Bubblegum Club

Author: Hazel Kimani

  • REFUGE – cross-continent stories of resilience

    It is plausible to assume that South Africa and the United Kingdom are vastly different. However during the conceptualisation process for a proposal to be part of the British Council Connect ZA’s new partnership initiative, master playwright, Amy Jephta and writer and director, Paul Blinkhorn, spotted the similarities between South Africa and the UK. The standout similarity being refugees.

    Immigration is a topical issue in both states. The Brexit proposition brought forward the discomfort that the UK had with refugees and being a beacon of hope on continent, South Africa attracts an influx of refugees.

    “This idea or thinking around refugees and where refugees go and where they belong and what they are going through, leaving what kind of situations they are leaving is a global conversation and it is both relevant to South Africa and to the UK and it was a topic that we felt we could connect on and say something about,” said Amy.

    The project called REFUGE that will take place in Cape Town, South Africa and Manchester, UK seeks to tell the stories of the lived experiences of refugees in these cities. The performance will “use actors to portray those stories, to speak those testimonies, to use those exact works, to give life to those stories,” said Amy.

    Currently Amy and Paul are in the first phase of their project, which involves week-long interviews with refugees in Cape Town. After transcribing and working on the text for their scripts, they aim to have an open reading of the testimonies about seeking refuge at the end of May in Cape Town.

    The project will later move to North Manchester, where the pair will follow the same procedure. However, they believe that the performance will take on different forms. “There is going to be a South African element…there is going to be a UK element and then I think there is going to be something beyond that, which is a mixture of the two,” said Paul.

    Amy and Paul have been in partnership with People Against Suffering, Oppression and Poverty (PASSOP) and Befriending Refugees And Asylum Seekers (BRASS), who have aided them in connecting with refugees.

    Furthermore, British Council Connect ZA has afforded Amy and Paul the opportunity to collaborate on a project that has the capacity to connect people with different aspects of the human experience. Moreover, REFUGE is a performance project that causes the audience to listen to the authentic stories of refugees. This project humanises refugees so there can be empathy within communities.

    So far both Amy and Paul have been left in awe with the resilience of the human spirit and everything refugees endure on a daily basis. The project will hopefully be made accessible beyond the theatres it will be housed in. There are plans to archive the material online so many more will be able to engage with the experiences of others.

     

    ‘This article forms part of content created for the British Council Connect ZA 2017 Programme. To find out more about the programme click here.’

  • Arcade Content – the guerrilla group of film and advertising

    The unconstrained division of Egg films, Arcade Content, includes Leboganag Rasethaba and Kyle Lewis, multi-award winning directors who freely express, engage and entertain through their production of compelling visuals for brand films, web series, music videos and documentaries.

    According to Lebo, Arcade is doing nothing more than shining a light on how epic their collective existence is, which should not be taken from granted. And rightfully so, Arcade has been reaping a lush harvest with 9 gold Midas awards, 2 gold Loeries, 2 gold Bookmark Awards, a bronze from Cannes Lions and many more.

    The work produced by both Lebo and Kyle is uniquely captivating and expands the ways in which commercial storytelling can be executed.

    “My big thing is representation. My work is gritty but pretty. It’s about letting people know you can have both. When we talk about a raw, guerrilla approach, you can feel the nervous energy in the boardroom, but what I’m saying is that all that realness will be beautiful, because it is. We’re not making any of this up; we’re living in an amazingly complex world that’s made up of beautiful people and their beautiful thoughts, and as people who part of it, we’re just telling that story,” Lebo explained.

    Similarly, Kyle’s visual storytelling is inspired by his pride for South Africa and its people. Kyle delivers something relatable with care, respect and messaging that creates conversations of relevance to the cultural climate.

    “The content we have produced paves the way for the digital landscape. We are ever-evolving and growing with our audience. We strive to create pieces that we are proud of and that we truly feel make a difference. The industry changes constantly, which means we can never sleep…” said Kyle.

    From their credible, accessible and inspirational works; Riky Rick’s Fuseg music video by Kyle, Lebo’s MTV documentary, The People versus the Rainbow Nation, and their brand films for Standard Bank’s #Today campaign, their is an unmistakable finesse to their artistry.

    Kyle is currently conceptualising a Nigerian music project for a campaign that will further unite Africa and the world.

    Lebo’s latest music video for Mashayabhuqe KaMamba, KwaDukuza, premiered today on MTV Base today.

    For Arcade Content productions, visit their website.

  • FAKA – building a spiritual home

    For the queer, the trans, the non-conforming, the female and the black,

    For those who have been alienated by mainstream culture,

    For those who are constantly harassed by patriarchy and suffer at the hands of capitalism,

    For copper-coloured Afro wigs, golden chokers, torn stockings and moving freely despite Lorraine’s side-eye,

    there is FAKA.

    Buyani Duma and Thato Ramaisa accomplish their pursuit to infiltrate spaces through the expression, reimagination and liberation of queer bodies as Desire Marea and Fela Gucci, collectively known as FAKA. The isiZulu word faka, which means to penetrate, seductively nuances how Desire and Fela validate new vocabularies of communication about black queer identities through their performance art, music, photography and videos.

    FAKA formally established themselves in 2015. It started with a Facebook friend request and since then Desire and Fela have had reason to thank the internet for their divine connection. Like them, we also have various online platforms to thank for the front row seat we have to the becoming of a duo that has been representing and creating a sense of community. Their virtual following is extensive. From their #Siyakaka hashtag that caught like wildfire to their Instagram pages that beautifully showcase their breathtaking black queer bodies doing the most.

    It is also online that we are able to listen to FAKA’s ancestral gqom gospel sounds from their EP Bottom’s Revenge or watch videos like From a Distance and Isifundo Sokuqala. But it is the duo’s titillating performance art which physically summons FAKA.

    However, the reception of their performance art has been a “weird experience” for both of them. According to Fela, it seems as if society and even creative communities that appear to be open to experimental performance, art or music are in fact not. Both Desire and Fela laughed about how people walk out of their shows. But the frustration was felt when Fela said, “We want our art to exist outside, beyond gallery spaces. Beyond our circles and it is very difficult to manifest that because people are just not open.”

    Desire added, “I think that is a very pertinent issue and something that also affects us as black queer artists. Many times people don’t want, or they fear engaging with our work because of what it might do or say about them or they just don’t understand it or they’re just not comfortable with assigning that much power to a black queer person who is not supposed to have that much power in our society, and a power that they created for themselves.”

    The contrast between FAKA’s reception in the virtual world and in reality is evident and it is highly plausible that the internet’s humanising virtue of representation is responsible.

    “I think the online experience is different because there is a sense of community online with people who follow each other and stuff. As opposed to physical spaces, not everyone is familiar with the work so not everyone has been following what you have been doing so I guess it can come as a shock to some people,” said Fela.

    FAKA imagine a future in which they own a creative agency that elevates black, queer and trans people. In the meantime, they want to create safe spaces that allow black, queer, gender non-conforming or trans people to reflect on their experiences growing up. FAKA want to continue creating spaces where mourning can take place in order for healing and liberation to follow.

    “I think in many spaces people always champion the fight, this radical reaction to that kind of upbringing or that kind of childhood and stuff, and I do not think that is something that we champion. I mean, YES, it is great, we all have different ways of fighting but we also feel like we should be creating spaces for ourselves to be like, ‘Yo, I am really affected by a lot of things about how I grew up and what it means for me to be me.’ My experience of family is also very different and it is quite a complicated thing because you exist in a world where everyone is like, ‘Oh, you’ve been home, home must have been so great. I mean home is home, you must be so refreshed’, but I think in our circle we understand that home usually isn’t like that. Home is a lot of policing…it is very violent. Not even from people doing anything. Just the space and what it represents for you and what it has always represented is quite a harsh thing. And I think we have created spaces for us to just be, to feel openly,” said Desire

    Subsequently, Desire and Fela have built spiritual homes in each other. Together, FAKA also represents a home for all those that relate to or revere their expression.

     

    Shoot Credits

    Photography by Viviane Sassen 

    Styling by Jamal Nxedlana

    Hair & Makeup by Orli Meiri

    Assistant Stylist Chloe Hugo-Hamman

    Cover Image: Fela Gucci & Desire Marea in Africa/China Bags, Printed headscarf, Ruffle socks all stylists own.  Shoes are models own

    Look 1: Fela Gucci & Desire Marea in Cobalt Shirtdress and Embroided jeans by Topshop, Pink ties stylist own, Shoes and accessories are models own.

    Look 2: Fela Gucci in Check trousers by H&M, Ibheshu, Ruffle socks, body chain and earrings stylist own, Shoes and accessories are models own.

    Look 3: Desire Marea in Check blazer by H&M, Ibheshu, Ruffle socks, Cowboy hat and earrings stylist own, Shoes and accessories are models own.

    Look 4: Fela Gucci & Desire Marea in Mesh bomber by H&M, Fishnet stockings and Ruffle socks stylist own, Shoes and accessories are models own.

    Look 5: Fela Gucci in check trousers by H&M, Cardigan, Zebra vest, Cowboy hat and Ruffle socks stylist own, Shoes and accessories are models own.

    Look 6: Desire Marea in check trousers by H&M, Waistcoat, Cowboy hat and Ruffle socks stylist own, Shoes and accessories are models own.

  • Sikelela Damane’s exhibition State Of The Nation Address (SONA) – “Speaking the truth should not be substituted for being radical”

    As the high priestess of soul, Nina Simone said, “You can’t help it. An artist’s duty as far I’m concerned, is to reflect the times.” This is exactly what artist, Sikelela Damane achieved in his current exhibition titled, State Of the Nation Address (SONA).

    From the historical removal of the Cecil John Rhodes statute at the University of Cape Town to the dodging of rubber bullets while peacefully marching in the streets of Johannesburg, Sikelela was initially inspired by the South African student Fallist movements and how they have “commercialised being ‘woke’ and addressed complex patriarchal and racial constructs.”.

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    Sikelela deliberately represented the students asking for free decolonized education as “heroes of our generation” instead of being in a state of melancholy since they are a group that is both marginalised and frightened.

    Moreover, it is the chunk of land that Sikelela layered on the floor of the Kalashnikovv gallery that speaks to the state of a nation that is frightened about its mission to address the struggles of the marginalised.

    Land is a deeply contested issue in South Africa and Sikelela’s idea to address this issue in his work began when President Jacob Zuma stated that the main objective of his government would be to re-address the land. Even though, Sikelela suspects the President’s main objective is to end his term with the affection of Black South African’s, Sikelela seized the opportunity to metaphorically engage with relationship between land and Black labour.

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    It was in the process of excavating land from outside the gallery and moving it inside that was emotional for Sikelela. “I felt laboured, hard laboured in particular and reminded of Black Labour and how Black males and females in this country became cheap exploits to nourish and pamper this land.” In addition, the accidental displacement and replacement of Sikelela’s land installation helped him further speak to the illusionary ownership of South African soil.

    “I like to think of myself as not of a radical but an artist who simply paints the truth. What is a radical, and to whom? Speaking the truth should not be substituted for being radical. And it’s assumed that radical equals being a fighter, an anarchist. I say I paint out of love and hope”, said Sikelela.

    In his exhibition currently on at the Kalashnikovv gallery, Sikelela does more than paint. He sues acrylic, aerosol, markers and earth on canvases. He also uses objects such as land and a tyre to address the state of the nation.

    Check it out the art walkabout this Saturday or see his artwork on Instagram.

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  • Dance duo Stampenfield: movement as an oasis

    Ellen Edmar and Mona Namér are the dynamic dance duo known as Stampenfield. You have probably seen them whimsically dancing alongside indie electro band, Little Dragon’s lead vocalist, Yukimi Nagano or busting pantsula moves on the streets of Johannesburg.

    The duo specialised their dancing styles separately abroad and finally joined forces two years ago in their hometown, Gothenburg, Sweden. They happen to share the same studio building with Little Dragon and after Yukimi attended one of Ellen’s practices, she invited Ellen to jam alongside the band during their Nabuma Rubberband album tour. Mona joined in for Little Dragon’s Paris and Johannesburg concerts in 2015 and it was their time here that ignited their love for South Africa’s dance culture.

    While they were here, they performed during friend and music producer, LEEU’s (Alex Coetzee) live opening set for HVOB’s concert as well as his performance at the Soweto Deep House Festival. They also participated in a collaborative video project with Chris Saunders.

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    Now, they are back in Johannesburg to create an experimental House dance and Pantsula fusion with Sello Modiga of Real Actions Pantsula and Thomas Motsapi of VIP Pantsula. The project they are working on speaks to the connectedness of human beings through the social system that we share. The project named VISITORS / BAETI will be performed in Gothenburg, Sweden as a celebration of dance as another tool of communication and unity.

    Ellen and Mona are mainly interested in the performance of urban styles, such as house, hip-hop and contemporary movement. They desire to be involved in projects that involve collaborative experimenting through creative expression.

    They teach, choreograph, and dance. You will most likely find them practicing technically but also just jamming and creating beautiful movements with their bodies. Stampenfield want to continue traveling the world with the hopes of learning and exploring new dance styles and cultures.

    You can spot them in the new Little Dragon music video, ‘Sweet’.

    Check their moves and adventures on Vimeo.

    And like their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram.

  • Where Art Thou – letting art be your guide

    In a Bangkok gallery filled with sinister wooden carvings of warped body parts, punctuated with black grains of rice, Terhys Persad found out about the struggles the Thai farmers. No guidebook had included this information and even the tour guides did not briefly mention the tragic commercialisation of rice farming. Instead it was in galleries and the contemporary art that Terhys feasted on that she was able to learn about the stories of the people of each foreign land she visited.

    The knowledge she gained from that Bangkok gallery and many other galleries she visited while fulfilling her dream of travelling the world inspired her to create a web series, Where Art Thou, that answers the questions about a country through art.

    After a year and a half of travelling, Terhys returned to her home in America and registered herself for film classes. Here she learned how to create, direct and produce a show. Next stop, South Africa to shoot the first season of the series.

    However, this was not the typical Western travel show that focuses on the South African wine route or Nelson Mandela. Terhys’ goal was to “introduce outsiders to a part of a country’s culture that doesn’t feed into Western stereotypes.”

    So even in the South African art scene, Terhys focused on artists that “do not get much attention in traditional art spaces”. She specifically sought out “women and gender non-conforming people, people of colour and queer people”. Even all of the crew that Terhys hired were South African people of colour and most of them were women.

    The six episode season features artists that manifest the theme of that episode in their work.

    Episode one is about conflict and coexistence and features internationally known contemporary artist and practicing traditional healer, Buhlebezwe Siwani.

    Episode two’s theme is defiance and the artists in this episode, Rendani Nemakhavhani and Kgomotso Neto Tleane, “rebrand Black hood life with a camera and a soap opera” through cinematic photography series, The Honey.

    Under the theme commitment, episode three features Molotov Cocktails the resistance mechanisms of an artist and her family’s activism that has continued for generations.

    Artists Rory Emmet and Thania Petersen feature in episode four, which explores the “rediscovering identity and royal heritage after hundreds of years of erasure” under the theme pride.

    Episode five’s theme is ownership and discusses the many ways that land has been and continues to be a contentious issue in South Africa.

    Lastly, episode six features “F**k White People” artist, Dean Hutton and the idea of “dismantling white supremacy” under the theme bravery.

    Through the interviews of artists whose work introduces specific parts of South African culture, society or history, Terhys captures authentic South African stories and “dope shit that doesn’t repeat the well worn narratives of the nation”.

    Terhys is currently fundraising and developing season two of Where Art Thou, which will be in Mexico. But for now, the first episode of season one will be released later this month and every month after an episode will be released.

    Stay tuned to the Where Art Thou YouTube channel and check out Where Art Thou’s Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram for behind the scenes videos, travel tip.

  • Fela Gucci’s ‘Diphala’ – archiving black sonic magic

    Multifaceted black queer wonder, Fela Gucci’s fascination for South African electronic music led to a reliable music store in Jeppestown in early 2016. Since then Fela has been building a collection of interesting sounds that you will probably not hear on your favourite radio station.

    Thankfully, Fela created a harmonious mix called Diphala and we can now all indulge in the vibrant sounds of DJ Cee, Mujava, Bojo Mujo, DJ Call Me, Halata na titlakuseni magaza, Nozinja, DJ Leostic, DJ Target, DJ Epic and Illumination Boyz.

    “These artists go undocumented and what I’m trying to do with my mixes is create some sort of archival project and hopefully by me sharing this music with people, some sort of awareness could be made to their work”, said Fela.

    It is the magical music produced from these artists and how their music is testament to the resilience of the black spirit that captivates Fela.

    “I feel the resilience in the sound”, said Fela, “I would like to emphasize that this music is created often times by disadvantaged black people who create magic from the little resources they have and through this music they are able to empower and express themselves.”

    Check out the mix on Fela’s Soundcloud

     

  • Muse: exploring female agency in art

    Real quick, grab a dictionary or google search the word “muse”. What came up? Something about a woman being the source of creative inspiration? Or maybe something about a he pondering about a she? Well, the word “muse” has been foundational to art and in turn male artists hold females as their source of creative genius. Think about it, how many masterpieces are there of women by men? Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Pablo Picasso’s Weeping Woman or Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, the list is actually endless. So isn’t it ironic that two men, Odendaal Estherhuyse and Ramoloti Kganakga, decided to curate an exhibition called, MUSE: exploring female agency in art?

    Odendaal and Ramoloti deeply interrogated their male privilege as creative men and the ease in which they consciously and unconsciously assume a sense of control when representing women. During this process of interrogation, there was a realisation that women are not overtly afforded the same creative assertiveness as men. Odendaal and Ramoloti developed the idea of showcasing black female artists and teamed up with Vuyiswa Xekatwane for much needed black girl guidance.

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    The collaborative effort resulted in an exhibition that showcased the work of black female artists: Tshepiso Mabula, Puleng Mongale, Boitumleo Mazibuko, Nozipho Nxele and Rita Kantu in Braamfontein on 2 March.

    Odendaal explained how the Western ideals of the word “muse” differ in the mind of a black South African woman and in the African context too. This exhibition showcased the creative expression of black female artists and how their creative inspirations definitely differed from the ideals of the West. Moreover, the art spoke of the experience of  black women by black women. A space was created for black women to express themselves and be at the centre of  their narrative. This space also afforded men the opportunity to engage and experience the power of female agency in art.

    The artists are all Umuzi recruits and Alumni. Odendaal, Ramoloti and Vuyiswa too are part of Umuzi. Umuzi is a creative organisation that aims to transform the creative industry with its learnership that improves the access to creative education and careers.

    For more from Umuzi check out their Facebook, Instagram or visit their website.

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  • Honey, we’re home – a real life encounter with Honey and Bra Gavini

    Aus’Honey is a badass black girl that does not only live on the internet. Honey is a real girl and she has rolled out the welcome mat into her & her lover’s boujee home, which is decorated with deep red velvet couches that surround her black and white carpet. An inherited antique cabinet which is filled with her colourful clothing, Zulu slippers and jewels is placed in one corner and two pink ceramic swans, another inheritance from her grandmother, are delicately placed on either side of a BaSotho hat on a black and white server placed in the opposite corner. A record player stands tall steps away from a bottle of vodka, and of course portraits from the chapters of the Honey series that feature Honey’s ride or die, Bra Gavini hang on the walls.

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    Image courtesy of Rendani Nemakhavani

    Honey is a manifestation of different parts of Rendani Nemakhavani, a communication designer and art director, who collaborated with photographer Kgomotso Neto Tleane to share Honey’s life through a cinematic photography series.

    Initially, Rendani wanted The Honey to be representation of different women through one person but as the series unfolded, Honey became an extension of Rendani so using her to portray more than one woman became difficult. Rendani started exploring different parts of herself: her softness, her hair and her electrifying love affair with Bra Gavini, who is portrayed by Kgomotso. The sweet escape that Honey provides has allowed Rendani to share her deepest fantasies, like having a thuggish boyfriend who rides shotgun in her gusheshe. However, her fantasies go beyond fast cars and bad boys. Rendani wanted to be a“model” and through Honey, she has expanded the connotations of the title and created a platform that allows her to be anything else she desires.

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    Photography by Khotso Mahlagu

    As a fan of their work, The Honey reached out to photographers, Andile Buka and Anthony Bila, to interpret their year of storytelling through a collaboration called the Honeyversay. “GO HOME HONEY” was the theme of the work that the collaboration was based on. From this theme, the idea to create a portal into Honey and Gavin’s home was born.

    So far every interaction with Honey and Gavini has been through a screen or a print. Rendani wanted to make Honey and Gavini tangible and personal. By stepping into their home, Rendani’s imagination becomes real, Honey becomes real.

    Urban Mosadi’s space on 7 Siweright avenue in Maboneng, Johannesburg currently serves as a portal into the happy home and the installation will be accessible through Aus’Honey and Bra Gavini until 1 March 2017.

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    Photography by Kgomotso Neto Tleane

  • IAMISIGO SS17 IDENTITY collection

    The striking fusion of audacious and minimal design aesthetic has been brilliantly executed again by designer, Bubu Ogisi in her latest IAMISIGO SS17 collection, IDENTITY. Delightfully voluminous yet playfully hugging the feminine frame, the construction of the shades of red, white and navy blue pieces are bound to Ogisi’s cultural heritage.

    The Identity collection is inspired by the Itsekiri people of Warri, a people who pride themselves of their food, dress and dance. The Itsekiri people’s famous tribal dance, Omoko, is the pulse of this collection.

    An Omoko dancer confidently enchants the crowd with a grand layered arrangement of scarves and bells tied around the waist while performing a unique waist wriggling technique.

    Reminiscent of an Omoko dancer’s ensemble, the pieces of this collection are beautifully layered with ruffles, bell shaped sleeves and the tasteful tying together of material to create various silhouettes.

    You can now freely indulge in the exuberant lookbook and fashion film for the IDENTITY collection. Moreover, the independent brand, IAMISIGO, which is primarily based in Lagos, has pieces available in its Johannesburg, Lusaka, Accra, Addis Ababa and Paris retail stores.

     

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    Lookbook Credits:

    Photography Joe Penney

    Production and Styling Compozition Studios

    Art Direction BOFC

    Model Ifeoma Nwobu

  • Bushkoppies: creating something from nothing

    The ideology of  the San people was rooted in egalitarianism and this is how they survived harmoniously throughout the wilderness of Southern Africa. Bushkoppies, a creative collective of individuals with a  multidisciplinary skill set, have derived their core values around those of the San people so that they too can survive in Johannesburg, their urban wilderness, as they hunt for creative highs.

    Bushkoppies collectively experienced their last creative high at the showcase of their Offshore clothing collection in late 2016.  The Offshore collection captures the serene vibes that are experienced when you are at the beach through its colour palette and style. For city-dwellers, this collection provides a sweet escape.

    Throughout 2016, the creative collection experienced other euphoric releases of creativity. In April, Bushkoppies established themselves as a creative house and their pop-up experience, which took place in June was their debut. The pop-up was a small beginning, which involved the reselling of rare branded items. Their desperate pursuit for independence quickly led to the launch of their first capsule collection titled “Bushboyz”. The anticipation for their next creative high is growing as they prepare for the release of the Offshore collection in March 2017.

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    Bushkoppies deliberately presented themselves through fashion first because of  the essential attention that their innovative and stylish apparel would grab. As they grow into themselves, Bushkoppies plan to enhance the delivery of their projects by showcasing the multiple disciplines that they have.

    There are currently eight Bushkoppies: Ketumile Malesa (Fine Artist / Fashion Designer), Siyabonga Myaka (Graphic Designer), Hloni Matjila (Photographer / Filmmaker), Sandile Madi (Film Producer / Filmmaker), Themba Konela (Visual Designer / Filmmaker), Lebogang Ramfate (Textile Designer), Kopano Lichaba (Musician / Film Director) and Sizwe Dube (Filmmaker).

    They each celebrate the unique combination of experiences that have built their collective skill set. The creative house are not in the business of creating boundaries for their capabilities; you could have attended an academic institution, gotten professional training or be self taught, as long as you are making something from nothing then the possibilities are endless.

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    “We are not trying to box ourselves. We are challenging the idea that you were supposed to go to school and done this amount of studying or you have to have worked for those kind of people to get there. We are redefining the path and it is too gangster, it is guerrilla, it is like we are MacGyver”, said Siyabonga.

    The lack of resources have compromised the vision that the creative house would have desired to bring to life but it is within these constraints that they have been able to tap further into their creativity.

    “You do not need to have a million rands in order to execute an idea. You do not need to be funded by a huge organisation. You do not need brick and mortar. You do not need a hundred thousand in order to start a movement. We are in a day and age where you can just have an idea and use the resources around you to convey your message. We honestly did not have much. We just approached the people that we knew and the small networks that we had and we have grown exponentially”, said Bushkoppies co-founder, Ketumile.

    Bushkoppies will be launching a website this year but beyond the stream of diverse content that they are creating, they ultimately want to be service providers. The creative house dream of being approached to shoot films, design collections and package ideas for individuals and organisations.

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  • The Future is Female: battling patriarchy, celebrating womanhood

    The birthing process for The Future is Female began when Vuyiswa Sipoko would painfully critique Sphilile Khumalo’s live performances when they were studying at AFDA. It was evident that they shared a passion for performance art but when they realised that they were equally interested in expressing female struggles through their art, the next natural step was to determine how to deliver the mutual vision they were housing within.

    “If we create a play then our friends are gonna come. My dance people, my theatre people, our friends and family, they are all going to come and see it. But then we were not creating for everyone, we are just creating for ourselves. The question was ‘how can we expand on this?’ ‘How can we create something bigger and gather different stories from people and then create one big theatre production?’ So that is basically how The Future is Female was born”, said Sphilile.

    Sphilile and Vuyiswa define The Future is Female (TFIF) as a movement, maybe even an ideology, that they believe needs to be adopted by all. “The point is to fight against something. If there is nothing to fight against, it means that everything is fixed and we can rest”, Vuyiswa explained. This “something” that the pair are fiercely fighting against is patriarchy.

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    Photography by Sabelo Gravity

    As young black females, Sphilile and Vuyiswa were naturally exposed to the stark inequalities that a patriarchal society breeds. The pair expressed how they desire for women to be given a chance and even in the unlikeliness that the chance results in failure, they still want women to be given a chance to fail instead of being bound within societal limitations.

    TFIF launched their first talk called, The Essence of a Woman, in May 2016. Sexuality, social media, colourism, culture, representation and relationships were discussed in the introductory gathering. Soon after, TFIF produced Define She, a video series which explored mother-daughter and father-daughter relationships. The series scrutinised the incorporation of strength to the narrative of black womanhood and how it stems from the pain and constant need of healing that is experienced while growing up. Following the video series was Flaunt your Flaws, a photo shoot which aimed to capture the diverse form of the female body and the uniqueness of each female body. These photographs were hang on the walls of the J&B Hive while sanitary pads and underwear with red paint acting as menstrual blood dangled from the ceiling at TFIFs second talk about the acceptance and ownership of the female body. Whose Vagina Is It Anyway was a conversation that revolved around the amount of ownership women have to their bodies. TFIF challenged the secrecy that females are forced into when they need to change their sanitary wear or defecate or masturbate. The talk aimed to tackle stigmas around the vagina and accepting the vagina as the complex powerhouse that it is. Lastly, Know Your Worth was a creators night with song, conversation and being taught how to tie a doek.

    TFIF’s success throughout 2016 nudged Sphilile and Vuyiswa to do more this year. “I do not know about limitations anymore. I do not like the word ‘limits’…we are limitless”, Vuyiswa exclaimed. TFIF have extended themselves to host their first festival this year. The festival, Because You Can, will be taking place later this month (24-26 February 2017) at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg. The themes for the festival revolve around the vagina and the female body, sexuality, mental and physical health, art, healing, financial independence, personal branding and entrepreneurship.

    tfif 2
    Photography by Sabelo Gravity

    “Vuyiswa and I carry the same spirit and we want our kids to carry the same spirit. We need to leave solid footprints that can be followed by the next generation. So we need to direct this spirit into what we are facing right now”, said Sphilile.

    In addition to the ceremonies of centred around female empowerment and liberation, TFIF direct their fighting spirit into an outreach campaign called, 12000 Pads. The initiative aims to collect sanitary wear for girls who are unable to afford the highly priced necessity. Instead of tickets, entrance into TFIF events is granted by a contribution to their to their sanitary pad collection. TFIF plans to eventually distribute sanitary wear to public high schools nationwide.

    “We are putting out a positive affirmation to women and saying this is what we are doing, this is what we can do together. It is about us saying to women ‘HEY you can…HEY you will…HEY make a change’ and if you repeat that enough to somebody, they will believe it”, said Vuyiswa.

    TFIF believe that they are both the revelation and revolution that the nation needs.

    Check out The Female is Future Facebook page to keep up with what they have planned for the rest of the year.