylist, artist and GQ mag’s 2nd Best Dressed Man for 2012, and Bianca Miles, who is a marketer by trade, Punk&Ivy is tailored, bold, and effortless and speaks to the new aged Gentleman living in the urban jungle. The duo emphasise the need to continually find inspiration from within Africa, and sell that to the world.

OFF RAMP

They also aim to ‘create a new path of tailored garments that connects the street to the urban distinguished He and She for 2013 and beyond. Contact the motique (mobile boutique) here: Bianca- 084 740 2418 Bianca@punkandivy.com Facebook: Punk and Ivy Style Motique

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FASHION AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED Congratulations to the 2013 winners of the Foschini Fashion Awards: Sheila- Madge Bakker Sabrina Linder Frances Buchner The main prize is an internship as well as a sale of a capsule collection in selected Foschini stores.

July / August 2013

AIR CINEMA CLUB PREMIERE Brought to the masses by Kasi Distribution and Play Braamfontein, the latest innovative cinema experience, AIR CINEMA CLUB premiered recently. The aim of AIR CINEMA CLUB is to host a movie once a month on the Neighbourgoods Market rooftop in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The very first one presented an 8pm screening of Cannes Film Festival Official Selection Scottish movie “The Angel’s Shore”, directed by Ken Loach. The audience was treated to the awardwinning film under the city stars on a packed rooftop. The R120 ticket prices (available at www.webtickets.co.za) managed to draw in a sizable amount of film lovers who camped out on beanbags and savoured the bottomless popcorn on the night. The film centres on a young hoodlum who becomes a father and decides to seek new beginnings after one last heist.

PIXELS

For an extra R50 you get to bring in your own cooler box, while burgers are available from Balkan Burgers as well as some organic hot chocolate. Details about the next show to follow soon. 14

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MOVIES DESPICABLE ME 2

Gru is no longer a villain after saving his three adopted daughters Margo, Edith, and Agnes from Vector in the first film. But his calm and unexciting new life takes an unexpected turn when he is recruited by Lucy Wilde and Silas Ramsbottom and is taken to the “Headquarters”of the Anti-Villain League, a society dedicated to fighting crime on a global scale. There he discovers that there is a new villain called Eduardo on the loose and because Gru was once a villain himself and knows how they think, Silas (who is the League’s head), wants Gru to help them fight Eduardo. With the help of Gru’s assistant, Dr. Nefario, his minions, Margo, Edith, and Agnes, Gru must save the world (again).

July / August 2013

THE WOLVERINE 3D This Film is the X-Men film Series “The Wolverine” new upcoming Action movie that includes the Marvel Comics character .Hugh Jackman reprises his role from previous films. A screenplay written By Christopher McQuarrie, Mark Bomback and Scott Frank with James Mangold directing, Wolverine is based on the 1982 limited series. In August 2009 McQuarrie was hired to write a screenplay for The Wolverine. Darren Aronofsky was hired to direct the film, In October 2010. The project was delayed following Aronofsky’s departure and the 2011 T? Hoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. Mangold was brought on board to replace Aronofsky, In June 2011 and in September 2011; Bomback was hired to rewrite the screenplay. In October 2012, the supporting characters were cast in July 2012 with principal photography beginning at the end of the month in New South Wales before moving to Tokyo in August 2012 and back to New South Wales. The film was converted to 3D in post-production. Wolverine makes a voyage to modern-day Japan, where he encounters an enemy from his past that will impact on his future.

GLOCAL IS image by: www.chrisruzin.net

LEKKER!

The world is a village. A

COVER STORY

rtists worldwide have taken advantage of this fact for decades. Locally, Generation Y’ers who grew up bombarded with visuals of Americans on their TV screens have aspired to “make it” overseas for years. In my experience, until a few years ago, young black South Africans were over-exposed to glossy images and visuals of their American counterparts in the arts and entertainment industries. So it’s unsurprising that many of them grew up with aspirations of “making it” internationally. Although I do think that some of this is in part due to years of brainwashing by previous oppressors who instilled a sense 16

of ‘worthlessness’ in the black community. Youth of the 90s may have been singing along to Sharon Dee’s “Local is Lekker” tune but they didn’t believe it at the time. In exile, local exile jazz icons Bra Hugh Masekela, Bra Jonas Gwangwa and many more had kept the South African spirit alive through various compositions. When they returned

bands were infusing their sound with rap verses which some people still can’t make sense of today. Some may argue it was just an extension of the ingrained teachings that anything purely African was garbage. Others may argue that it was all an attempt to fit in with the norms of the global society at the time… Young thespians at the time had fine role models in the form of the late Gibson Kente,

home, they were greeted by youngsters in search of their identity; who were blindly leaning towards European and American music influences.

John Kani, Todd Twala, Mbongeni Ngema and the like- who had successfully taken local theatre productions overseas for lengthy periods of time.

Urban fashion was clustered with American labels (like Fubu and Kangol) and local

It wasn’t until the media popularized the term “Proudly South African,” after the “buy local”

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campaign launched by the government in 2001, that young people countrywide began becoming more consciously aware of their own talents- and how they could make a living from them.

At the turn of the millennium, South Africans were becoming prouder of home-grown talent. Local television programming upped it’s ‘proudly local’ quota noticeably. (Just think back to the impact shows like Yizo Yizo, Gazlam and Latitude had on young people.) Local radio stations were playing more local songs. Local fashion saw a boom in local labels dominating fashion week runways. Opportunities previously reserved for the white upper class now seemed more available to young ordinary black township fashionistas.

People were starting to catch on that they if they supported local products, it improved the South African economy and created more employment opportunities. For the better part of the first decade into the noughties, South Africans were promoting proudly local talents and wares.

At the time, South Africans were more confident about sending local art products and productions overseas, to be enjoyed by a bigger audience. The “Tsotsi” Academy Award triumph couldn’t have come at a better time. This moment made ordinary South Africans sit up and realize they had multitudes of potential. This moment signaled a significant mindset shift of many young South Africans who were often brought up on a legacy of frequent grumbling about the lack of help from government. This moment represented a time when young South Africans felt confident enough to participate on an equal playing field with their global counterparts. Young South African artists were being recognized on a global scale for their talents. Afro-soul singer Zamajobe led the trend after being nomi-

July / August 2013

nated for an MTV Europe Award. Not long afterwards, the hip hop fraternity celebrated as one of its favourite sons, HHP, followed suit.Although fine and visual artists from this country had been exhibiting their works all over the world for decades, for a long time there had been a huge gap in terms of information and awareness about these art forms. Today, with more South Africans having access to internet, local blogs have made that information more accessible to young people. Today, youngsters are more aware of contemporary artists exhibiting in famous galleries internationally. iTunes has enabled local artists to keep abreast of technological innovations in the music world. In this digital era, local musos have had an easier (and admittedly tougher) time reaching the masses they way they’d like to. Recently, local music enthusiasts embarked on a campaign called “Play Local or Die.” Flyers with these words emblazoned on them went viral across social media platforms, often being vocally

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endorsed by young musicians and entertainment personalities. The campaign was marketed well across various media platforms. At the end of the day, art is the winner. If one individual is enlightened about circumstances or experiences of someone of a different background and is able to teach others about it, Glocal is Lekker. If artists from different nationalities can exchange ideas and collaborate to produce masterpieces that will live on for years to come, then Glocal is Lekker.If local artists are afforded the opportunity to go abroad and share their gifts, while benefiting from more exposure and experience, then Glocal is Lekker. Today, house music producer and DJ Black Coffee is known from Franschoek to France.Today, film director Gavin Hood is known from Brooklyn, Pretoria to Brooklyn, New York.

By: Phumzile Twala

UN18

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COVERED

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July / August 2013

US actor Morris Chestnut was recently in South Africa, doing some prep work for new film he’ll be starring in soon. Asylum Down is a film collaboration between local filmmaker extraordinaire Uzanenkosi Mahlangu (creator of smash- hit series Intersexions) and American filmmaker Samad Davis and Tarak Stevens (Executive Producer.) The film, which is scheduled to begin pre-production early in 2014, is about a modern-day African royal family with gold and platinum reserves on its land. The business is taken over by a reluctant heir who pushes it into the ruthless world markets, which could be to the family’s detriment. Chestnut plays the lead role of the African King. The lanky star, whose film credits include The Best Man (watch out for the muchanticipated sequel due for release this November) and Think Like A Man, was in the country 3 years ago. He has mentioned that he’s impressed by Mzansi’s progression since his last visit. “When I was told about the concept, I thought it was a great way to stretch myself as an actor. It’s also the progress and the beautiful architecture South Africa has, which I wanted to show,” he said.

ENTERTAINMENT

He also added, “My only thought as an actor is to have it completely down and get the accent right.” Mahlangu revealed that this is his first international coproduction. 70% of the film will be shot locally (in the North-West), while the remainder will be shot in the USA.

LOCAL - INTERNATIONAL 20

CHESTNUT TO STAR IN LOCAL FILM PRODUCTION: ASYLUM DOWN

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GLOCAL IS

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ARE WE READY TO TAKE OVER THE GLOBE? Hit us up onour facebook or twitter or mail us at info@barcodedmag.co.za

July / August 2013

TIME FOR “REALITY CHECK!” Local Free to air channel, etv is set to premiere a groundbreaking new show at the beginning of July.

“Reality Check” is a show that featured three of South Africa’s most controversial entertainment personalities. One’s name was commonly used in the same sentence with the word “gold-digger’ often, another is known for having a public melt-down on social network twitter and the other is a controversial leggy beauty who’s been hounded by local tabloids for years.

hanyi Mbau, Nonhle Thema and Babalwa Mneno will be part of “Reality Check,” which is a purpose-driven show. The ladies will be stepping out of their glamorous comfort zones in order to complete tasks that they wouldn’t normally be doing- all for a good cause.

“It is our mission to ensure that e.tv broadcasts homebrewed content which reflects our communities. “Reality Check” has the intention to exemplify that there is more to life than lavishing lifestyles. This will showcase a different side of these ladies, a side that is devoid of the frivolity of usual reality shows which depict celebrities doing nothing but going about their day to day lives,” says Monde Twala, e.tv Channel Head.

“Reality Check” premieres on etv: 6 July 2013 6:05 pm

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REALITY CHECK 23

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” KIMYE ART AUCTION “ All the publicity gained by Kimye recently, following the birth of their baby daughter has produced some unexpected results. It’s a little disheartening that this good gesture hasn’t gained much fanfare in the media… The couple encouraged wellwishers to send baby gift donations to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Kim and Kanye organized a charity auction of original artwork by speed-painter Aaron Kizer.

July / August 2013

The painting of Kanye appeared in the Nappy Roots music video for “These Walls Revisited,” (produced by West, with new additional production by Michael A. Smith and Jonathan Hay.) The auction was scheduled to end on July 3, 2013 at 6pm. Even greater news is that Michael A. Smith has vowed to match the winning bid amount, doubling the impact of the donation.

FANA MOKOENA STARRING IN NEW BLOCKBUSTER ALONGSIDE BRAD PITT Actor Fana Mokoena, who shot to prominence as Dr Mandla on Generations, stars alongside Brad Pitt in a new blockbuster called World War Z. Mokoena plays the role of Thierry Umotomi, Gerry Lane’s friend (played by Pitt.) The film sees the two embarking on a mission to try and save humanity from zombies. Mokoena’s other acting credits include starring roles in The Lab, Yizo Yizo and big screen flick Hotel Rwanda.

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FANA MOKOENA

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PAC’S STAR SHINES ON Legendary rapper Tupac Shakur will be honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2014. 17 years after his death, the ‘Dear Mama’ hit-maker will be only the fourth rapper to be honoured with his own star. Committee Chairman David Green recently announced Shakur’s name along with 22 other stars to be inducted in a ceremony next year.

thisis50.com July / August

2013

HUMANS OF DURBAN Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s street photography blog, called humans of New York, Micaela de Freitas started her own journey. After returning home after a year abroad, she was looking for a way to explore her city and improve her photography.

Currently travelling abroad, Micaela is capturing ordinary peeps from all over the world. In one image, she asks her subject, “What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of South Africa?” The succinct response that follows: “Die Antwoord.”

Check out more here: http://humansofdurban.wordpress.com http://www.facebook.com/humansofdurbansa www.facebook.com/humansofdurbansa http://micaelakarina.tumblr.com micaelakarina.tumblr.com

So she embarked on an enlightening journey towards celebrating the people from her home-town. Whether capturing fashionistas, adorable toddlers, or 80 year old lovers, Micaela’s images paint a real, heart-warming and gritty image of Durban.

PROJEKT101

“The captions that accompany the portraits provide the viewers with a glimpse into the lives of the subjects,” she’s said. The project has exhibited at the “Upstairs gallery” (Art’n Shit) and has changed lives along the way. In one image, Micaela recalls the first time she captured Tony the newspaper delivery man, who was riding a ten-year-old worn out bike. A while later, with the help of Humans of Durban, tony was provided with a new bike, enabling him to spend more time with his family. She may be cute, but she is not amused. 28

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Everything around me affects and inspires what I wear and how I wear it

Can you do the moonwalk?

HUMANS OF DURBAN Every school uniform should be accessorized with a gold diamante handbag. (Seen at Inchanga Primary School.)

These tears are for my dad. He died when I was ten.

July / August 2013

I’m not going to lie, I’ve been involved in drugs and it’s led me to being on the street. But I’ve been clean two weeks now, and reading the Bible helps me focus on something else. 29

YEEZY

TROUBLE CHEF OR BRILLIANT BAD-ASS?”

SOUNDBOOTH

“Stevie Wonder never had to use the word bitch to get his point across.”- An ironic observation from one of youth culture’s most famous musicians.

By: Phumzile Twala

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ven more ironic that it’s from one of the hip hop culture’s most notorious sons.

Hip hop often gets a bad rep for the amount of profanity used in lyricism as well as for the popular use of derogatory terms to refer to women. So one has to wonder what was going through Kanye West’s mind when he sent out this tweet. Come to think of it- Yeezy has a lot of people wondering what goes through his mind quite often. Known for his general opinionated stance on everything from profanity, to racism, to fashion, to music, Kanye West has established himself as a loud-mouth of note over the years, just as much as he’s established himself as a world-class hip hop/R&B producer. Born June 8th 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia, West moved to Chicago (his beloved Chi-town) at the age of 3 with his mother Donda West, following her divorce from Kanye’s father. Later on, after dropping out from College, Kanye made a name for himself as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records. His signature production style consisted of sampling high vocals from soul songs and incorporating those with his own drums and instruments. He originally wasn’t taken seriously as a rapper by the Roc-A-Fella family. But in 2002 a near-fatal car accident inspired his first hit single, “Through the Wire.”The runaway success of this track set Yeezy on the fast lane to superstardom. Fast forward to the 2004 American Music Awards: Kanye throws a temper tantrum after being snubbed for the New Artist of the Year Award. “I feel I was definitely robbed. I was the best new artist this year. I don’t know if I’ll be back at this award show next year.” In 2004, West released the controversial “Jesus Walks,” from the album College Dropout. The track reflected a humble image of Kanye- a man grateful for another chance at life. In the same breath, Yeezy was out to get his message heard. In an industry where many-a-rapper claims to have “haters”- many of them imaginary- Kanye alluded to a group of people (maybe corporates) who said you can rap about sex, drugs and violence but you can’t rap about Jesus and get radio airplay. The following year he received a nomination for Best Gospel Artist for “Jesus Walks.” On getting that airplay, Kanye said, “It was never a problem once it came out. All I did was use reverse psychology. It was a way of calling out people who didn’t want to play it without pointing fingers at anybody.” In August 2005 Yeezy was pointing his finger at someone. This time it happened to be President George W. Bush. The ‘radical one’ asserted that “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” This particular outburst was July / August 2013 the result of the US government’s slow response to help

victims of Hurricane Katrina. Was it an act of genuine concern or attention-seeking? (It would be five years before the matter was rehashed in an interview with Matt Lauer on the Today Show, in which Yeezy revealed a sense of remorse and revealed that he had no grounds to refer to Dubya as a racist.) Kanye was at his peak, with the release of Late Registration. But he wasn’t ‘pumping his brakes or driving slow.’ The album spawned hit after hit. “Hey Mama” symbolized the 21st century’s Mother’s Day anthem. In the song he admits to ‘knowing that he acts the fool’ and reassures his mother that ‘he’ll go back to school.’ The song’s confessional lyricism reveals the soul of a man who just wants his mama to be proud of him. Two years later marked a turning point in Yeezy’s lifethe death of his mother. The funeral was held on November the 20th. Two days later he was back on stageat the O2 Arena in London- the Glow in the Dark Tour. Since then, he’s said that the LA culture is responsible for his mother’s death. (This follows Donda’s death due to cosmetic surgery complications.)Without seemingly having had the opportunity to really mourn the death of his mother, Kanye did what he knew best- make music. The 2008 resultant album, duly titled ‘808s and Heartbreak’ was released to critical acclaim. An artistic risk by any standards, the album chronicled a dark time in Kanye’s life. Just when he got it all, he lost it all. In the track “Streetlights” he can be heard lamenting how “Life is just not fair.” In a review for Pitchfork.com, Scott Plagenhoef calls 808s and Heartbreak “an introspective, minimal electropop record steeped in regret, pain and even more selfexamination than a typical Kanye West album.” On the positive side, Plagenhoef’s review alluded to the fact that Yeezy brought sexy back to Autotune. He also adds that, “For the most part, West’s pain is articulated in ways that, while borne from his experiences, can be easily translated to the listener’s.” Many Hip Hop purists were baying for Kanye’s artistic blood at the time. They claimed his new sound would confuse the market. They were longing for the Kanye of “Jesus Walks” days, who told of how he hoped for salvation through prayer. What followed, in 2009, was arguably the most popular of Kanye’s Award show tirades. He famously interrupted then-largely –unknown country singer Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards. This was followed by a brief unanimous side-eye from music fans across the world. This was a Kanye West who was called a “jackass” by US President Barack Obama. 31

This was a Kanye West whose media trainer quit on him. This was a Kanye West who admitted to “feeling suicidal.” Was it a cry for help? Narcissistic Personality Disorder can be defined as a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration and a lack of empathy. Now I can’t diagnose Kanye with any disorders, but I will point out that a few of his antics leave me wondering if he fits the bill. At the time Kanye was dating model Amber-Rose. The couple was seen on various red carpets together, turning heads wherever they went, thanks to their glamorous, edgy fashion sense. They broke up in 2010. Kanye had this to say in an interview with Hot97’s Angie Martinez: “Yeah man, it was an amazing time and it came to an end.” “One of the greatest things that she showed me was just to be a nicer person because she was so disconnected from the concept of celebrity when I first met her...A celebrity could be talking to people crazy and everyone’s used to it at the label like, ‘He’s wildin’ out. It doesn’t matter.’ [Amber] be like, ‘What?! You just talked to your fans so crazy right now. I’m not even talking to you right now.’... I grew from that. I think that was the greatest growth that I got from that experience...My goal in life is to really have an amazing woman and have a family, but I think I had to go through these different things to grow...That was a one-off...I’m not trying to dive into anything unless I really, really think that I can marry this person. I look at this person and I say, ‘This is how I want my daughter to be.’” (Hot 97)

“I will admit that I sometimes go back and omit cursing from my records. I like to use profanity as a tool and not a crutch.”- @kanyewest He may not be using excessive profanity in his lyrics but lately he has leaned more towards ‘flossing’ about designer labels and expressing how much wealth he has amassed. It appears Mr West is a ball of contradictions- agonizing over his consumption one moment and boasting about his wealth the next. In “Diamonds are Forever”, he muses: It’s in a black person soul to rock that gold Spend your whole life trying to get that ice On a Polo rugby, it looks so nice How can something so wrong make me feel so right? This is a far cry from the Kanye who burned a Maybach with Jay Z for the “Otis” video. This Kanye in 2011 oozed opulence as fans all over the world “Watched The Throne.” His work on this album “reflected his thoughts on being deemed a social villain” according to Wikipedia. The production style was an extension of Kanye’s preceeding album’s dense style. In an essay for Grantland, Hua Hsu noted the album’s reliance on ‘incomegap raps.’ The incarnation of Kanye West at that moment represented boundless braggadocio. “What if there was no profanity…What if we decided to legalize profanity in a sense? In France they play songs with cursing on the radio.”-@kanyewest Kanye’s love for France doesn’t end there. He spent a while in the country’s capital Paris recording his latest album. Speculation was rife that this caused a rift between him and his current flame, Kim Kardashian. His baby mama had a pregnancy scare early on, during which she needed him by her side. But with Ye on the other side of the world, he was focused on finishing off his upcoming offering. Things got worse when rumours started circulating that Kanye was in a relationship with Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci. “June Eighteen”- @kanyewest With the “Keeping up with Kimye” game the paparazzi have going on, the shade thrown at him by Ray J and cryptic tweets, Kanye finds himself in a constant ebb and flow of public scrutiny. He’s found that the quest to remain relevant opens up his world, to the world in a sense. Embracing the power his voice has, some would say Kanye has developed some sort of ‘God complex.’ Not really surprising, coming from a man whose role model or “Big Brother” famously referred to himself as “Jay-Hova.”

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Mr West’s latest offering

So when Kanye tells fans at a concert in London, “I got love for Hov, but I ain’t f—kin’ with that Suit and Tie,” reading into it at first glance, the natural assumption would be to link this statement to JT’s first single off The 20/20 experience, on which Jay’s featured. So of course, headlines followed, saying that Kanye was’ hating’ on JT and Jay Z. Or maybe…. another likely explanation could be that it was a subliminal message towards a dislike of ‘corporates.’ Barcoded Magazine

“New Song and Visual from my new album being projected tonight across the globe on 66 buildings, locations @ KANYEWEST.COM.”- @ kanyewest In a spectacular display of performance art, Kanye released the first single to his upcoming album, titled “Yeezus” by having his face projected on 66 iconic buildings. He was reciting lyrics to “New Slaves.” New Slaves is an ode to Kanye’s love-hate relationship with materialism. The song has left many observers wondering if Kanye isn’t contributing to the same materialistic values he shuns on the track. Some critics have commended his insight while others have noted that he offers no lyrical solutions. Alyssa Rosenberg of Think Progress, argues: “Even if you think it’s important to prioritize the analysis of racism in ‘New Slaves’ over the song’s dip into misogyny, it’s hard to deny how useless it is to turn away from the real structural targets of West’s critique to a dream of shaming powerful men by sexually dominating their wives, or how much that fantasy plays into the demonization of black male sexuality.” With allegations of having ghostwriters on his previous work and PR stunts to boost his fame, Mr West is undoubtedly one of the music world’s most riveting artists. His fans don’t seem to mind his ‘crazy’ antics- just as long as he keeps the hits coming. July / August 2013 milkshakesandmoustaches.com

LADIES LOVE KELLZ: SINGLE LADIES TOUR HITS MZANSI THIS WOMEN’S MONTH He was scheduled to perform in the country in March, but following allegations of poor ticket sales, the SA leg of R.Kelly’s Single Ladies Tour was moved to August. Hopefully the Write Me Back hit maker will make it to our shores this time.

Tickets are available at Computicket. Kellz is billed to perform at Orlando Stadium on the 8th of August and at Moses Mabhida Stadium on the 10th of August.

americansongwriter.com

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July / August 2013

CREATIVE CHRONICLES

AFFRICAN ALIEN HAS LANDED!

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July / August 2013

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Anele Khoza Affricanalien.

July / August 2013

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“My Spaceship crash landed in Africa and I like it here. I have to capture places, events and living things of this world before they take me back.”- Affricanalien. An eccentric creative with a flair for the extraordinary, Anele is all about documenting authentic life experiences. Originally from Zim, Anele Khoza has some amazing instagram shots. Here he is telling us about why he does what he does: BM: You have to let us in on the meaning behind your name “African Alien!’ How? Why? AK: You know when you do things without planning… When asked ‘how?’ Or Why? You don’t have an answer. I never planned or thought about my username I just typed it. It sounded cool that’s why I went on with it and hey it’s AFFRICANALIEN one word, with a double F “get it?” BM: Who is Anele Khoza? AK: I find that question hard but I’ll try: Anele is a guy who enjoys life and complains about everything and anything just like everyone. How did I do? J BM: So how long have you been instagramming for? Is it just a hobby for you, or do you have bigger plans? AK: It’s been 15 months now, my first upload was on 09 March 2012 and Instagram is a social media platform- you do everything for fun unless if you’re a brand. For me it is nothing but a hobby. I personally don’t have any bigger plans but there are many proposals and ideas from different individuals on how I could up the game…I’ll consider those later, now I’m just enjoying taking photos of almost everything that fascinates me. Nothing More. BM: In some of your work you’ve covered shots of Hillbrow flats all the way to the Sibaya Casino. Any specific places still on your wish list? AK: I don’t have a wish list but I would love to cover different parts of the world. BM: How do you decide on what you want to capture?

of the subject or moment, how cool or unique it is; is there a story behind, and would I like the image if it wasn’t mine? Those are just some of the questions I ask myself before capturing anything and sometimes a heart can decide. Those are shots I don’t have to think but feel something about. BM: What inspires you the most about the type of images you capture? AK: The environment, diversity, multi-culture. There is so much information about people, animals, buildings, food, objects… and everything to me leads to why, how, when, where, what.And that is inspirational enough for me to document BM: “Urban stories never been told.” What more can your followers expect from you in the near future? AK: I can’t promise anything, I can’t predict. Most of the things I’ve done/ am doing, I never planned them.I just do.One thing I know for sure…follow me & we’re both in for a treat. BM: Do you think the app has made things easier or worse for photography as a whole? AK: Like I said the app is a social media platform. People are from different areas of expertise, the way I see it the app is doing 50/50 damage. If you want photography just use the correct platform or follow what photography is to you. End of story. BM: What legacy do you want to leave behind? AK: I would have loved for one to do what they love and get recognized for that but it doesn’t sound right. What if what they love is affecting the society negatively? Rather live like a human with humanity, FULL STOP.

AK: Most of the time depends on the context July / August 2013

REVIEWS 42

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‘SANKOFA’ – HAILE GERIMA In my opinion, ‘Sankofa’ is one of the most important films in the history of black cinema. Anyone who considers themselves a supporter of black cinema needs to put this film on the top of their ‘school me’ list pronto. Written and directed by mad talented Ethiopian filmmaker and academic Haile Gerima, the film has won numerous international awards since its release in 1993. An egotistical African American model comes to Ghana to do a film shoot at the Cape Coast Castle; unbeknownst to her, this is the place where the Atlantic slave trade took place centuries ago. The model meets a mysterious old man named Sankofa and soon she is spiritually tele-transported to a plantation in the deep south of America. Here, she experiences the horrors of slavery first hand. This instills in her a deep appreciation for her heritage and rich African ancestry.

of us she is colonized, shaped by Western ways of thinking. When she mingles with the other slaves on the plantation field, she is forced to confront her very being, her blackness. The politics of identity and the struggle to reconcile one’s ‘Africanness’ with one’s modern identity is the struggle many young black people face today. This is precisely why I recommend this film to all the young people out there. P.S. Celebrated Jamaican poet Mutabaruka plays the role of Shango in the film so for those of you who appreciate the spoken word, watch out for his appearance. By: Sihle Hlophe :)

The film is unapologetic in its treatment of thorny issues such as identity politics, race relations, sexual violence, slavery and African spirituality. No surprise here- the director Haile Gerima, was one of the leaders of the L.A. Rebellion film movement, an initiative started by African and African American UCLA filmmaking students formed in the late 1960’s. Members include celebrated filmmakers such as Julie Dash (Daughters of the Dust) and Charles Burnett (To Sleep with Anger). This film has a very powerful pan-Africanist message; in order to know where we are going, we need to know where we come from. The word Sankofa means ‘reach back and get it’. It is often associated with a proverb that says ‘it is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.’ That is why the African-America model is transported from Ghana to the plantation fields of the slave masters. Like many of us, she needs to learn to appreciate her roots and culture, her African heritage. Like many

July / August 2013

He’s been in the industry for more than a decade and has shared the same stage as kwaito heavyweight Mandoza, the late Lebo Mathosa, Ifani, Proverb, Reason, EMC and many more. He’s been on TV shows such as Shiz Niz and SABC 1’s LIVE, while sharing his social commentary on radio stations including YFM, 5FM, MetroFM, UJFM, UNISA Radio and TuksFM. He’s arguably better known for releasing a massive diss track back in the day. That resulted in a lot of backlash from the industry. He found himself outcast by the Hip Hop fraternity at a time when his peers were blowing up and selling a record number of albums.

SPOT ON

Over the years, he’s continued with his opinionated stance and has been working hard on his debut album, while finding time to help upcoming rappers and producers when he can.

In 2013, the Hotboyz Entertainment owner is getting set to

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release his official debut album.

“Ten Thousand” Jay Stash?

He’s previously said,” It represents my struggles, my hustles, my pain, my good times and bad times. We’re planning to create a new angle; it shouldn’t be about how local you are. A real artist lets the music do the talking.”

JS: When I wrote “This Pain” I was going through challenges in the industry where it was just me against the world. I was working with a gentleman by the name of Arno Kaizer who produced the song. I just found out a month ago that he died a tragic death (May his soul rest in peace). Looking back at ‘This Pain’ he is the reason why there’s a still a Jay Stash today.

The title track features Kabomo, and is a call to the youth to keep pushing through hardships and struggles. The versatile rapper features Brickz on another track engineered by the legendary Bruce Sebitlo of B.O.P fame. A track that’s sure to hit home for quite a number of people is “For the Sistaz,” (in light of recent intensified national awareness campaigns against women abuse.) Here’s Mr Ten-Thousand himself, telling us a bit more about his journey and album:

Barcoded Mag: We keep marching! What inspires Jay Stash to keep marching? Jay Stash: I’m inspired by a long of things; my family; the special woman in my life and my son. I’ve got supporting folks and 2 supportive siblings which I’ve never really mentioned in interviews. I’m also inspired by the passion of wanting to touch lives and make a difference. Mostly the love I get from my supporters makes me have more drive to win. BM: Since starting your career, what are the most important lessons you’ve learned? JS: Put family first, and do all you can to live right. I’ve learned that its hard work, faith and patience that will take you where your destiny is. Also I’ve learned how important it is not to burn bridges. BM: What sort of growth process did you have to go through to go from “This Pain” Jay Stash to

July / August 2013

He believed in me when nobody did. The song carries a lot of pain which I was going through at the specific time and the late Arno Kaizer surprised me by getting the legendary Arno Carstens in studio to do the hook- making it a classic. With ‘10 000’ I was in a better space. A lot of progress was happening in my life but I was still dealing with challenges. The song celebrates life but gives guide lines on the pressures we deal with today; where today with mostly Black people, we often feel the need to show the world that we have “arrived,”- in doing so we live beyond our means- spending money we don’t have just for the show. BM: You worked with the likes of KG from Morafe, Ntsiki Mazwai and Tuks on your album; what sort of magic did each featured artist bring to the album? JS: I’ve always admired KG’s work since I met him through HHP back in 2003. In 2004 Morafe and I were supposed to work together, (which never got to happen.) So getting KG on track was actually achieving what I had set to achieve back then and he did wonders to the song ‘Did it again’. Working Ntsiki Mazwai, I knew what I wanted from her and she definitely came to the party and delivered. She made ‘4 The Sistaz’ carry great weight and we were able to get the message across 45

through the song. Hopefully a video for the song will be out. It’s always a mission to get artists together in one space but hopefully both Teepee and Ntsiki can be available to shoot for this master piece. Working with Tuks was something that many found surprising or shocking- all based on the song he had put out initially on his first project. So us getting into studio together was actually our way of putting the beef aside. Unfortunately the song ‘Its Ok’ also featuring Morale didn’t make it to the album. But Tuks really went hard on his verse and since that day I’m a Tuks fan. BM: What is your aim with the release of this album? JS: My aim is to achieve my dream of sharing my music with the world and God willing all will fall into place. The plan is to give the people quality music and let the music speak for itself. BM: What changes or innovations would you like to see in the hip hop industry across the African continent? JS: I want to see brothers respecting their work. I want to see artists respecting their fans. I want to see government believing in us and the movement. As the Hip Hop community we have the power to empower, the power to touch lives and to create jobs. We have the power to align with brands where both the brand and the artist can benefit. Currently brands like “Mageu” are assisting in building towards the arts. If more brands could assist and contribute to helping artists establish themselves we will have won the fight. BM: You’re known to be a very opinionated individual. How do you plan to further use your influence to benefit young artists? 46

JS: First I start by the type of music I make; the music on its own speaks to youth and the plan is to motivate and inspire. We need to help the young guys learn more about the ‘music business’ and not just making music. Currently I reach out to young artists on Facebook and help where I can regarding the challenges they face. Some I provide with the relevant industry contacts, and with some I take time to critique their work and give guidance on how they can grow artistically. BM: What more can we expect from you this year? Expect a beautiful album. Expect Growth; more performances and more presence on media platforms such as radio and TV. BM: Where can one buy the album? JS: Once available the album will be available in both major and small music stores nationwide. It will also be available on iTunes and other mediums where one can buy online. By: Phumzile Twala

“

WE KEEP MARCHING” Barcoded Magazine

July / August 2013

PLARTFORM 48

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For all you young ambitious artists out there, looking for an opportunity for exposure and to network with likeminded art folk, head to &Union in the mother city. Yuliya Purkiss is the curator of ArtUnion- a monthly event where one artist gets selected to display and possibly offer to bet in a silent auction, donate a piece of art to a charity of his/her choice, and to sell and promote their art in an easy beautiful way. Purkiss invites painters, illustrators, photographers and any visual creatives to join. Held at &Union (110 Bree Street 8000 Cape Town) every first or second Saturday of each month ArtUnion is a great way for lovers of all forms of art to network, enjoy good music and great food, while giving back to worthy causes. It all started with Yuliya’s first exhibition, called Where Gravity is Dead. Twelve pieces were exhibited and sold- enabling her to raise money for her dear friend Jessica Nicolson (JessGetWellSoon Foundation.) Later on, ArtUnion presented beautiful water colour paintings by Anastasiya Yakunina. She also chose the same foundation to donate to. More recently, photographer Philip van Niekerk chose to support Ikamva Labantu. We caught up with jetsetter Yuliya recently, where she told us a bit more about ArtUnion: BM: First of all, big ups to you for the great initiative! Who or what inspired it? YP: Thank you for your kind words. I just love the positive response of those who really care, it makes such a difference. Any initiative I guess gets born from the deep need of your own selfish itch of doing something, but not having an opportunity to do so. As a young artist myself, I had no clue where and how. All I had was a strong desire of making it happen. Rui Viera Esteves, the man of many talents, and brilliant mind, co founder of &UNION, saw the potential in me, and offered his beautiful space and walls to have my first art exhibition. As I started to work on it, I felt like this could become bigger than just me, so the idea was born. BM:

How do you select the artists you work with?

YP: shit.

Art is one of the most subjective things in the world. No one really knows the difference between art and

So for me the only way to find out was to show it to a few random people. Random, as in a Russian roulette random: art people, good people, bad people, any people really. If I have to walk out to the street and ask the first person that is walking past, I will. It’s simple. And it works. What other choices do I have? All the men that I could ask and whose opinion I can trust are genius, but long dead. BM:

What exciting projects do you have lined up in the near future?

July / August 2013

YP: The next exhibition we’re having is a selection of sketches and drawings by the very young artist - Monique Smith. “Bonne Esperance” will launch on the 13th of July at &UNION. Meanwhile you can check her 30 days challenge online. Straight after that we have a very exciting photo exhibition coming up. Recent world champion body boarder Sacha “Spex” Specker will share with us the amazing photographs he took from the heart of the waves. It is a must see. For more information you can always check out our blog: www.artandunion.com / www.artandunion.com BM:

How receptive has your local art community been to the initiative?

YP: We’ve got beautiful people with beautiful open minds that come and support. We have very initiative young art collectors, who are ready to invest. But we have very lazy artists that just won’t commit. Come on South Africans, we are looking for you! BM:

Where do you want ArtUnion to be within the next two years?

YP: Hopefully in a few years, ArtUnion will be a big union of the art community. I would love to collaborate artists with more spaces, spaces with more projects, and projects with more countries. And who knows, we might just become the home of art. BM: Since inception, what’s surprised you the most about people who have come to support? YP: How generous, loving and kind they are. People come to &UNION to have a good time and to share great moments with their family and friends. Very positive and very fun. BM:

How can people get hold of you should they be interested in exhibiting or buying pieces?

YP: I wish I could give you an office address, where you could see me at a wooden desk all nice and tidy, submission forms, typewriter, answering an old school phone. But as an artist myself and an absolute nomad, I’m always in my studio or on the plane. So email, my friends, email is the closest and the fastest way to get hold of me. And then I would love to catch up for a cup of coffee and talk ideas. We live in a time, where no one can afford to be just still. For more info, visit: www.artandunion.com/ www.artandunion.com/ www.yuliyapurkissart.com/ www.yuliyapurkissart.com/

By: Phumzile Twala 50

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info@barcodedmag.co.za f : barcodedMag t: @BarcodedMag w: www.barcodedmag.co.za e: info@barcodedmag.co.za

July / August 2013

MANAV GUPTA

UNSUNG HYMNS OF CLAY AN EXHIBITION BY MANAV GUPTA AT THE LOVELL GALLERY. Leading international environmental artist, Manav Gupta speaks out about climate change and sustainable development in his latest exhibition, titled “Unsung Hymns of Clay.” The exhibition is showing at the Lovell Gallery in Cape Town from 9 August 2013. The installation presents the complexity of the relationship between nature and man’s use of it.

As Cultural Commentator, Pavan K Varma explains: “the earthen lamp is a part of every home in India. It is a utilitarian vessel at one level, but a powerful vehicle of reverence at another …. Manav has elevated this humble piece of clay to an artistic pedestal with remarkable finesse. Its simplicity is breathtaking, but its meaning is multi-dimensional.

EXHIBITIONS

For him it is the bridge between the individual and the divine. It is prayer incarnate, yearning personified. It represents the soil, mother earth, the pact with nature. Its very fragility is a pointer to both the environmental crisis we are facing and the need to do something about it.” http://manavgupta.in/ installations/

Coined the ‘master of light’, Manav Gupta is one of India’s leading contemporary artists and is listed by Financial Times among ten contemporary Indian artists whose works would fetch good returns. Free Admission. For more info, call: The Lovell Gallery here: 021 820 5505 Or email: info@lovellgallery.co.za Address: 139 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town. 54

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STHOMBESIHLE EXHIBITION 55 ON LONG 2ND FLOOR CAPE TOWN Sthombesihle Exhibition is a collective effort by black photographers in South Africa to redirect and unburden the narrative of black imagery. It is not meant to be anthropological. It is not to be anything but what it is. Sthombesihle exhibition is currently showing and ends on the 20th of July 2013. The exhibition features the works of 5 young South Africans: Lerato Maduna, Noncedo Charmaine Gxekwa, Theodore Africa, Asanda Kaka and Sipho Mpongo.

July / August 2013

I.D.A CLINCHES RED BULL BEAT BATTLE 2013 TITLE Following an extensive country-wide search the Red Bull Beat Battle for 2013 reached it’s zenith on the 1st of June. Held at the Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown Soweto, a crowd of about 2500 youngsters converged to witness 8 dance crews battling it out for top honours. Defending champions “The Reptilez” faced a slew of competition in the form of Ace, Beauty and the Beasts, Brooklyn, Clinch, Via Volcano, 8 One-Oh Meninas and I.D.A. The seven crews were part of 170 from all over the country who auditioned for the competition. Hosted by Fikile ‘Fix” Moeti and Thapelo Mokoena, the event drew in an enthusiastic crowd which was entertained by the likes of House music guru Black Coffee, breakthrough rapper Malumkoolkat, 2013 SAMA nominee Reason, as well as Julian Gomes. A few more famous faces were spotted in the crowd- in the form of US actor Terry Crews and Yolandi Visser. The final round billed Clinch Crew versus I.D.A. The latter was announced as the winning crew on the night. “From what God showed us today, we don’t know what else he has in store for us,” said Katlego Mphahlele of I.D.A.

GROUND UP

A fun-filled night, this year’s Beat Battle yet again celebrated the dance art form to the max. Young people were treated to a spectacular display of creative choreography and awesome music.

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SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC CONFERENCE 2013

The South African Music Conference will be celebrating its 10th year by taking place in two cities in the same year, for the very first time. Johannesburg and Durban play host to the conference, which seeks to empower music business practitioners. This year’s main themes are Digital Platforms, Stakeholders in the market and global opportunities for music. Speakers at this year’s event include industry experts Oskido, Vinny, Ralf Gum (SA/Germany), Rocco (France), Christos, Greg, Fresh, Chappel and Zinhle. House maestro Vinny Da Vinci says the SAMC has made strides since inception. “We are now talking about opportunities that are out there using your music as a tool, especially as a young producer/musician,” he says. He goes on to encourage young musicians to treat the game as a job- just like any 9 to 5. “I believe that once that happens, they will become business-minded because the industry today is all about business and professionalism,” he adds.

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To register for the conference go to www.djusa.co.za www.djusa.co.za or email mailto:info@dju.co.za info@dju.co.za Tickets are R150. Sponsored by the NYDA, and the Department of Arts and Culture, the Joburg leg is between the 1st and 4th of July, at Club Truth in Midrand, while the Durban edition will be from the 9th to the 11th of July (at Durban’s Dockland Hotel.) To conclude the conference, “The Mother of All Parties” will be at Kings Park Stadium, outer fields on Saturday 6th July. Presented by DJU and Channel O, the mega event bills the likes of Dr Malinga, Professor, Monique Bingham and Black Motion on the line-up. Tickets are available at Computicket, Shoprite, and Checkers Hyper for R190. VIP tickets are R500 and tickets at the door are R250.

WEAR

“I WEAR MY HEART ON MY SLEEVE LIKE IT’S A NEW FASHION”- LIL WAYNE

Authenticity 58

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TABULA RASA (BLACK SLATE)

In all my life I always wished that people could give me half a chance so I can fully express The poetry that burns inside me I increased the resolution and adjusted the contrast But no one really gets the picture Instead I’ve been cast down and they counted me out they said I’ll never be anything Without even having an ounce of doubt As bleak as it seemed I was prepared to listen to the demons that whisper in my ear And squander my dreams Until I heard a little voice screaming out inside of me telling me that even photons start small before they become laser beams I felt an electrified impulse out of human threshold flowing in my arteries with enough potential energy to recharge my Self-Esteem batteries and only then I realised That my future actually started yesterday, and I’m already late. I’ve been looking for reality yet, It is what I could make of it. My blank slate has always hungered to be written upon, now I’ll feed it with my raw talent because even Destiny decided to answer my call. Chronicle_Son Sisonke papu

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THE NYDA “OUR YOUTH, OUR FUTURE?” Three years later the NYDA has a new board, led by Yershen Pillay, a pending report of the WFDY Festival and a three year turnaround strategy. The new vision for the NYDA is “To be a Credible and Capable Development Agency for South Africa’s Youth.” In a move to restore the credibility of the organisation in the eyes of young people, the NYDA recently released a statement lining out plans for the next three years. One of the most important factors is the shift of the core business from Enterprise Finance and Skills Development towards Education and Skills Development. Their efforts with regards to entrepreneurship development won’t cease, but will take second place to efforts directed at tailor made interventions for job preparedness and placement. A major change, which is sure to have an interesting reaction, is the cessation of loan

PURE ART

Young people kissing and fraternizing like they were at a Lil Wayne concert. Usually there wouldn’t be anything wrong with this image. Except the backdrop to the bedlam this time was a state-funded shindig, which was meant to educate the youth about entrepreneurship and the benefits of associating with the NYDA. The pictures strewn across newspapers pages shocked some across the nation, while others shrugged it off as another demonstration of how useless ‘the government’ is at managing funds. The 17th World Youth Festival was shrouded in controversy following the squandering of R100 million (initially estimated at R69 million.)Various media reported of government ministers not arriving, buses carrying delegates arriving late and a shortage of food. ANC opposition parties called for the disbandment of the organization following the ‘youth fiasco festival.’

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finance being made available to young entrepreneurs. It will instead be distributed in the form of micro-finance grants for survivalist youth entrepreneurship and cooperative grants for greater participation of youth in the cooperatives sector. “While not every young person who walks into one of our branches should expect to receive support as our current capacity is limited, we do plan to work together with other state agencies such as the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) to ensure that as many young people as possible are able to access the R3 billion or so worth of loan finance that has been made available for young entrepreneurs especially small and medium enterprises,” said Yershen Pillay. We sought a few opinions from young South Africans about the NYDA: Mofenyi Malepe blasted the organization by saying, “That place or rather such an organisation will never get to fulfil its mandate because it is full of political appointees, and that in turn sets it back to do things political party based. Have you noticed who gets the bigger chunk of its monetary distribution? As long as the ‘powers that be’ are not academically chosen, but rather done favours as cadres, their deployments would be to the detriment of us many a youth. I honestly do not think Umsobomvu was bad to be replaced by the now ineffective NYDA. As long as we’re still going to treat it as an ANC

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thing, good results would be second to the pace of a snail. I wish to say it would come right in time, but that would be for a vision of 3D before normal sight.” Thabang Hlakanipha Mbatha said he went to the offices. “I went to them to sell my idea, but I didn’t get any help,” he said. He eventually managed to open the car wash without their help. “This year I went back to get a uniform coupon, but still, nothing’s happening,” he revealed. On a positive note, Metro FM DJ Phat Joe had two individuals on his weekend radio show on the eve of Youth Day. These two individuals were on the show to explain how they were able to obtain resources from the NYDA. One of them mentioned that he got funding at the time when the organisation only offered loans to young entrepreneurs. They shared their stories of how they had run their companies successfully following the funding from the NYDA. One can only hope that the NYDA’s turnaround strategy will yield the desired results and change young peoples’ opinion of them. Their tarnished image will take a while to repair- although it must be said that their efforts in this regard, have been commendable. It’s also up to South African youth to rely on their own strength to achieve their goals, and not place too much reliance on government institutions to save them from poverty. By: Phumzile Twala

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CREATIVE CURRENCIES CONFERENCE Applications are currently open for the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Creative currencies Conference,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; which will be hosted by the UJ Arts Centre, in partnership with the Arts and Culture Trust (ACT). The conference, taking place 6-8th August will be about accessing opportunities in an expanding marketplace. Various arts and culture practitioners, government officials and enterprises in the creative industries are invited to attend presentations of case studies, research, panel discussions and debates. The conference will be covering topics related to making creative industries commercially viable hubs for job creation. Conference registrations close on the 19th of July 2013. More info can be obtained on the ACT website, here: www.act.org.za

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NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL 2013 It’s that time of the year again. Thousands of art lovers will descend on the dorpie of Grahamstown (June 27 to July 7th) for the annual National Arts Festival. At this year’s festival, theatre shows such as The Island, Cadre, Woza Albert, The Line, Writers’ Block, Brothers in Blood, Rainbow Scars and Panic, will be showcasing. Music lovers will be excited that Gloria Bosman, MiCasa, Karen Zoid, Jonas Gwangwa and more will be setting stages alight with the hottest tunes from their respective genres. Films that will be showing at the festival are the likes of Blitz Patrollie (fresh from a successful trip at the Cannes Film Festival,) Gog’ Helen, Marley, Man on Ground, Flames of Passion and many more. A contemporary look at history seems to be the dominating theme at this year’s Visual art Exhibitions. “Martyrs, saints and sellouts” is a group exhibition of photographs by anti-apartheid photographers Benny Gool, Zubeida Vallie and Adil Bradlow. ‘Women, Our Treasure!” celebrates the strength of South African women and the manner in which they have held family structures together. Eastern Cape visual artists and their counterparts from the craft sector will be exhibiting this artistic expression of current national dialogue that seeks to raise awareness about gender identity and about the scourge of abuse against women and children. Mary Sibande’s new solo exhibition, titled “The purple Shall Govern” will be on show at this year’s event. The Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winner drew inspiration from an incident in South African history where in the late 1980s; there was an equality march in Cape Town. Cops sprayed everyone with a water cannon laced with purple dye to enable them to identify and arrest anti- apartheid protestors. This incident motivated Mary’s interest in the roles that colour played in the history of this country. For more details and info, visit: www.nationalartsfestival.co.za

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SA IN FRANCE SEASON 2013 South African Arts and Culture minister Paul Mashatile recently launched the SA Season in France in2013. He made the announcement that more than 800 artists, academics and sportsmen are set to benefit from the bilateral venture which aims to strengthen people relations between France and South Africa. “The South African Season will offer the French people a glimpse of the cultural scene in South Africa which is as rich as it is varied. Our participation allows local artists, culture and heritage practitioners a chance to showcase their work to a French audience and allows for collaboration with their counterparts in that country. We’re excited to start the season and we’re confident that it will be a great success,” said Mashatile. The Seasons is in line with the department of Arts and Culture’s Mzansi Golden Economy strategy which aims to raise the profile of the arts, culture and heritage sector within the country and abroad,

in an effort to create jobs, open up new markets and build sustainable livelihoods for those in the creative industries. Beginning on the 22nd of June and ending 7th July, is Hip Hop Paris 2013. This year’s event focuses on Africa, where Senegalese and South African artists like Rasty and Curio will be participating. The festival had more than 40 events centred on hip hop and more than 400 artists performing. Dance lovers will be treated to South African talent in the form of Zoleka Cumbi, Mbali Ndlazi, Lokwane Bafetsana and Thando Bezana- all of whom are part of “A Moliere Made in Soweto.” (21 June -6 July 2013) The Paris Cinema Festival offers a great experience for film fanatics. “Eat My Dust” Film Project, in collaboration with Delphine de Blic- a French filmmaker presents “A Shack on a Farm.” “Eat My Dust” is a collective of young filmmakers from Kliptown Soweto. The youngsters will be providing French audiences with the opportunity to interact with them, and to sit and enjoy movies in an actual shack (a slum dwelling made of corrugated iron and recycled materials.) This’ll all be happening at the Farm of Happiness, 220 Avenue of The Republic, Nanterre, 92000, France.

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An exhibition paying tribute to SA’s first black president- Nelson Mandela is currently underway at the Hotel de Ville in Paris (30 May to 6 July.) According to Christopher Till, Director of the Museum of Apartheid, “this exhibition aims to revive a story that has been told in numerous books, documentaries and has been the subject of many tributes in the world. The interest of this exhibition lies in its presentation of progressive multiple dimensions of the life of Nelson Mandela. It shows the strength and greatness of man, while not hesitating to recognize its weaknesses. “ Admission to the exhibition is free. By: Phumzile Twala

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CALL FOR ART APPLICATIONS: INFECTING THE CITY- PUBLIC ARTS FESTIVAL 2014 The Festival provides an unusual opportunity for art, music, dance and performance to leave the confines of theatres and galleries and engage with or disrupt the daily activity on the streets and communal places of Cape Townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Central Business District (CBD.) The festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programme challenges audiences, breaches boundaries, shifts perspectives and helps to make sense of the public spaces we occupy. All works should translate to or work within a public environment and actively engage intentional and incidental audiences. Art works may be in the form of: A full ensemble piece, intervention, live performance, visual art piece, installation, video, a happening, via social media. The Closing Date is the 15th of August 2013 at 5pm.

OPPORTUNITIES

For more details, visit www.infectingthecity.com

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NEW SIGNATURES ART COMPETITION 2013 The SASOL New Signatures Competition is open to young innovative artists. The annual competition is aimed at discovering our country’s freshest art talent and is open to all South African artists who are 18 years and older who have not held a solo exhibition, except an exhibition for academic purposes. (A solo exhibition entails a body of work of at least 20 works exhibited in a commercial gallery.) Entries must be submitted to one of the following collection points on Tuesday, 2 July 2013 and Wednesday, 3 July 2013. Bloemfontein Oliewenhuis Art Museum, 16 Harry Smith Street, Bloemfontein Tel: 051 447 9609 Durban artSPACE Durban, 3 Millar Road, off Umgeni Road, Durban Tel: 031 312 0793 Johannesburg Sasol Limited, 1 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg Tel: 011 441 3775 Polokwane Art Museum Library Gardens, Corner Grobbelaar and Hans van

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Rensburg Street, Polokwane Tel: 015 290 2177 Port Elizabeth Quad Gallery, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, School of Music, Art & Design, Faculty of Arts, North Campus, Summerstrand, University Way, Port Elizabeth Tel: 041 504 3256 Pretoria Pretoria Art Museum, corner Francis Baard (Schoeman) and Wessels Streets, Arcadia Park, Pretoria Tel: 012 344 1807 Stellenbosch U S Art Gallery, corner Dorp & Bird Street, Stellenbosch Tel: 021 808 3489 Alternatively, more information can be obtained here: www.sasol.com Or by contacting: Nandi Hilliard at the Association of Arts Pretoria Tel: 012 346 3100 /083 288 5117 e-mail:artspta@mweb.co.za Final judging takes place on Monday 12 August 2013. Regional judges will select approximately 100 works which will be exhibited at the final judging on Monday 12 August 2013 and then as part of the Sasol New Signatures exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum from 28 August until 13 October 2013. Good Luck to all entrants!

MUZART { MUZART-ISTICALLY SPEAKING } Combining their talents to create a sound under-pinned by positivity and a celebration of life and love, new kids on the block Muzart have burst onto the scene with a unique, soulstirring eclectic sound that’s moved the masses. Their hit single “Jukebox” catapulted them into the limelight- earning them the right to share stages with some of the country’s biggest stars, including AKA, DJ Kent, HHP, Zamajobe and the legendary Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse. Their musical synergy spawned their debut album, “Muzart” and is cementing their place as stars of the local music landscape.

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BM: When I first heard about you guys, the first thing that got my attention was your name. Why MuzArt? Any special meaning behind the name? M: Yes, we are all about the music and the art. It is the fusion of both words also inspired by the traits of the legendary young and talented Mozart. BM: You guys have blown up at a time when the local music scene has quite a few young ‘indie-type’ bands taking over. What makes MuzArt different? M: We’re all about a mature sound, so we’ve taken the study of music and performance seriously. Amongst singing and playing instruments we cater for young and old audiences. BM: Your debut album has a variety of genres. Do you guys choose to classify your music under a specific genre? M: We don’t. It’s the hardest question we usually have to answer. We put together all our musical backgrounds ranging from Soul, Jazz, Gospel, House and Funk which is a new genre altogether still to be named. BM: You’ve had rave reviews for the album so far. Have you achieved what you initially set out to achieve with the release?

BM: Has the reception been what you had hoped for? M: Not at all, as mentioned above we appreciated the few supporters we had before getting signed. That’s when we realised it’s bigger than we thought. BM: In your experience so far, do you think that local artists have an easier time getting their products on a global platform?

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Those who work hard at it and see themselves as global brands manage to break free.”

M: It’s very hard for South Africans to get out there. There are not adequate resources to get our artists on international stages and networks. Those who work hard at it and see themselves as global brands manage to break free. BM: What does each individual bring to the collective? M: Rori is our lead vocalist and as a TV personality manages to address and interact with audiences flawlessly. Jabu Junior as

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The achievements have been beyond expectation. We were just making music that appeals to us”

M: The achievements have been beyond expectation. We were just making music that appeals to us so it was shocking to see that a wide audience would respond to it. July / August 2013

a DJ has been exposed to the sounds and marketing strategies that work with different markets and brings that to the team. Tazzy is a well renowned composer and keyboardist with experience in musical productions and orchestrates the different musical strengths. Sol is and extra-ordinary performing guitarist whose stage presence and knowledge comes very handy in putting shows together. Lastly Vic is an award winning producer/engineer and instrumentalist who knows how to put a final touch to a winning sound.

BM: Can we expect collaborations with any of your musical influences anytime soon? M: Hopefully yes, nothing in the pipeline, but we’ve had discussions with certain names which we can’t reveal as yet. You can expect something fresh and cross-cultural.

M: A legacy of communicating a message of peace and joy through music that has a timeless quality and speaks to all ages and races. BM: Lastly, where can people get hold of your music? M: Our debut album is available at Musica, Reliable and Look and Listen outlets nationwide. It’s also on sale on iTunes, Beatport and other online music shops. You can preview some of our songs on our soundcloud page and the Soul Candi YouTube channel.

Their self-titled album is available in stores.

By: Phumzile Twala

BM: As young artists, what sort of challenges have you faced in the industry so far?

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A legacy of communicating a message of peace and joy through music that has a timeless quality and speaks to all ages and races.“

M: The average South African young adult is expected to be independent which did not come so easily for us. Mobility and availability to meet on a regular basis and be productive was not so accessible. We manage to overcome such obstacles from doing what we love. BM: What kind of legacy would you like to leave behind for coming generations?

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The average South African young adult is expected to be independent which did not come so easily for us â&#x20AC;&#x153;MUZARTâ&#x20AC;?

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