ISSUE III
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Southern Pulse Magazine Tel: +27 21 836 6664 Cell: +27 79 984 4007 southernpulse@webmail.co.za Managing Director: Jongisizwe Ntshuntshe Created by: Jongisizwe Ntshuntshe Bandile Nombutuma Contributors: Phumela Msolo Published by: The Mgwevu Group Fourth Wall Media Photograph credits: John Hogg, Val Adams, Marijke Willems, Gallery MOMO, Alexi Era Gallery, Karin Ducess. All other contributors used accidentally or intentionally but omitted to give credit. Disclaimer: The publishers and editors of Southern Pulse Magazine regret that they cannot accept liabilities for errors or omissions contained in this publication or any inclusions, inserts or cover mounted additions however caused. The opinions, views, and other material contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission.
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Jason deCa ProVerb Blessing Ngo Van Coke K Kris Kuksi Talib Kweli Marianne Fa
IN THIS ISSUE
aires
obeni artel
assler
Someone once called us “the EFF of magazines.” Until I saw Floyd give the middle finger to Cyril Ramaphosa, I didn’t like this comparison. But now I’m getting a T-shirt made! And I’m thinking of printing 16 shirts written “Pay Back The Money” and handing them out to the Generations actors. When you go home today and you have made food for your ‘boo’ and your ‘boo’ has told you about their melodramatic day at work, what do you do? You turn to creatives. These could be actors, authors, musicians, and all that. If you don’t know how important artists are in your life… turn off your TV, Radio, Kindle, iPad, and your cell phone. And don’t you dare clean your closet. Artists designed those clothes that boost your ego. We need to value artists and creative people because they add colour to our lives. In this issue we bring you Talib Kweli, Kris Kuksi, Marianne Fassler, Blessing Ngobeni, ProVerb, and many more. Enjoy the mag. Still no selfies, skinny jeans, or adorable cats. PS: The word ‘boo’ should not be used by grown-ups, or kids, or people younger than kids. It’s stupid. Peace.
SUBMERGED
Internationally acclaimed artists Jason deCaires Taylor is one of the most ambitious sculptors in the world. The sculptor creates underwater living installations, offering viewers mysterious, ephemeral encounters and fleeting glimmers of another world where art develops from the effects of nature on the efforts of man. We caught up with Jason for a chat about his work.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Uhm… I turned 40. That was a big moment for me. Basically I’m a sculptor and I’ve been working as a sculptor in the marine environment for the past 10 years. My work is focused around public installations in the underwater realm. After I left University I became a diving instructor. I got involved in conservation and got the idea to use the sculptures as a reflection on our society. The sculptures have a functional element to them as they protect the environment and eco-systems. When you first pitched the idea to funders, did they think you were insane? Yes of course! When I first started I had to fund it myself so that I could achieve what I had in mind. After a bit of time I documented the work with photographs and video to help convey the idea. But now my funding is a mixture of grants from governments or sponsors.
You use your installations to draw people away from the natural coral reefs and bring them to the artificial ones... Travel and tourism has increased around the world. You can’t stop people travelling because economies depend on that. Creative solutions have to be found to decrease the human impact on the environment. In Mexico around 750 000 people go to the natural reefs every year. The underwater museums have taken about 250 000 people away from those natural reefs. It’s easy to ignore this problem in the ocean - out of sight out of mind.
As an artist, why did you not go the conventional gallery route? A conventional gallery is just a white tube whereas underwater is a more dynamic environment. You’re looking at the art from a 3D perspective and you can move in any direction because you are not confined by walls or gravity. What is more interesting to me is that the environment is alive. It’s constantly evolving and changing. A block of cement on a field will remain a block of cement for a long time before it changes whereas under water within days you’ll start to see some algae on the surface and fish would start feeding. It’s an extremely different world.
The sculptures look massive. How does your creative and installation process work? It’s a difficult process because the sculptures have to be really heavy so that they remain fixed on the seafloor. But then the heavier you make them the more difficult it is to move them on land. I make the sculptures on dry land and use cranes to get them on a boat and the boat then cranes them to the seafloor where they are drilled in place. At the moment I’m working on a piece that weighs over a hundred tons so that’s giving me a lot of headaches.
What material do you work with? I work with different kinds of cement. I can’t work with metal because it will corrode. All the materials I work with have to be conducive to colonisation by marine life. They have to have a PH neutral surface and they have to remain intact. A lot of research has gone into using material that will last for hundreds of years. When you are creating the sculptures, do you work off photographs or…? I get people to come in for castings. From their live cast I then make moulds and then I use cement to make the work final. I mainly look for people with good character and interesting faces. I like the people to have fairly robust body frames because the marine environment is difficult so you can’t make things that are too delicate.
The sculptures are colonised by nature; is that symbolic of the relationship that man has with nature? Definitely. That is what the museums are mainly about. Humans seem to be spreading all over the planet and so it’s something satisfying to see us being colonised and nature reclaiming some of its territory. It’s about living in a more harmonious agreement with nature.
What advice do you normally give aspiring artists that approach you? Never take no for an answer. For every good idea there are a thousand negative people ready to shoot you down. So if you believe in something you have to keep fighting and with patience you will eventually get there.
What do you get up to when you’re not creating? You know us artists, we are obsessive annoying people. *Laughs* Working is the nice part of my life and relaxing is the difficult part. I did take a day off to celebrate my birthday. I think I spent the day in swimming pool. That was frustrating for my family because my work takes me to all these incredible places so when I take time off I want to be at home and they want to go somewhere. Last one, what’s in the pipeline for Jason? My pipeline has got a lot of water in it at the moment. *Laughs* I’m currently in the Canary Islands and I’m doing an installation here with 500 sculptures. They will be based around an underwater botanical garden. That will keep me busy for the next two years. I’m also working on pieces that walk across the surface of the water for an installation in Brazil.
VERB
Kimberly born Jo’burg based MC ProVerb is probably one of the hardest working personalities in the South African entertainment industry. But before the Director yelled “action” on the TV series Idols, Verb already had the reputation of being one of Africa’s illest lyricists. Even though he seems to have traded the baggy jeans and hoodies for suits, the MC has kept his word game fluent. We caught up with the rapper, father, brand ambassador, and TV presenter to talk about his music and the world of entertainment.
What’s ProVerb working on musically at the moment? I’ve just completed my fifth album and it is currently being mastered. The first single “Nothing New” is out. It’s a spring single and it’s a feel good song for this time of year. The single is cheeky in terms of content but it’s nothing inappropriate. The album itself will come out later this year if not early 2015.
Religion and your family are a huge part of your life. How has that changed the moves you make in your career? My family and my religion have not just recently become a huge part. They have always been there and have been priority in everything I do. I think those things are beginning to surface in my material. I also believe that the market I was speaking to on my first album is also ten years older. We are now talking about aspirations, career moves, and families. As far as business moves; I’ve always been mindful of my family and I wouldn’t do anything to compromise who I am. You’ve always been a hip hop activist… Let me put out a disclaimer: I do not speak for hip hop in general. I speak for ProVerb and my contribution. I have nothing against other forms or content in hip hop. But my personal work should always have substance; it should inspire, and should always be clean and positive. My daughter has a CD player in her room and has copies of my music and it makes me proud to make music that my kids can enjoy.
Besides ProVerb, which artists are you bumping? Dude, I’m digging the new M.I coming out of Nigeria. My dude M.anifest out in Ghana, I’ve got him on heavy rotation in the car at the moment. Locally I think the guys are doing incredible work. I have to bow down to cats like Casper Nyovest and AKA with their new age sound. Your stuff is always on point. From freestyles to writtens… I try not to compete with anyone. I look at trends and make sure that I don’t follow them. We came up from a different school of hip hop. In our days freestyling meant spitting off the top of the head. These days the trend is to kinda prepare something and pass it off as a freestyle. But that’s okay if that’s how the current era of hip hop is. I came up from a different school and I stick to what I know.
You don’t own the rights to your first three albums. Knowing what you know now, would you have done deals differently or do you see that as a necessary learning curve? It’s both of what you said. If I had known better I would have positioned myself a lot better. But having said that, I’m glad because without those challenges I wouldn’t have gained the knowledge. Now I own my material 100 % and I’m proud of that. Is there money in South African hip hop? If you think you can just stand on stage and rap or sing and think that will guarantee you a career then you are mistaken. Music is like any other business model and there are no guarantees. If music is your core focus then you need to position yourself and make the kind of music that moves units and also have your business acumen follow suit. I believe in diversifying my portfolio but that’s not to say music is not enough to earn a living. But dudes shouldn’t just quit school to be an MC. Why do we read about fallen artists so often, and what can artists do to avoid this? I think we can do a lot to avoid it now. Back then people used to say they had no access to information, were not advised properly, and were bullied by corporate. We live in the information age. Young artists should chat to people that have been in the industry longer or read a book. We need to own our careers and publishing. When artists are at their peak they should invest in property and business and put some dough away. I thank God I have a ten year career because life in this industry is short-lived.
BODY OF WORK
To many people tattoos are for gangsters and drug addicts. You know the people I’m talking about. They normally make statements like: “ALL tattoos are evil” unless it’s a tattoo of your cute dead cat that once saved a baby from drowning. Then you’re okay. Right, enough about these people.
Tattoo artist Ethel Laka describes herself as a shy, family orientated, proud young female. Ethel has been creating masterpieces for almost a decade but surprisingly, people are still shocked when she tells them what she does for a living. “I’m a Black girl in an industry known to make sense if you’re a white guy with tattoos. So when I reveal what I do for a living, it’s always a shocker! The question in my head always is: Why is it so far-fetched for you to fathom? But I have eased-up” says Ethel about people’s reactions.
Before Ethel got into tattooing, her mom used to “commission” her to sketch for the nursery school where her mom teaches. Ethel’s dream was to become a professional tattoos artist. “I had no plan B. It had to work. I was very determined and have always loved art.”
Ethel’s work is executed with great skill and finesse, and her pieces are as beautiful as her spirit. She believes that the tattooist and the client are a pair. The work being created must be fun for both artist and client. “There’s nothing like a pompous artists that can’t listen to the client” she says about the relationship between the artist and the client. Before her career started she spent hours a day hanging-out at studios just to be in the same space as the people she wanted to be like. She hoped that someone would teach her. Finally, tattoo artist Kevin Brown spotted her and offered. She packed her bags and flew to Glasgow – Scotland. She worked in Europe for a while before returning back home to South Africa.
Tattooing has grown in popularity thanks to mainstream media putting out TV shows about the art. Ethel has mixed feelings about this. “The media has provided free advertising for the industry and has made tattoos acceptable. But it has also promoted the “rock star” lifestyle of the industry which is not real or true. We’re seeing an influx of unskilled tattooist. I see a lot of people walking around with bad tattooing all the time!” Quick 5 with Ethel: What else do you love doing? I love painting and drawing. I haven’t had time lately but it’s something I like to do. What can’t you work without? Roots reggae music and good coffee. Irieness and coffee! Stencils or free-hand? Depends on the design. I like the freedom of free-hand though. O.C.D or magic out of chaos? Magic out of chaos. It’s who I am! What do you absolutely refuse to tattoo? Offensive symbols and symbols of hate or discrimination.
A PAINFUL ELEGANCE Illinois based self-taught artist Aunia Kahn’s work combines multiple disciplines and borrows from both digital and contemporary art to create what Aunia calls “hybrid art.” Her creative work mostly deals with the abuse she experienced as a child, dreams, pain, hope, and inspiration. The end-result is something that resembles movie-like stills. We had a chat with the artists about life, art, and inspiration.
You do “hybrid art” - what’s that? I use both digital and traditional art. I’ll draw something and then scan it or I’ll draw on the computer. I also do photography. I consider my work a “hybrid” because I finalise it on the computer. Digital is a whole new thing right now.
Where did it all start for you? I didn’t study art but I’ve always enjoyed being creative. I’ve been writing songs since I was little and I used to draw and create sculptures. As I grew older I didn’t know that one could become a working artist. I had the idea that you had to go out, get a job, and pay bills. When I was in college studying psychology I got really sick. I went back to drawing and doing creative things to keep my mind busy. That’s how I got reintroduced to art. You’ve got the blog, podcasts, different art forms, and you write. You make hardworking people look lazy. Do you sleep… at all? *laughs* I’m a very driven person. When I was sick I lost the ability to do things. And now that I have the ability again I want to do as much as I missed. I’ve always been like that anyway. But I focus now. I do my art and my photography but I also do the blogging and the podcasts because I want to give back. So many people come to me for advice. I want to help people because I believe there is no scarcity. People think there is only so much room at the top but it’s not about that, it’s about hard work and believing in yourself.
What do you do to relax? Our bodies are machines and they need to be turned off once in a while. I really try to relax because I’m the type of person that can run myself into the ground. I do yoga every night and I love to walk my dogs. I read, and maybe go out. I have challenged myself to read 100 books in 365 days. I do force myself to walk away from my work because you can’t do your best work if you are constantly burning the candle on both ends. Back to art. Do you still do ‘Lowbrow’? That’s a difficult one to answer. Lowbrow art is so subjective. Some people look at my work and think that it’s illustrative and some galleries look at it and think it’s fine art. There is no 100% definition for lowbrow or pop art. What about the self-portraiture art you got known for? And what were you trying to convey with those pieces? I think I use myself as a reference about 70% of the time now. I don’t think I was trying to convey any message with those pieces. When I started doing art it was never for anybody else. Sometimes artists make things and want to make a statement to the public but for me that wasn’t the case. I started my art as self-therapy and I didn’t think I was going to show it to anybody. A friend of mine then suggested I exhibit the work. I ended up exhibiting at a show called “Voices Within: Providing healing through the art” and that seemed appropriate at that time. I saw a woman walk up to my work and then cry. I think people gravitate to it because it’s honest.
What’s the other 30% of your work? With the other 30% I’m more taking from thoughts in my mind. I’m also using other models in the work instead of using myself as a reference. It’s mostly some type of feminine character but I want to explore masculinity. I also want to explore different cultures and ethnicities. In the beginning you didn’t want to work with other people, what changed your mind? Truthfully? I got sick of seeing myself. *laughs* When I used myself as a subject that’s all I had. I was working on myself at that time but now that I’m healthy I want to explore other options. I’ve been exploring myself for so long I’m kinda bored! *laughs*
As a young kid you were bullied and criticised and you retreated. Years later you land in a career that has critics galore. Is this a way for you to reclaim your power? Absolutely! I was beat up, tripped, thrown in creeks and the home life wasn’t wonderful. On the inside I always knew I was an outgoing person if that makes any sense. I used to watch talent shows at school and I knew I wanted to be up there but I was too scared because it hurt too bad. Sometimes I think that I’m fortunate that it happened back then because in today’s world I probably would have taken my life. Being open about my illness, my childhood, and the bullying takes the cover off of the darkness. At the beginning of my career as an artist I was very sensitive to criticism. It took a lot to get a thick skin. You called the visual art scene “entertainment” which to me doesn’t match works like yours that come from pain. I think when you bring up the “entertainment” …this is not what I said about my work specifically. I think what you’re talking about is that I said; “It’s an entertainment industry.” In a way, we face the same judgement that actors and films face. We are in a way entertaining the masses. We are being judged just like people judge the entertainment industry.
Which is more challenging to you, being an entrepreneur or being an artist? Uhm… I think it’s difficult to do both. I love doing art but I’m also very entrepreneurial. A lot of artists aren’t very entrepreneurial. They don’t want to have to go and market themselves, they just want to make art. I’ve managed to marry business and art. Maybe it’s harder to be an artist. You can use entrepreneurial skill for anything. Artists are mostly introverted and art is personal. If you fall in business you dust yourself off and try another venture. But as an artist, if someone rips you apart you’re going to go home and you’re going to feel sore.
Last one. You have been asked tons of questions before. But you also interview a lot of people. If you had to interview yourself, what would you ask yourself? Whoa! What would I ask Aunia? *Laughs* That’s a tough one. Let me think… Uhm… I think I would ask “What inspires you and what goes on in your head?”
BLESSING NGOBENI
Blessing Ngobeni’s story makes for a remarkable narrative. It was while serving a 9 year prison sentence for armed robbery that the artist found his creative voice. The surrealist painter’s work reflects on South African life and the politics of the country. Most of his creations examine how the fast lifestyles and lovely skyscrapers in the city mask the opposite end of the scale filled with crime, poverty, social ills, and daily challenges.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? I am an artist living and working in Jo’burg. I’m just a guy who faces challenges in life. I love sharing with my friends and I love going out and meeting new people. I love environments where people are happy and sharing jokes and just enjoying good things. I think I appreciate women and I just love hanging out with them. *laughs* How would you define your art? When I started painting I used to do realism and then I lost a bunch of my work at a gallery. That situation angered me and I changed my style and became a surrealist painter. I didn’t even know that I was a surrealist painter until critics told me. People who are into art understand the technique I use and they can see the narratives. My stories are told in metaphorical form. I pick an element of a subject and I look for something people are familiar with. You “lost” your work? What do you mean? In 2006, a month after I came out of prison, I was introduced to a guy who ran a gallery in town. He put my work on consignment. In ‘08 while doing freelance work for Red Pepper Pictures at ETV he gave me a call and asked that I come and collect my work from him. Five minutes later he called again and told me that they have just discovered that my work has been stolen. I did my own research and spoke to people. I discovered that what they do over there was to sell the work and then call the artist with some or other story about the work going missing.
Is this gallery still around and do you want to name this guy? The gallery is still around but they have changed locations. He is now operating a gallery from his house. This guy is a sculptor and his work is still there but my pieces that disappeared. The gallery is called Tendai Sithole Art Gallery. It’s named after him.
Moving along, one of your paintings is hanging on Samuel L Jackson’s wall. Tell us about that. I work with Gallery MOMO and they represent me. It happened that when Samuel L Jackson was in the country he went to the gallery and had a look around. He liked my work and wanted to see my studio and meet me. The gallery called and told me to expect a visitor but they didn’t tell me who the guest was. He showed up at the studio and took a few photos. At the time I was working on a painting called “The Devilish Act Of Men.” I told him that I was putting the final finishing touches on the piece. He told me he was leaving in a couple of days and if I finish the piece before then I should let him know so that he can buy it. A couple of days later I met with him at Gallery MOMO and presented the work to him.
What are you working on at the moment? At the moment I’m working on different concepts for an invite I received to an arts event in Jo’burg. The project is about honouring 20 years of democracy and looks at what it took to build the democracy we have and what its future is. I’m also going to San Francisco for a residency.
What do you think the 20 years of democracy is/means for South Africa? You know how the system is. It works for those who go out and chase. I do see changes and development though. A lot has changed in Jo’burg. Places are being renovated and they are becoming better. But the mentality in politics kills this democracy. The politicians have been given a task to better people’s lives but they see it as an opportunity to enrich themselves. Public schools are being vandalised and you ask; why is government not providing security? This democracy was built around books and the protection of books because the book enables us to think better and develop our minds. If you look at the rural areas, there is still a lot of work to be done there.
Now that we know what pisses you off about South Africa, what makes you proud of the country? I’m proud of people who don’t follow blindly. I’m proud of people who don’t follow the leadership of others but are leaders in their own lives. I like the South Africans that own their space. We are censored a lot at times but I’m proud that I can do what I like. But you do need to watch the approach.
You didn’t have it easy growing up. You lived under a bridge and you went to prison? When I was 3 months old my parents separated and my mom lived with another man. When I was 6 years old she took me to my uncle’s place for me to live with my uncle. My uncle decided to use me as his cattle herder. He would beat me and force me to go look for cattle in the middle of the night. At age 7 I ran away and survived on my own in the bush. When I was 8 my mom came back for me and learned that I was living alone in the bush and they went out to search for me. She took me to Tzaneen where she lived with another man but I was not comfortable there. I met a few naughty streetkids and we decided to come to Jozi. In Jo’burg life was tough. We broke into cars and did petty crimes. We got introduced to some older boys and they had guns. We went to rob a garage, my friend fired a shot in the air and that alerted people. That’s how we got arrested. At age 15 I was sentenced to 9 years in prison.
And you discovered art in prison? Yeah. When I was in prison I got bored and I started drawing. I used to draw people’s portraits just to pass time. I also used to design tattoos for the other inmates and gave them to the guys so they could get the tattoos done. You introduced yourself as a guy who faces challenges. Your work focuses a lot on people’s daily struggles. Do you think you’ll make “happier” works in the future? My community and my society are my mirror. Their struggles influence my work. If I see their conditions changing then maybe my work will change. But I know that won’t happen. And it’s not that I don’t have hope for the future but I’ve seen generations that came before me carry hope but very little has changed. Maybe one day we will all shine.
To the youth? Do what is in your heart. You will never discover yourself by just doing what your friends are doing. I got arrested doing something I didn’t like and the energy of my treasure didn’t come to me because I wasn’t doing what was in my heart. Real freedom is the freedom you have in your inner-self.
VAN COKE KA
ARTEL
Van Coke Kartel is an Afrikaans rock band from Bellville in Cape Town. Former Fokofpolisiekar (fuckoffpolicecar) members Francois Van Coke and Wynand Myburgh formed the band after Fokofpolisiekar disbanded in 2007. Van Coke Kartel has gone on to become one of the most successful Afrikaans rock bands in South Africa. e Afrikaans rock
Who is Van Coke Kartel? In 2003, a couple of mates and I started ‘Fokofpolisiekar’ (Fuckoffpolicecar) and that was my main focus for about five years. It was like a new cultural revolution for a new Afrikaner kind of a thing. As ‘Fokofpolisiekar’ we were over-worked and were getting lots of bad publicity so we decided to give it a bit of a break in 2007. My best mate Wynand and I still wanted to make music so we started Van Coke Kartel. We are an Afrikaans rock band that explores everything within the rock genre. Originally it was just Wynand and I. We recorded an album with a drummer who came on as a kind of session guy and he stuck around for two albums. The new Van Coke Kartel started on the fourth album ‘Wie’s Bang’ and that was me (Francois Van Coke), Wynand Myburgh, Jedd Kossew, and Jason Oosthuizen. At the end of last year Jason left the band and now we have a new drummer Dylan Hunt.
You are a strictly Afrikaans band; do you think this limits your reach? I think it does but it also helps us in a way. I think Afrikaans fans have a need for something that makes them feel like they belong and I think we give something to them. But we have a lot of English speaking fans who don’t even understand what we’re saying. The only reason we have not written anything in English is because I feel I express myself better in Afrikaans. It takes time to build a following, how did you guys do it? I think it was made easy by the fact that we started a band on the back of something that had been very successful. People couldn’t differentiate between the two in the beginning. They would ask for ‘Fokofpolisiekar’ songs at a ‘Van Coke’ show. Something that happened at the same time as us was ‘aKing’ which was started by some of the members from ‘Fokofpolisiekar.’ They were the hot band playing all the main slots at festivals while we were this dirty rough rock band playing at the dirty clubs at 1 a.m.
What image are you guys trying to put out there? I don’t know, I really don’t know. We thought about image in the beginning. We played in suits and stuff in the early days and we tried to sleek-up but be very dirty in our approach to the music. We’ve even dressed up like old women and wore dresses. We care about the visual stuff like design in the videos but as a band we just look the way we look. Has slowing down in your personal lives changed your material, and has it made you look at your music differently? I think as you grow older and circumstances change you change automatically. When I was 23 years old and we started ‘Fokofpolisiekar’ my ideal thing would be to be on the road and play every night, hangout with people, and get wasted. Now I’m married and I like hanging out with my wife so it makes the dynamics very different. Being on the road is not as fun because I’ve got something to miss now.
When I was writing the ‘Bloed, Sweet, & Trane’ album I went through 7 months of not drinking and that had an influence on the lyrical content because I was thinking about what is important in life. How has the music industry been to you guys? To be perfectly honest, it’s a lot of hard work. When we started we stayed in a house together, I didn’t have a bank card or any real money for 5 years. Only when we took a step back did things become a little bit more financially viable. All of us started other projects which made it easier to survive. I hate calling music a “ business” but that’s what it is. I’m part of a CC and I need to earn a salary. Back in the day I didn’t care about that at all. For us in South Africa it’s gotten better over time. I think a lot of bands here in SA break up over money. Wynand is the manager of ‘Van Coke Kartel’ he is very business minded.
Final question; what’s the best way to get into the music industry? It’s easier now than 10 years ago. Guys now can do things from home. You must just get your music recorded and people to listen to it. If I had to start over I don’t think I would have the energy because it takes a lot of work and thinking. It’s easy to say one must do something original but that comes by chance. If you really want to make music then put everything on the line and just do it. There is no right or wrong way because it’s impossible to know what will work these days.
YONG HO JI
Yong Ho Ji is a South Korean sculptor based in Seoul. His career as a sculptor started at a young age when people kept telling him he had the talent of making things. In high school Yong joined an Art club and that’s where he started in earnest.
During a trip to Europe in 2002, Yong Ho Ji lost courage in his skill as a sculptor when he came across Michelangelo’s David in Italy. He saw the clay and marble pieces of history’s art masters and felt that if he kept going he would be doing nothing but imitating artist far more skilled than he was.
After a short-lived hiatus Yong began looking for his own signature material. He found that tires came with built-in benefits such as patterns, texture, and durability.
Although influenced by Marcel Duchamp’s ideas, Yong Ho Ji wants to establish originality in his own works first. Most of his tire works focus on turning animals and humans into mutants, hybrids, and humanoids. The artist creates his sculptures using tire strips that are bound on steel, Styrofoam, and wooden frames. These perfectly blended species examine genetically modified organisms and Darwin’s theory of evolution. “I have heard that many people feel an aversion or fear for my works, however the issues such as modern scientific civilization, genetic engineering, environmental pollution have warned against the dangerousness hidden beneath the surface” said Yong. The artist does not only work with tires, and the medium he chooses depends on what he has conceptualised for a piece. Yong also went on to say that he hopes he is the only artist in the world using tires as material for sculptures, and that this would be his way of solidifying his place in history. By Phumela Msolo
GREGORY MAQOMA His father wanted him to be a doctor or a soccer player and his mother wanted him to be a teacher. Decades later Soweto-born Gregory Vuyani Maqoma is an internationally renowned dancer, choreographer, mentor, director, and scriptwriter.
You’ve collaborated with some of S.A’s top artists… David Tlale and Simphiwe Dana are one of our most respected creatives. When I worked with them I wanted to work with artists that have defied the odds and I saw an opportunity to tap into their spaces. David Tlale is a designer I’ve always held in high esteem and I respect his creative abilities. Working with Simphiwe Dana was about the celebration of language - the Xhosa language in particular. I found that intriguing because in her I saw someone who was taking something that comes directly from her roots and creating innovative ways of expressing herself. I wanted to create something with those artists because they would be able to challenge me and I would be able to challenge them. 15 years ago you founded the Vuyani Dance Company. What motivated you to take that direction? I wanted to do things my way and I wanted to create a playground where I could try new things without fear. The Vuyani Dance Company has enabled me to tap deeper into my imagination and to be creative without limitations. The vision behind it is to create interesting work of international calibre but also work that is in line with the vision of the company.
When you started your answer to the previous question you hinted on limitations. What limitations were you experiencing? Before I founded Vuyani I was with a company called Moving Into Dance which is a great company but the company already had its own formula and identity. So with everything you did you had to be mindful of the formula and the way they do things. My choreography was really radical and I could see that it was not fitting into what Moving Into Dance was doing. So in order for me to stay true to my personal vision I had to create my own company so I could do things without conforming to a style that a company has established. What challenges do you still face even after all these years? The challenge today is about how do we communicate to people who don’t know much about dance. It’s about how do we communicate the fact that dance is a viable and exciting career. Lately I’ve found myself sitting more and more in boardrooms communicating to CEO’s and talking to them about how passion and business can meet and be beneficial to each other.
You get companies like some Banks and people like De Beers who have put art under their brands. As much as we want to pull dance out of a situation where it is dependent on other brands we have to look at the brands meeting halfway in the meantime.
Getting business to make an investment in art has always been a mission… I think most people aren’t exposed enough to art to make that judgement. I think what we’re doing well now as Vuyani Dance Company is that we are taking art and dance to schools and unconventional spaces to expose people to it so that they can be able to make those investment decisions. We believe that by going out there people will see what we do and come back on their own accord. When we do corporate gigs we make sure that people get what it is we do..
A lot of artists are frustrated with the structures that government has put in place to aid the arts. Do you experience frustration with them as you do with private companies? The frustration is definitely there but persistence pays off. We’re going to the US in October and it was through persistence. We got the Department of Arts and Culture to support us. I think artists shouldn’t give up on government. We’re packing our bags for American through the support of the Department. We’re also talking to the Department of Trade and Industry so that they can see art as a trade and as a business sector because we contribute to the economy, we pay tax, and we create jobs. Can someone get/be financially stable doing contemporary dance? I wouldn’t say you’ll be rich. *Laughs* You’ll get rich at heart. I’ve been enriched through developing young dancers. When I see them build careers and see them go off to start their own companies I get fulfilled. You’ll get financial comfort but for that you need to stay on top of your game. When you work, how do you select the stories you want to tell? I’m open-minded and I allow my dreams and my visions to manifest. As a choreographer it’s exciting to make a dream or a vision come to life. Our latest work was about my dream of going to the moon and coming back. But I also create in response to my immediate circumstances. I look at the sociopolitical landscape and respond to that.
What do you think needs to happen in terms of giving more exposure to contemporary dance? We need more television shows. The medium of television reaches millions of people in one go. So with those kind of mediums we can start communicating and showing people what this is and give them that experience. Instead of doing a 5 minute segment on a Magazine program we need longer shows. The content is there, it just needs to be documented. Let’s just stick to TV for a moment. Seeing that you are a working artist, do you want to weigh-in on the Generations saga? I think it’s an opportunity for a conversation and a dialogue to emerge. We need to look at ways in which we can protect the artists and the future of the creative industry. When such events take place we can’t take them lightly. We don’t want to create artists that become statistics. Artists are the pillar of any nation and they should be regarded in the highest form. If you go to Europe they regard artists as gods because they represent culture and traditions.
What are the things that people close to you know and the rest of us don’t? I like having fun. I go out to clubs every once in a while to let off steam. I hangout eKasi eOrlando East at the Car Wash with the guys and talk a lot of nonsense. That’s also where I gather material because I’m still in touch with the people. I also spend a lot of time with my mom and my brothers. Lastly, what would you say to young artists? Look at your art as a business because your art is your trade. Remain humble because every step you take leads to a hundred more steps to take. In art you never reach a final point and once you think you’ve reached that point you’ll just become stale and fade away.
EXPR
RESSIONISTIC
Ugandan born Jo’burg based artist Benon Lutaaya draws most of his inspiration from personal experiences. “Expressionistic” is the word he chooses to define his body of work. Through his art he explores issues relating to identity, child hardship, homelessness, isolation and fear. His work depicts vulnerability and suggests a longing for protection. Benon works with paper collage, acrylics, and/or mixed media. He combines abstract and realist elements to visually create a rich and interesting tension in his work.
Today, Benon paints and does collage. “The process is; If I don't paint, I can't collage because painting produces the waste material that I use to collage” he says. His journey begins after University. Benon wanted to paint but had no resources to buy paints. He improvised with coloured papers that acted as his painting materials. This is a technique he had experimented with throughout his formal university training.
After a year as a collage artist he was awarded a 3 month residency at the Bag Factory in Newtown, Johannesburg. Under the programme, he received the budget to access art supplies. Benon bought acrylic paints but didn't find it easy to paint. “I was wasting a lot of paint without having any successful artwork and yet, my budget was running out so quickly. I had to find a solution.�
He ran the streets of Jozi collecting magazines, newspapers, etc. The logic was to mix colour on them while painting. If the painting didn't pan out to his satisfaction, at least he would have lots of paper with colour from which he could collage. Benon believes in creating pieces for himself and not for an audience of art consumers. With this mind-set, the artist destroys a lot of his works as he believes that if they don’t speak to him, then they won’t speak to the audience. Benon’s latest work has gone through an organic change compared to his earlier works and he says his newest works are far more sophisticated and feel more liberated. The colour palette today is a lot more mature, and subtle. It hardly screams off the canvas for attention and he expects to see more changes as he grows and matures. The artist is as obsessed with technique as he is about his message. “Technique is very important because it is what makes successful artists. The moment that the desire to keep pushing the boundaries melts away, your entire technical progress and development stunts.” Lutaaya’s subjects happen to seem like vulnerable children, but he says this is never due to creative pre-planning. He strives to create images that communicate the complexity of human conditions and issues pertaining to influences in our society in an effort to encourage deeper reflection and awareness. Having experienced a very tough childhood, he holds the view that regardless of the magnitude of your hardship, what makes some, and breaks others, is the difference in attitude. His motivation comes from the love, vision, and ambition he has with this craft. His creations give him joy and emotional/intellectual engagement with the world.
THE FALLACIES OF MAN
Artist Kris Kuksi calls himself a “mixed media assemblagist.� His work generally deals with the macabre, the violent, and the grotesque with comic nuances. Kris creates complex artistic installations that look at the rise and fall of civilizations and envisions the possible future for humanity. Each sculpture embodies the trademarks of his philosophy while serving as a testament to the multifaceted nature of perception. We spoke to Kris Kuksi about his creations.
Who is Kris Kuksi? I live in Kansas in the USA and I guess you can view my work as out of place here in Kansas stereotype wise. I think I see myself as someone who likes to go against the norm. I like to get people intrigued about what I do and be an entertainer of sorts. I create thought provoking works, and make sure people remember. You have been labelled as a ‘Fantastic Realism’ artist. How do you feel about being boxed? ‘Fantastic Realism’ is something I used to do with some artists I worked with in Europe. I have not really used that term to describe myself since then. I try to stay away from labels but I think in our copy and paste culture of information people continue to use it even though I don’t like to describe myself as being a part of a certain movement or genre. I guess what I do is in the realm of surrealism but then again I don’t like labels.
Your work has a lot of detail. How long does it take you to create a piece? It takes a very long time and it takes a long time to collect the material. A lot of it is very expensive and hard to get. I select things that are high detail in nature, usually in the form of little hobby kits - that sort of thing. I collect hundreds of these and assemble them. I don’t build them like they are supposed to be done. I use parts from other kits and it all becomes a culmination of a composition that really has no formula. The process is a long and tedious. The reason I pick this technique is because throughout our lives we experience vast ranges of emotions and experiences and I jam it all together to make these pieces which are lots of stories in one. Do you find that people expect you to do bigger and better every time you produce a piece? That’s pressure I put on myself already. I’m my own worst critic and in every step I have to do something better. It’s probably a detriment to my own wellbeing but it’s a part of the struggle. I try to be unpredictable. Do you think your uniqueness has made you a recognisable brand? No matter what you do, the response people have is the biggest thing. How you conduct yourself, how you deal with others and the business you do is all part of it. I’ve asked myself this question a lot and there is no formula to it. You just need to have a very strong core and market it and get into great collections. There is no perfect percentage in how to do it.
STREET ART L7M
His work is more than just tagging a wall. In his creations he shows defragmentation and that one day everything will end. The artist has an affinity with animals, especially birds. He uses them in his pieces because he believes that man has annexed their territory and the animals are now refugees in our world. 27 year old Brazilian street artists L7M real name Louis G Martins successfully blends roughness and elegance. The name L7M comes from his real name. “L7M is formed by the initials of my name and a special number of my life.” He has been into art since childhood but it was at age 13 where he was introduced spray paint. Since that time he has been experimenting with different techniques and materials like latex, pastel, acrylic and china ink. His style fuses geometrical elements with stylised colour puzzles. His stunning birds symbolise freedom. “I just love the birds. Birds are free. If you take a look at my paintings you will see that they are more than just birds. Each one of them is being set free of the material world and chaos, and they fly to purification” says the artist. Coming up the street art scene, one of his most difficult challenges was creating a unique identity for himself. One of L7M favourite places to paint are isolated and abandoned buildings and he sees these spaces symbolic of an artist “in the zone.” L7M says the simple message in his work is “take a look once again and reflect.” His portraits reflect on man’s habit of acting dumb or blind. He says the dumbness is what people choose by allowing themselves to be brainwashed by mainstream media. The reason he does street art is to open people’s eyes. “The people hold the power but instead of owning that power they’d rather give it away. They would rather be purchased by corporations and be modern day slaves.”
The artist has plans to keep spreading his work across the globe. “My goal is not to have a plan and move on painting around the world. I will keep flying just like the birds� L7M concluded.
TALIB KWELI
What can one say about critically acclaimed legendary Hip Hop artists Talib Kweli? He is one of those MC’s that do with words what Michael Jordan did on the court. 20 years deep and the Brooklyn wordsmith is still dropping knowledge to the masses. The MC took time out to chat to us about music, activism, and business.
People label you as a conscious rapper which immediately brings certain ideas to mind. What misconceptions do people have about you and do you care what people think? There are all types of things people get wrong about me. People think I’m a vegan and I’m not. People think I’m a Muslim and I’m not. There are so many things. Do I actually care what people think? Uhm... no. I feel that I do enough and the people that pay attention to what I do understand me and know what I truly am. You latest offering “Gravitas” – can you talk a bit about that? Gravitas is a straight independent album. I was inspired by artists like Ryan Leslie to make it directly available to the fans on my website KweliClub.com. I’m excited about it and I have people like J Dilla, Big K.R.I.T, Raekwon, and many other great artists on there.
Seeing that you’re selling “Gravitas” direct, how is the album doing? Sales aren’t moving dramatically. People don’t buy music these days. But the fact is, every sale comes directly to me and I also collect the email addresses of every person that supports me. That’s very valuable because I interact with the people. We got nominated for a BET Award and I think that’s very significant for an album that I did independently.
In 2002 you were already talking about CD shops going out of business and the business of selling albums changing. What trend do you see coming next? I think artists will connect more with their niche. I think the idea of trying to blanket-market to everybody will change. You can’t mass market because people like what they like and if you market to people you don’t speak to you lose money. It will be senseless to try and get everybody to like you compared to marketing to a specific fan base. That’s part of the reason I’m selling direct to my fans with Gravitas.
What are your goals and ambitions with Javotti Media and Javotti Radio? I’m glad that you mentioned Javotti Radio. I hope that people in South Africa will download and tune in to Javotti Radio. I think the station is a good representation of what I listen to. I’m very controlling in terms of what I listen to. I’m the type of guy that will get in your car and take over your stereo. Having a radio station is just another way for me to take over. On Javotti Radio we play all different types of music. I started Javotti Media because I believe the way business is done in the industry is going to die out and it’s time for artists to control their content and how people receive their music.
How has Yasiin’s (Mos Def) move to the South Africa and his political and social activism influenced you as a person and as an artist? That’s a great question man. I went down to Ferguson Missouri for the Michael Brown protests as an activist in that particular situation. Right now I can say I’m inspired directly by my brother Yasiin Bey. Part of the reason I went down to Ferguson is because I asked myself “What would my brother Yasiin do?” And I knew that he wouldn’t be talking on Twitter, he would be down there. What’s your take on #Hashtag campaigns? It’s an awareness tool the same way people used to send letters and telegraphs in the civil rights era. But no one would say it’s the letter that made the movement happen. But now with the social networks we feel very proud to say “twitter made this happen.” At the end of day, Twitter and Facebook and all those things will be gone and will be replaced by something else. There will always be a need for bodies on the ground. The information means nothing without the bodies on the ground.
The business model in the music industry has changed. What can older generation musicians learn from how the internet driven indie artists handle their careers? You’ve got to look at how the young artists are doing things now. There are a lot of young artists that my son has put me on to. When I look at ways of bringing my music out I’m looking at artists that are younger than me. I respect them and I look at them to see how I can do things without being dependent on the industry. My experience in the music industry gives me the added advantage of a fan base that was marketed to by the industry.
Do you believe that the artist is a trend-follower instead of a trend-setter? Those are facts. The fact is most artists are followers. They have huge and inflated egos and they want everybody to like them. They will do whatever it takes to get people to like them. The artist that is a leader is rare. It’s rare for an artist to say “I know what is popular but I’m going to do something else.” When an artist does do that it should be respected.
You’ve had an illustrious career. What advice do you have for young artists that want to create lasting careers? Respect those who came before you and pay attention to those who come after you. When you see somebody doing something different, pay attention to it. Whether you like their music or not you must pay attention and not worry about how their music makes you feel, but pay attention to what is happening.
Lastly, I’ve just recently found out that you DJ and you’re writing a book? I’m learning how to do it all. Because I have “celebrity” I get to DJ at parties. When I first started DJ’ing I did a couple of big Vegas clubs and I played that “Turn Up” music. I like all that music but that’s not what I want to play. I’d rather let someone else do all that stuff. So now I just play what I want to play. And yes I’m writing a book. I don’t know when it will be out but I’m working hard on it.
MARIANNE FA
ASSLER
Marianne Fassler is one of South Africa’s top veteran designers. Her original contemporary creations are reflective of Africa - a place she draws her inspiration from. Marianne operates from her studio “Leopard Frock” in Saxonworld, Jo’burg. In a career spanning over two decades, the creative fashion designer has won many awards and continues to mentor young designers. We reached out to the inspirational icon to chat about the local fashion industry.
Why did you get into fashion? I always knew that I would want to do something creative. My mother is an artist. While studying at Wits I started learning how to cut patterns and make clothes. I wore my own creations and so it was there where I started on a very small scale to market and sell my designs. This was in the late 70’s. You’ve been in the industry for a very long time, how has the business of sustaining your brand been? Obviously it has been a successful one because it is based on a genuine desire to reflect the context, time, and place in which this brand exists. It is a true and enduring reflection of the inspiration that informs the brand. This brand originated from South Africa and has a unique, crafted, textured, and printed signature. It also has remained true to its original principals of up-cycling and re-invention, as well as a commitment to South African manufacture and ethical production practice.
How would you define your own personal style, and does it influence your designs? I only wear my own designs and would probably describe my style as being normcore on steroids for days in the studio, and grungy fabulous when I need to be. My clients are a lot more fabulous than I am. They are women in leadership and at the head of large companies and institutions. They need to dress up a bit with a hint of humour, and lots of colour. Once you have learnt the power of dressing you can start having fun and playing any role you want… from seduction to intimidation to anything you want to be.
Couture or ready to wear – which is your favourite to design? Undoubtedly Couture spawns the ready to wear. It is where most of my designs originate. I do however love the buzz of a real commercial winner, so I obviously also love the editing and discipline of creating something simple yet fabulous. A couple of months ago one of our top designers was caught up in a plagiarism scandal. Would you like to weigh in? I do not speak for the industry. I have my own principals and inspiration so I don’t have to go online to copy anybody. What I do however question is the fact that our fashion press is not very informed about the industry and will probably continue to call the person involved a ‘top designer’. But, the waves were made. Nothing will change because the industry will continue to fawn. Everybody is called a ‘designer’ and then the next one comes along and the others disappear… sad for them.
How has the industry changed in your view, and how has this affected or changed your approach? The Fashion Industry in South Africa used to be very vibrant. We had some really great manufacturing giants that employed many skilled artisans. Regretably all of that changed under the sanctions in the 80’s and it has never really recovered. By the time sanctions were lifted in the early 90’s, the global manufacturing sector was affected by the rise of the Asian Tiger and markets had changed. Our mills closed down and our consumers started demanding cheap Chinese manufactured goods‌ so go figure! I am passionate about the industry hence my commitment to manufacture in South Africa as well as buying South African where possible. I regret the loss of jobs, the loss of skill, and the lack of training opportunities in the industry. I mentor students but cannot possibly supply the jobs necessary to sustain them. I have a small, stable design workshop and I use small CMT factories to manufacture the bulk of my on-line products. I do my bit.
There are designers popping up and dropping out of the industry daily, why do you think this is? ‘Designer’ …a very dangerous word. Let’s rather talk about a success story like Maxhosa. Laduma will endure because his design philosophy reflects his history, context, and relevance. He ticks all the right boxes as well as supplying an ethical, exotic, colourful product with a beautiful moving history. It is genuine and he is genuine. He is humble, articulate, informed, intelligent, as well as being very talented. His brand can go global if the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) could facilitate this very worthy young man instead of having yet another ‘ThinkTank’ or big party. Lastly, which local designers stand out for you and why? This is dangerous territory… I have mentored many of the designers currently functioning in the industry, so it will be seen as favouritism!
MTHWA noMTHWAKAZ
ZI
Mthwa noMthwakazi became our spiritual names because Mthwakazi is a clan name originating from the Madosini and Ngwanya clans. One of Dosini’s sons took a Khoi San wife and their off spring became known as “Tole loMthwakazi” (calf of a Khoi San woman). Bongiwe’s connection to the name is through her grandmother.”
“uMthwa noMthwakazi” is Xhosa for Khoi San man and Khoi San woman. The band is made up of husband and wife team Bongiwe and Luyolo Lenga. The pair got introduced to bow music for the first time while doing a degree in African music and it happened to be Khoi San bow and arrow music. “This made us believe that the Khoi San spirits were responsible for this, and dreams occupied our psyche transferring spiritual information through the music we receive from them” said Mthwa.
They launched their brand independently through the support of the Eastern Cape Government’s sectors such as NYDA, ECDC and ECPC, and they cite critically acclaimed duo Caiphus Semenya and Letta Mbulu as their inspiration.
uMthwa noMthwakazi define their style as “Xhosa music with a twist of innovation.” Their sound based on the Xhosa methods and techniques of writing music but arranged to suit various forms of music including Classical/Opera, Choral, Folk, and other more modern styles of music. They believe in travelling the world and delivering their music straight from the artist to the audience. “Air play is only the tip of the iceberg. There are other avenues for music consumption such as film and commercials” they said.
Their music has been used in a number of documentaries. They’ve played alongside international greats from the US, Mali, and Senegal. uMthwa noMthwkazi have also been featured by various South African artists such as Simphiwe Dana, Lwanda Gogwana, and Dineo Pule. This year they are independently producing their debut album to be titled “uMnombo kantu” which is earmarked for release in the summer of 2014. The duo has ambitions that extend beyond the “uMthwa noMthwakazi” brand. “Our goal is to develop an academy to teach and train all young artists within the performance and production industry to become greater than Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones.” Through their arts company “Qangi Qangi Productions” they provide outreach programmes where they train and teach school children and unemployed youth basic arts and craft skills such as making beaded jewellery and African musical instruments.
“Our advice to artists that are still starting in the music industry is to be yourself, be exemplary so others may learn good deeds from your actions. Share knowledge so we may all grow together, and be companionate so you may feel the pain of others� the duo concluded.
By Phumela Msolo
CHRISTY-ANNE BESTWICK
Christy-Anne Bestwick is a Durban based contemporary jewellery designer. The artist’s pieces are hand-made and she makes them herself. Christy-Anne studied Jewellery Design & Manufacture at the Durban University of Technology. Her work is a response to different stimuli around her.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand. Nature speaks to me, chocolate delights me, people inspire me, God awes me and my favourite thing to do is love. The beautiful city of Durban is my home; that is where I studied jewellery design and manufacture at the Durban University of Technology, and Christy-Anne Jewellery was born. I like to see my jewellery as something with a purpose. Be it self-expression, a gift of love, an association to a person or memory or a simple piece for pleasure. Christy-Anne Jewellery is inspired by people – the people who look at it, touch it, interact with it and wear it.
How did you become interested in jewellery design? It just seemed natural for me to do something creative as a career and something where I would be hands-on ‘making’ things. I heard about being able to study jewellery manufacture by chance and it peeked my interest. I gave it a try and never looked back! How does South Africa inform your work? As a creative I draw from my surroundings, whether consciously or subconsciously I am engaging with my environment. I know for sure that this feeds my thoughts and designs and manifests in my jewellery. Our country has such a unique culture and history; it has a vibe, colour and richness to it like no other place. Some of your pieces have intricate patterns on them. What’s your opinion on the minimalist versus expressive debate? I think there is a place for both. Design is one of those things that are very subjective and influenced by taste, context, environment, and function. Personally I like a mix of the two; contrast can be such a dynamic visual tool. I think the combination of the two together enhance each other.
Can you tell us a about your process of creation? I don’t have a specific routine or method that I follow, but generally an idea is fuelled by things I come into contact with in my daily life. My eye is naturally drawn to visual texture around me, be it cracks in the pavement or a pattern on a wall tile. I am always touching and feeling things and I think this subconscious exploration feeds my creativity. I do a lot of experimenting and playing around with my metal before I even know what it is going to become. Sometimes I just like to make beautiful pieces of metal and then I don’t really want to turn them into anything!
What big challenges do you deal with regularly in your profession? A big challenge at the moment, especially in Durban, and I think South Africa in general is trying to get the average person to appreciate and see the value in the workmanship and time that goes into making a piece of hand-made jewellery. It’s interesting because there are these ‘labels’ that categorise jewellery like costume jewellery, fashion jewellery, fine jewellery and art jewellery and there are expectations associated with these in terms of price, value, materials etc. As soon as one starts blurring those lines and exploring those elements in different ways, people don’t understand it. This makes it difficult to be completely creative with your work while still having to make sellable jewellery.
A University professor at one of our respected institutions said that graduates in the creative fields end up abandoning their careers after graduation. What advice would you give students in terms of creating sustainable careers? I think people with a creative spirit in them often struggle with boundaries, so when you have to suddenly make a career out of what you do it immediately starts building walls around you. You suddenly have deadlines and requests for things, marketing and financial issues, and very quickly you end up in a space where you lose your creativity and passion. Someone once told me you have to decide who you want to be; the artisan or the business man? Because you won’t be able to do your best at both, so find which one you are best at and then find someone else who is good at the other. You have to identify what feeds your creativity and give yourself time every so often to be in that space to fill you up again. Try and push yourself constantly and most importantly BE PREPARED TO WORK HARD! Lastly, where can people find your work? On my website: www.christyannejewellery.com or Facebook page: www.facebook.com/christyannejewellery My jewellery is in a number of shops in Durban, Jo’burg, Cape Town and Ballito so check out my stockists on my website. In Durban people can find me at the I HEART MARKET and THE MARKET AT THE SQUARE as well.
TRIPE STEW It’s heritage day and umabebeza is going off about having a braai. Ain’t nobody got time for that ‘ boo boo’ - the Rand is low. Being the pseudointellectual that I am I suggest we celebrate by preparing a dish we all had growing up but put spinners on it.
SHOPPING LIST
1. Tripe (sheep's stomach) 2. Samp 3. Mixed Veg 4. Thick Oxtail Soup 5. Salt 6. Black Pepper 7. Fresh Carrots 8. Basil Leaves
WOLFTRAP I’ll be the first to admit that asking me to do a wine review is like asking Khulubuse Zuma’s advice on how not to make a smoothie using bacon, a packet of slap chips, and 9 cupcakes. Wait… wrong question; wrong guy. You get what I’m getting at. Anyway, when I read the label “Wolftrap” I got more excited than a 16 year old boy at a Nicki Minaj video shoot. This wine just had to be awesome. When we tasted Wolftrap it was actually the third time buying it. One of my colleagues called the wine “quaffable.” My first reaction to that word was “Oh! We’re making up words now? Really dude?” But after checking the dictionary and having another bottle I think the wine is… definitely quaffable. The Syrah offers plenty of bang for your buck. It’s a good unpretentious, easy drinking wine. The Wolftrap Syrah has a gentle spicy fragrance. It smells so good Parliament should have a task team look into it. The wine is full of dark fruit flavours, has and intense colour, and is perfect for a laid back braai. I was going to write more but I have another Wolftrap Syrah to open.
The BASA Arts in Business Symposium, in association with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), takes place on October 21st at GIBS and is open to anyone with an interest in exploring the latest thinking around arts and business partnerships.
After three years as part of the Arts Alive International Festival, Dance Umbrella 2015 will be back in its traditional annual calendar slot next year. Dance Umbrella 2015, funded by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, will run from February 28 to March 14 at the Dance Factory, the Market Theatre, the Soweto Theatre and the MOAD Gallery in the Maboneng Precinct. The closing date for applications for Dance Umbrella 2015 is October 17, 2014.
WINE, ARTS & CULTURE, MEDIA, SPORT