Bubblegum Club

Author: Ayanda Mazibuko

  • The story behind Swiss artist Martina Lussi’s latest album Selected Ambient

    The story behind Swiss artist Martina Lussi’s latest album Selected Ambient

    Selected Ambient is the latest album produced by Switzerland’s talented and distinctive Martina Lussi. The curious Swiss artist who uses sound as a medium is inspired by everything that surrounds her. Throughout her career, she has skilfully found the intersection between music, performance and fine arts. This is evident in the presentation of her work in numerous underground clubs and art spaces throughout Switzerland as well as having performed in places such as LUFF (Lausanne Underground Film festival) and the festival, Oto Nove Swiss at London’s Café Oto. Her creation of soundscapes and ability to manipulate acoustic sounds within the art scene alters the way in which spaces are experienced. It evokes complex dynamics, moods and thoughts. Martina, who holds a Master of Arts in Contemporary Arts Practice is continuously inspired by spaces, people, films, dreams, doubts and indisputably her unconscious mind.

    Martina’s body of work (which she describes as Ambient) constantly searches for freedom and presents striking questions about dichotomies such as power and powerlessness as well as consciousness and unconsciousness. She is currently interested in self-hypnosis as a tool to enhance the self-consciousness in an unconscious state of mind. Essentially, in evolving within her artistry, Martina recognises the importance of remaining inquisitive, critical and making use of her freedom.

    Selected Ambient is a meticulously netted four-track album. The tracks are named after semi-precious gemstones which are historically and culturally viewed as having special powers. The gemstones represent the desire to be witnesses to the different reality that exists beyond the horizon. The composition which makes up the album enables Martina to create a sound world which facilitates a remarkable listening experience. Martina’s creationfluctuates between sound art, electroacoustic composition and live performance. Within all of her creations, the body of the viewer plays a fundamental position in her pieces.

    Below, Martina and I discuss the intricate making of Selected Ambient, a variation of sounds and the use of gemstones as vital source of inspiration for the project.

    What was the inspiration and creative process behind your latest project Selected Ambient?

    It’s about conscious and unconsciousness, staying insecure and vibrating between the two. Every piece has its own process and story.

    ‘Sodalith’ (track 1) is me playing the guitar. The guitar is an instrument that is close to me, it’s like a shortcut to my emotions. I also never play it in front of people. It’s just for me, an intimate situation. I play the guitar insecurely and you can hear that. The thing is I recorded it just because I wanted to find a melody and then I was like, yes maybe I should do it properly. Like holding a rhythm and recording it right. But I couldn’t do it. I felt like every trial to do it better somehow sounded wrong, although its “better” played or recorded. So, I took this first recording of the guitar. It captured the moment. The piece has a feeling of melancholy. You feel lonely and lost but it’s also okay and sometimes its even beautiful to have that feeling.

    ‘Achat’ (track 2) was initiated by some random guitar playing combined with effects, that I recorded without a purpose…In the end it was quite a strange mixture, and I felt that this was ugly enough, that it was strange and interesting again. Yet I let it be for half a year or so and after I listened to it again, I thought it was still strange. I said to myself, that if something can stay in this extreme position for that long and is still interesting to me as a listener, it might be worth showing it to someone else.

    ‘Citrin’ (track 3) was the last piece I made for this LP and I really tried to combine the different sounds and spaces. Like pop-noises from the microphone which feel like they are extremely close to your ear. Or sticks rolling away from me as I was recording it. Or the big space someone is talking in and an endless synthetic plain coming and going.

    Lastly, ‘Opal’ (track 4) was initially written for the installation ‘Composition for a circle’. I made the installation setting like that because as I was working on this sound. I naturally also had to listen to it and as I was listening to it I was walking in a circle in my studio. So, I was like: Everyone that listens to this piece should do so (walk in a circle) because this movement fits perfect to the piece. If you walk on this light circle for 12 minutes you are in a kind of meditative state. As you listen to the sound using headphones you are absorbed from the outside and you can concentrate on walking and follow your thoughts.

    I think overall you can say that in every piece there is an intimate melody or a soundsource close to you and an extremely wide space or something lost. The pieces are vibrating. What I also pay attention to is the combination of no rhythm where you feel lost and a clear rhythm. I have to say, something that sounds random is often a combination of real errors and doing it without a rhythmon propose. I can really sit there and think of a rhythm and in the end, you’ll think that sounds just like a random noise. But in fact, it isn’t. I think that makes a difference although you may not really get it as a listener. Sometimes things that just happen by accident sound like they are made on purpose.

    Let’s say I like that play of controllable and uncontrollable. You can also say that I like conscious and unconscious parts. That’s the overall interest and that’s also why I choose the gemstones as titles because I have the same feeling for them. Sometimes I wear a stone and feel like it helps and sometimes I think this is just a random nice-looking stone. In the end, I would pick a specific stone because its shape and colour say something about me and it is for me as I wear it as a reminder of my wishes. Looking and thinking about it reminds me of the power I wish to get from it and makes me aware of what I want. Ultimately, it is positive and powerful to think about it.

    You use a range of varied sounds – could you please tell me more about the combination of sounds you used to make the final product? 

    I often use the combination of 3 Types of sounds. Guitar, field recordings and synthetic sounds.

    The guitar – I’ve had it since I played in primary school and it’s good to make melodies. I use field recordings because I like to listen, and I think there is also a practical reason why I started to use field recordings. This is because my studio is just a room and not really a sound studio. In a field recording you don’t try to separate sounds so clearly, you don’t need a sober space you have just everything that surrounds you and your microphone can record. And it’s also a little bit parasitic because you can record all the spaces you don’t own. I use synthetic sounds and the computer because it opens a whole new world. It seems limitless.

    How do you see yourself/work evolving on a global scale? 

    It’s difficult for me to think about a global scale. I think I will see it when I’m old, look back and understand what I did. Hopefully I can look back and say I made some nice tracks and installations back then.

    You can listen to and buy Selected Ambient over at the Hallow Ground webstore.

  • DOCC partners with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group for new capsule collection on suicide awareness

    DOCC partners with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group for new capsule collection on suicide awareness

    Trigger Warning: This article contains subject matter pertaining to depression, anxiety and suicide.

    The unconventional local streetwear designer and creator of DOCC, Nokana Mojapelo has done it once again. DOCC has recently released its 2018 Capsule Collection in partnership with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) with the leading intention of promoting suicide awareness. All proceeds from the capsule collection will go towards SADAG to aid in their advocacy.

    SUICIDE AWARENESS by DOCC is a concept range that is inspired by the death of Nokana’s close cousin who committed suicide. The concept range is strikingly brave, outspoken as well as tender. The colourful collection which consists of T-shirts, hoodies and wool suit trousers debunks violent stigmas that are associated with mental health issues. The streetwear label also manages to set a key precedent that normalises the act of talking freely about mental health issues. “Say something, ANYTHING!” is the most visible slogan that appears on many of the collection’s clothing items alongside SADAG’s helpline and contact details.

    One can only foresee that DOCC’s partnership with SADAG will prove to be ground-breaking and impactful as SADAG is South Africa’s largest mental health advocacy group. Nokana was quick to realise the fruitful results that could be produced from the relationship between DOCC and SADAG. This is due to DOCCS’s great influence on the youth coupled with the fact that SADAG has better resources and understanding to spread his message conceptually. It is with a hopeful spirit that the emergence of DOCC’s Capsule Collection can encourage and facilitate a conducive intergenerational conversation around this fundamental subject. Nokana refers to the growing partnership as one that is “still under construction” and states that “like any other relationship, you have to understand what you’re working towards and it’s not an overnight process. What I can say for now is that I want to involve them in the pop ups, activations and charitable events that DOCC is involved in”.

    Storytelling through fashion comes naturally to DOCC. The label has previously released detailed collections such as the ‘Staff Only Collection’ which is inspired by a family member who was a construction worker and is rooted in showing appreciation for the workers who literally build SA. DOCC has also released the ‘Booty Call Collection‘ which encapsulates a story about young, erratic love.

    The unexpected and unique collaboration between DOCC and SADAG is not only a motivating force but also a serious game changer in advocating for suicide awareness. DOCC’s next Capsule Collection drops in March and is tilted ‘INDUSTRY’ and is inspired by upcoming artists trying to break into the creative industry. It is quite refreshing and assuring to witness a youthful, evolving streetwear label such as DOCC remain resolute in the delivering of important messages.

    To find a support group in your area please contact SADAG (www.sadag.org) on 0800 21 22 23.

    Telephone: (011) 234 –4837

    Email: office@anxiety.org.za

     

  • Inxeba (The Wound): protest, culture & a tumultuous gay love story

    Warning: This article contains spoilers from the film, Inxeba (The Wound).

    Set in the scenic mountainous Eastern Cape emerges Inxeba, a powerful, moving and thought-provoking South African work of art directed by John Trengrove. This daring and unsettling film narrates the intersectional story of an uninspired and lonely Xhosa factory worker Xolani (Nakhane Touré) who joins the men of his community to initiate a group of teenage boys into manhood (a process known as ulwaluko). As Xolani embarks on the journey of being a caregiver during the initiation period, he encounters Kwanda (Niza Jay Ncoyini), a sullen yet defiant and disruptive initiate from the city of Johannesburg who urges Xolani to interrogate his queer identity.

    Inxeba is essentially a revolutionary tumultuous gay love story between two caregivers Xolani and Vija (Bongile Mantsai) which takes place in a violent, patriarchal and hyper masculine environment. It explores compelling themes concerning homosexuality, the construct of Xhosa masculinity as well as the colliding juxtaposition of modernity (represented by references made to the city and the effect it has on those that have left their rural homes) and tradition. Unfortunately, we live in a society where most instances of violent behaviour committed by men go unchecked which begs the question of how we should transcend violent masculinity in such spaces.  This film is revolutionary in numerous ways as it protests toxic masculinity and patriarchal cultural norms, it exposes deep-rooted homophobia and it fundamentally opens important and difficult conversations.

    The sublime cinematography manages to beautifully capture pain, love, affection, fear and rage all at once. One of the most mesmerizing moments in the film comes from the scene by the waterfall which showcases the passionate black Xhosa male lovers (Xolani and Vija) embracing one another, kissing, cuddling and being affectionate. This moment proves to be ground-breaking and encapsulating as it defies the rigid social norms and homophobic views that are held by some men.

    Viewers also get to witness the blossoming friendship between the caregiver and initiate. In a strange but organic way the initiate becomes the teacher when he drives his caregiver to confront his truth and sexual identity. The initiate plants the seed of learning and unlearning for his caregiver to which his caregiver rejects and ultimately chooses to return to his former life. The act of silencing is a common theme that reoccurs throughout the film. Kwanda is constantly silenced when he problematizes Xolani’s hypocrisy or even when he calls out Xolani for having an affair with Vija who has a wife and children back home. Kwanda’s opinionated and outspoken nature ends up being his detriment. This sets a strong precedent that being outspoken and fighting for what you believe in can get you killed. In the end, the unsafe environment that Xolani and Vija find themselves does not grant them with the opportunity to truly and freely love each other. They would rather pursue great lengths to protect their secret than taking the risk of being exposed, shunned and ostracized.

    Inxeba is bound to evoke feelings of shock, resentment, despondency and inquisitiveness which will take time to unpack, process as well as have honest and uncomfortable conversations whether it be on the dinner table or on social media. This film is imperative for the representation of the LGBTQ+ communities and that cause should not be derailed by cis-het fragile men. The representation of the queer community and queer issues in infinite versions matters. It also serves a crucial role of dismantling patriarchal cultural norms. We should ultimately never use culture as justification to dehumanise, oppress and subjugate marginalized folk (in this case queer folk) and if culture commits such acts of violence, this desperately needs to be tackled as well as problematized.

  • Lunga Ntila // An unapologetic, opiniated, artistic force

    “My feminism looks like freedom; it is opinionated and unapologetic.” These are the profound words said by design artist Lunga Ntila. She emphasises intersectionality, sexuality and femininity as important foundations regarding her storytelling and work. At her core, she is a truthful artist who encourages difficult but necessary conversations that speak to marginalized people. She manages to tackle subjects that attempt to dismantle a white, patriarchal social order while channelling creative energy to uplift black womxn.

    Lunga draws her greatest inspirations from music and art movements such as expressionism, cubism and post-impressionism. She is also inspired by her social structures and conversation, which she refers to as the “sensuality of things”. This can be seen in her expressive portraits. Her series titled “DEFINE BEAUTY” saw her distorting self-portraits as a way to make a commentary on how ideas of beauty are assembled. Often featuring in her own work, Lunga strategically uses her own body to challenge men’s entitlement over womxn’s bodies.

    ‘Watching me by Jill Scott’ by Lunga Ntila

    Lunga has also produced a body of work that speaks back to historical pieces that make white figures the centre. By inserting herself in these artworks, and sometimes manipulating other elements, she is engaging in an active form of decolonisation. This links back to her view that art is a visual manifestation of our time and believes that we look towards these visuals to gain a more coherent understanding of the history that forms part of our current story.

    She is a true millennial who uses Instagram as a kind of digital gallery space. The platform is also used as a source that motivates her to create work regularly. Posts on her page are interwoven with images of family, friends and political icons, which adds a layer of intimacy to how she shares her work.

    ‘Reimagining and Imagining’ by Lunga Ntila

    As an evolving conceptual artist and critical thinker, Lunga would like to expand her skills in various industries such as film and fashion. This stems from personal aspirations and her belief in the need for more representation of black people in the creative industry, specifically black womxn. Although her craft resides within the creative industry, she expresses her criticism of its exclusivity which is often fuelled by who is popular. In her view this can hamper the process of innovation.

    This blooming artist strives to one day collaborate with the likes of FAKA, Sakhile Cebekhulu and Bambatha Jones. One thing is for sure – Lunga’s political views combined with her artistic eye makes me eager to see where her journey will lead to next.

    ‘Red Converse’ by Lunga Ntila
    ‘For Real Look Ma’ by Lunga Ntila

  • Robyn Kater: the intersection between history, identity and the city as a living organism

    Robyn Kater is a bold, passionate and multifaceted artist who is deeply inspired by the city of Johannesburg and all those who live within it. She views her home city, Johannesburg as the compelling and rich space that has greatly influenced her personal identity as well as artwork. The 23-year-old freelance artist, who recently graduated from WITS University with her Fine Art degree, relates her journey as that of self-discovery, learning and unlearning as well as one of trial and error.

    The use of Johannesburg as Robyn’s leading inspiration has motivated her to produce a powerful body of work titled, ‘Toxic Playground’. Robyn describes ‘Toxic Playground’ as a mixed media installation that comprises of photography, video and found objects through which she examines how the Johannesburg mine dumps become palimpsests of personal memory and toxicity. The ‘Toxic Playground’ installation consists of 100kg of sand which was collected over three months from the Riverlea mine dump – this is of significant sentiment to Robyn as she grew up in the community situated right next to the dump.

    ‘Toxic Playground’ is emblematic of the socio-economic and environmental issues currently facing the residents of the area, and essentially speaks to the community’s concerns. This is because the city’s mine dumps have been normalized to be included in the community’s everyday landscape, yet they are severely toxic. They symbolize the exploitative deep-rooted nature of the city. Robyn’s body of artwork raises important questions that require effective answers such as: “what should be done with remnants of the city’s division post-conflict, post-apartheid state? What influence do memory and remembrance of these places have on transformation of the city’s spatial morphology (formation), identity and flows of everyday urban life?”.

    In all aspects of this work Robyn does the job of detecting the intersection between history, heritage, identity, displacement and space. Robyn eloquently expresses how she is “interested in the city as a living organism and how the tangible and intangible fragments meet and overlap to form a lived experience”. An in-depth interpretation of Robyn’s artwork demonstrates that she thinks of Johannesburg in various ways. She sees the city as a complex living organism in which certain spaces act as remnants of personal memory and of an overlapping history. In addition to this, her unique artwork illustrates a vivid relationship that the city of Johannesburg presents between space and identity.

    Robyn is open to collaborate with people outside of the art industry such as historians, architects and urban planners. She would also like to have to the opportunity to exhibit her work at more experimental spaces. Having showcased at Wits Art Museum, The Point of Order as well as Nothing Gets Organised and with the hopes of showcasing at Zeitz MOCAA someday, Robyn is truly one fearless trailblazer who is more than ready to get her message across.

  • Gypsy Sport: A rising leader of consciousness in fashion

    Having showcased in major fashion capitals such as New York, Paris and Milan, Gypsy Sport has proven to be insurgent in disrupting the elite fashion scene with its honest and progressive social commentary. The New York-based urban street wear label founded in 2012 by Rio Uribe is inspired by the ideals of inclusivity, true diversity and community.

    It Is almost impossible to divorce the socio-political statements that Gypsy Sport makes from its garments. The authentic and soulful label offers gender-fluid, non-binary clothing that incorporates highly creative silhouettes as well as eclectic textiles and prints. Gypsy Sport takes a pan-ethnic approach to fashion in which their clothing is derived from a mash up of various cultural influences whilst managing to absolve themselves from cultural appropriation.

    Another refreshing aspect from the label is the demographic of models that are featured in their runway shows and global campaigns. With the emergence of Gypsy Sport, Uribe began scouting for models within his community and group of friends which resulted in vibrant shows and photoshoots. The label which also champions for body positivity has since become a beacon of representation for marginalized groups such as black folk, brown folk, trans folk, queer folk and Muslim folk.

    The multidimensional and layered nature of the label has equipped it with the ability to manoeuvre itself through different creative and political spaces. Their musical ventures include a mixtape in collaboration with New York-based DJ Anthony Dicap which was released for the label’s Fall 2017 collection. Gypsy Sport was also thoroughly involved in 2017’s LGBTQ celebrations by volunteering at LGBTQ youth centres across four cities, namely Los Angeles, New York, Portland and San Francisco. The Pride celebrations comprised of a trans march advocating for transgender and non-binary rights, queer parties, clothing drives and pop-up shops in which all proceeds were donated towards youth community development.

    Gypsy Sport recognizes the great significance in positively impacting the community and has a deep-rooted understanding that it can be achieved through multiple channels. Their passion for the community is evident in their casting calls with the most recent one being open to whole families and seeking for artists, dancers, singers, activists, athletes and geeks to model the label’s clothing at New York Fashion Week.

    It’s quite fitting that Gypsy Sport identifies as rebels because that is exactly what they are – they defy the status quo, triumphantly dismantle binaries, challenge various fronts of injustices and essentially disrupt stagnant spaces. They manage to do all of that whilst setting the bar high with their fashion forward brand. 2018 will be an exciting year to see how this dynamic and intentional label will continue to stretch limitations in the fashion industry to expand Uribe’s vision in creating a worldwide fashion tribe.