M.I.A fans will be happy to know that the visit includes the screenings of the critically acclaimed documentary MATANGI/MAYA/M.I.A. Following its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival in January, South African audiences will be able to be the first on the continent to engage with the documentary that offers colourful insight into the origins of M.I.A., from her journey as an immigrant teenager in London to becoming a global star. Directed by her former art school friend Steve Loveridge, it includes personal clips shot by M.I.A and her closest friends over the last 22 years. Fans will appreciate this raw, intimate invite into M.I.A’s world.
In addition to the screenings, M.I.A will have two live shows in Cape Town and Johannesburg on the 7th and 8th of June respectively. She will be teaming up with some of South Africa’s own musical and performance gems. This specially curated selection of South African dancers, artists and DJs radiate the same feeling of fearlessness and presence that Maya Arulpragasm has presented throughout her life. The Cape Town collaborators include Angel-Ho, K-$, and Jakinda. The Johannesburg artists are DJ Doowap, Phatstoki and Dear Ribane. This selection of artists represents various genres and perspectives on performance.
Tickets and more information for M.I.A.’s live shows are available on the Black Major Selects site.
Cape Town
Date: Thursday 7th June 2018
Venue: Old Biscuit Mill, 375 Albert Road, Woodstock
Johannesburg
Date: Friday 8th June 2018
Venue: Newtown Music Factory, 10 Henry Nxumalo Street, Newtown
Next gen Cape Town Streetwear brand Youth 95 have collaborated with International playboy and DJ extraordinaire K-$ on a capsule designed to suit you and your parents. K-$ has always existed well within the realm of fashion and streetwear and who better to make the move into clothing production with, than his good homies Seraaj Semaar and Reagan Paulsen of Youth 95.
Having referenced casanovas, mac daddies and supalovers of old as the key influence on his style, persona and musical language it’s only right that the K-$ spin on Youth 95’s signature full piece tracksuit, jumps off of the playboy logo, used as the centrepiece to the crest of Playboy Football Club. P.F.C plays on both K-$’s love for football and the hold that the off-duty-sportsman look has had on everyone for a minute.Initially the capsule was created as a K-$ exclusive, a commissioned set of flight suits built specifically for comfort, but quickly grew into a capsule made available to the public. It includes tees sporting a reworked version of the of the iconic October 1971 cover featuring Darine Sterling, the first black solo cover star in the Playboy’s history.
The capsule drops officially and exclusively at Corner Store CPT on Friday 2 June – the drop marks a special occasion in the history of corner store, as the store will be adding a variety of new brands to their roster – Sadly, Young and Lazy will no longer be with the store as they move onto a new chapter in their story.
Hosted at YoungBloodAfrica‘s Beatiful Life Building, one of Cape Town’s cultural and artist hubs, the literary event In Light of What We Write pushed the parameters of how engagement with literature can be framed and presented. With a clear understanding of who they were creating this event for – “urban 18-35 year old audience and arts professionals” – the event organisers were able to execute the idea by making it accessible both in terms of form and content.
Poet, writer and arts project manager Linda Kaoma along with poet and co-founder of literary collective Neu! Reekie! Michael Pedersen, in partnership with British Council Connect ZA, co-curated the event. It was a showcase for “unique, experimental and experiential content” with the aim of illustrating the “accessibility of literature.”
I interviewed Linda to find out more about the event and their aim for accessibility.
You curated this project with Michael Pederson. Could you please share more about the two of you?
Michael and I have a long history of being associated with projects that are disrupting the literary scene in one way or the other. He is the co-founder of Neu! Reekie!; a collective that dismantles the structures and snobberies dividing high and low art, amongst an endless list of endeavors. I’ve travelled the continent recording and archiving poets, as well as managing and curating events such as the Badilisha Poetry Pop Up Shop. So, when it came to working on this event we had a lot of synergy, and any differences in opinion were easily solved. Michael only arriving a few days before the event was less challenging than I anticipated, we had a series of Skype calls, wrote endless emails to each other and relied heavily on Facebook Messenger to have quick check-ins.
You chose writers and poets who are quite well-known in the SA and UK literary space. How did you decide who will be a part of this project?
The objective was to present the event through and incorporating multidisciplinary art form and multi-media. The first thing we did was sort out artists who were multi-disciplined, such as Lidudumalingani, who is both a writer and photographer. We also wanted to include people whose writing was explorative and cross-genre, like SindiswaBusuku-Mathese. Her book “Loud and Yellow Laughter” includes poetry, prose, diary entries, photographs, and I found this combination made her work accessible and easy to decipher and digest. We included Hollie McNish because not only is she a brilliant poet, she has a ton of video content that we could use as part of the event. Each artist we chose fit the scope and rhythm of ‘In Light of What We Write’.
The event was described as a “showcase unique, experimental and experiential content to illustrate the accessibility of literature”. Could you please unpack this for our readers?
We wanted to present literary work in ways that are somewhat rare in the literary scene, and we wanted a sensory-engaging and emotionally-challenging experience for the 18-35-year-old audience. We included a video featuring a poetic interview between Koleka Putuma and I; Koleka answered my question with only excerpts from her poems and from other people’s work. Kayus Bankole used his body in a dance piece in moving poetic ways. Genna Gardini’s poem “Nipple Hair” made us laugh hysterically, whereas my poem “#blackgirldepressed” was melancholic for some. We experimented with lights during some performance, we had musicians, we included Braille for some of the exhibited work, and we asked our audiences to participate at the #whatyouwrite station. We really pushed ourselves as far out the literary box as time and budget allowed us to for‘In Light of What We Write’.
The event was made up of an exhibition and performances. What was included in the exhibition?
The exhibition consisted of a variety of work. Lidudumalingani showcased his photography alongside excerpts from one of his short stories. I worked with a graphic designer and visual artist who visually interpreted my poems. Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese exhibited some work from her collection that was accompanied by Braille. John Bryden from Eyes of Other exhibited some of his photography. The exhibition also featured a variety of video instillations.
Interdisciplinary practices within the arts, and even society in general, is one of the symptoms of post-modernism, pushing back at a modernist agenda which prioritised and celebrated specialisation and efficiency in the aim of industry and progress, therefore resulting in reductionism and fragmentation. (Artist, Makoto Fujimura’s writings on this have primarily shaped my thoughts on this condition) This means that, within the arts, roles were specialised and artists were to focus on art, and leave the business to the gallerists and dealers. And for some artists this was convenient and beneficial, but it could not be a system which works for everyone.
Restone Maambo in studio
Artist-led initiatives operating in the commercial gallery circuit therefore offer one exciting alternative model to the status quo. Gallery One11, which opened up in September 2017, is one such venture. A partnership between artist and curator Megan Theunissen, and business entrepreneur and director Marita Schneider, their aims are to align a strong business model with a sensitivity to well curated exhibitions and a more collaborative approach with the represented artists. Megan told me that the focus of Gallery One11 is to “encourage collaboration between artists, host constructive dialogue and allow for artists to remain engaged, and for information to be accessible for all whom enter our premises.” Megan also felt that her background in painting was an asset to her current position, although she did admit to having a small bias towards exhibiting painting. Discussing the position such a venture occupies in the industry, Megan claims there is room for more, stating that “Artist-led hubs can be successfully modelled further in SA if more people paid attention to them; many individuals that I know in this regard are intelligent curators pushing limitations and I hope more hubs will develop.”
Installation view: Gideon Appah (December 2017)
Ambitious in its inception, Megan and Marita have a vision for the gallery. They hope “to see Gallery One11 flourish into a platform that is outspoken and, with time, hopefully people will come to recognize the space for its great curation in Cape Town.” Their vision extends beyond their own space, acknowledging that “it’s important to initiate and develop, and [that] more like-minded individuals are needed to grow our local infrastructures. Collaboration is vital so we welcome as much of it as possible.” Upcoming shows include artists Brandon Boyd, Felix Leband and Louis De Villiers, along with a group exhibition opening on the 14th of March, titled ‘Don’t Have Sex : Exploring Sexuality, Censorship, Gender in Art.’
Diversity is essential for a system to flourish, and my hope is that others will embrace the challenge to carve out different spaces and create new platforms where there were none before, weaving new dynamic strands into the cultural fabric of South Africa.
“We are the future, for the kids by the kids,” states Antonio Druchen, one of the organisers of DOOMSNITE, a new party for young people in Cape Town. Antonio along with Qaanid Hassen, Naledi Holtman, Raeez Kilshaw and Likhona Camane created the event with the intention of gathering young people like themselves in one space for celebrating and connecting. Under the guidance of Crayons’ Ra-ees Saiet, they were able to host their first event on the 29th of January. Their hope is that this event will grow and become a space that represent creative freedom.
Reflecting on the time that sparked the idea for the collective, Raeez expressed that, “I felt as though we [had] all met before, in a spiritual realm.” This is representative of the kind of collective connection they have already created through their time together since meeting at a project hosted by Corner Store called Summer Camp. This was an apprentice programme for young up-and-coming artists in Cape Town to show them that they can cultivate skills in creative practices such as DJing, styling, and photography, and be successful.
The team refers to themselves as a kind of collective that also allows for each member to work on their individual practices independently too. This allows them to build a brand for their event, and offer each other support, without being completely absorbed by one project. Therefore, their collective is not exclusively about producing together, but also about providing each other with creative and emotional support. This is reflective of the direction that a number of people of colour from Cape Town are taking with regards to cultural production.
Influenced by underground, English-born hip hop artists MF DOOM, the team curated their first event around this. “MF DOOM’s ability to use music to portray many different characters reflects how music came first for him and for us, it’s the same thing,” explains Naledi. “Inspired by MF DOOM, we find beauty in creating a whole new world of intricate personas, vivid visuals and detailed bodies of music, all behind a mask,” Likhona expressed. Ensuring that the space was representative of the energy that has brought them all together – freedom, creative pleasures and wholesome music – their first party was explosive. Expressive visuals, music and dance coloured the night, and this included performances by Garth Ross and Guillotine Squad.
In addition to being a space for having a good time, the aim for the party is for it to be a platform that can facilitate networking between young people. This extends the party into an informal support structure.
Be sure to check out their next event in February at The Living Room.
Since the inception of Celeste Arendse’s fashion brand, SELFI, inspiration has lived in the wells of her being and each garment is testament to the childlike process of releasing inner self expression. This approach has catapulted SELFI into the top-tier of local fashion heavyweights and the firm grab of an international market. With SELFI evidently having a global consciousness, Celeste longed for a space where her brand could extend its expression. Much sooner than expected, SELFI organically moved into its flagship store, a space that allows the brand to breathe and take various forms of Celeste’s self expression.
Located in Cape Town, the idea was for SELFI’s flagship store to be a concept store that houses products that resonate with the brand and are also some of Celeste’s favourite things. You can find accessory brands like Githan Coopoo, who creates wonderfully shaped ceramic earrings, and Lorne, who creates titillating metallic pieces of jewellery. Ceramic homeware pieces from Dayfeels with illustrations that also resonate with SELFI’s aesthetic can be found at the store, plus body products and books. Obviously SELFI products can be found in the curated store. “It’s just an amalgamation of my brand and things that I love”, Celeste explained.
The use of natural materials is at the heart of SELFI and throughout the store Celeste uses a duality of materials such as concrete, rock, marble and a cornucopia of plants. “You are in something natural but you are in a building…the sort of gentleness of plants and hardness of rocks…and we burn incense every day. There are elements of just being in a space that is a sanctuary.”
SELFI’s flagship store is curated to perfection. Throughout the year, Celeste will be nourishing the brands aesthetic by representing parts of herself that are sure to resonate deeply. Be sure to experience the flagship store and find new collaborative collections and unique timeless pieces when in Cape Town at Shop 3, 199 Loop Street.
reads the first card in a stack held together by a rubber band and placed diagonally next to a pair of black sunglasses, which effortlessly makes up a frame on Anees Petersen’s evocative Instagram page.
The bravado of this statement fits something an underdog would say after they have won. Almost seven years ago, Anees started his streetwear brand, Young and Lazy, in Cape Town, South Africa and even though it looks like he is winning, it does not feel like he has won yet.
Anees’ ascent has grown him immensely as a designer. After being pushed in the right direction by his design teacher in high school, Anees studied fashion at Cape Town College of Fashion Design. He then opened a store with two other local brands and got his first job at Woolworths as a kids wear design assistant. Anees then got involved with “designer wear” at House of Monatic in the marketing department. He soon moved on to work closely for his South African design idol, David West, who unfortunately closed down causing Anees to work tirelessly at Unknown Union, where he got to show a collection abroad with trade shows in America and some pieces being sold in Japan and the UAE.
In 2012, Anees reverted his attention to Young and Lazy, now with a wealth of experiences in the design world and fashion industry. Anees had also been emulating other brands while he was still trying to find his identity and be secure within it. A solid source of inspiration has been his personal story and being the person he is, “where I’ve come from and who I am as a person, being a Cape Malay from Cape Town, you know, being born in the time I was born and to see the things that I’ve seen on a daily basis growing up in Woodstock when Woodstock obviously was not gentrified and I think for me that’s a story that is important to be told.”
Anees is also designing for his sixteen year old self. “I think for a lot of young Muslim kids from Cape Town…my hope is for them to be like, ‘fuck, you know, it’s actually cool to be Muslim. It’s okay to be into streetwear and all this stuff’…It’s okay to be proud of where you come from, embrace it, own it and use it basically as a thing to stand out.”
Young and Lazy is personal. It is not just a cool factory. It is a production that is built on Anees’ back. There is no process Anees is not involved in. It is all him. This DIY model ensures that Anees is felt throughout his brand. A couple of years ago, Anees even decided to pick a camera and shoot his lookbooks in order to capture details that hold the essence of Young and Lazy. His firm grip on his label has allowed him to learn intricacies of the production process and provide a South African brand that is sure of itself.
“I think Young and Lazy stands for those who do not conform to the norm. It’s about embracing yourself and being okay with yourself when you might not be the best. Like no one is ever going to be perfect and I think Young and Lazy just represents imperfection at its best,” said Anees. The people that fill up the frames of Anees’ Instagram page look like they have exhaled into themselves. It’s that work, the work that it takes to be yourself that gives Young and Lazy it’s inviting ease.
The authenticity of this brand attributes to Anees’ noteworthy achievements throughout the years. However, success means more to Anees. Success means being internationally recognised for design. Success means being the cornerstone of streetwear in South Africa. Success means being incomparable. Success means being celebrated for being yourself.
As Anees and I fantasise over being someone else, someone everybody surely wants to be, we ponder on how a life like Virgil Abloh’s is acquired. Anees attributed it to hard work and I can’t help but make links between him and Virgil. Earlier this year, Anees started DJing because “clothing is not enough”. There is no doubt of Anees’ genius as he expresses himself creatively through various mediums. Although subtle, Anees knows the value of everything he has to offer. Although slow, his steady pursuit to leave a legacy is likely.
Bubblegum Club and Globalize Yourself Stereo present the first guest mix Xee has done outside the Globalize Yourself Stereo platform in South Africa. I had a quick chat with Xee Tshomela, Cape Town based DJ, producer and co-founder of the GYS platform, to hear a bit what he’s been up to and what he has put together for us.
You mentioned that this is the first mix you have ever done for a South African platform? What’s special about this one?
Bubblegum Club has a fringe vibe and edge that I have a natural affinity with being in a similar space in my medium. So I knew I could curate unusual music without getting too much flack about taking such liberties sonically.
Can you tell us a bit about the mixes you have done before?
My first mix series was called Soundtrack to the City. I’d do an overview of the sounds that inspired me that year and put that down in a mix. Print and distribute a few CD’s, when Soundcloud came out I jumped onto that. I then started the GYS with Sakhile and Thulani in 2013. We were on our own in terms of social connectivity and access to creatives so the job of filing up the platform with content fell on my lap since I was the Dj component in the project. Luckily I had been collecting music since I was a teenager, a vast portion of which was unplayable at gigs due to the experimental nature of the music. I never stopped collecting this type of sound so when the opportunity to output came I threw everything I had into molding the GYS sound.
GYS have published about 400 mixes on Mixcloud prior to this? Please could you recommend a follow up GYS mix to play after listening to this.
Well I returned to playing Vinyl in 2017 after a decade break from the format and I must say I returned with a different sense of appreciation as I previously saw it as a medium which stored deep house and techno 12 inches at the time. I’ve now started collecting the wider ranges of sound that I was always interested in on Vinyl and also inherited a decent SA Free Jazz and Soul collection from my uncle to help me on my way. Sound really has a magical quality on the format so I recommend a set I played at Sunday Edition in Cape Town.
Please tell us a little bit more about Globalize Yourself Stereo?
GYS is a Cape Town born idea that came about from a need to give the Internet Age South African experience a unique voice in online radio. The show has always focused on juxtaposing African musical influences with various cultures from around the world. Creating a unique meeting point between the vastly unexplored African sonic landscape and similar spirited sounds from around the world. We now have stand-alone shows and branches curated by Dj’s in Vienna, Warsaw, Derby and Singapore.
What would you say is the best time of the day to put this mix on?
It’s a long and varied electronic music presentation so it covers different feelings or times within a day. The way I package audio is for it to suit a state of mind rather than any particular time of day. With that being said mornings and late afternoon (magic hour) vibes work best with this mix.
What percentage of South African music is there in this mix?
About 40% of the mix comprises of SA music and producers that are friends and collaborators that I’ve worked with or have future projects planned with so this is a friends of GYS showcase on the local and international front.
Lastly. Whatʼs next for GYS?
We had no intention of being a full on radio channel starting out so we now having to structure GYS as a standalone platform and service which requires extensive web and app development and also point it towards SA and the African continent more deliberately. So we are looking at branching out into the continent and diaspora to further explore what other interesting sounds and people lay hidden beneath the filter of mass appeal.
If you are in Cape Town this December, you can catch Xee playing an all vinyl set at Half Fool #1
Officially launching on Instagram in September, Jungli is run by Leila Khan and La’eeqa Mosamin in Cape Town. With their offering of hand-made products that span from tassel earrings to coin chockers, t-shirts and bright yellow sweat shirts bearing slogans such as ‘NO TO APARTHEID’, this brand has a powerful message.
The launch of Jungli was a process that required almost a year of planning and design experimentation. For the duo, their label began as a side hustle to earn money. They had witnessed multiple white owned businesses profiting off culturally appropriated jewellery and t-shirts printed with white feminist slogans as well as slogans appropriated from black women. “We thought we might as well be the ones to make money off of designs and fabrics from our own cultures and give people the option to buy less problematic t-shirts with strong political statements.” Before joining forces the duo were both designing and creating jewellery in their private capacities as hobbyists.
Currently studying law, they have expanded their craft with their Jungli collaboration. Leila expresses her creativity in a variety of practices stretching from drawing, painting and printmaking. Skills that she has built on since school and later at the Peter Clarke Art Centre. She still continues to build on her practice by means of self-teaching.
The word Jungli is an Urdu/Hindi word containing multiple meanings. The creators of Jungli tell me, “We got the idea from La’eeqa’s grandmother, who used to tease her as a child by calling her ‘jungli’, meaning ‘wild’. This word was also used in colonial rhetoric to refer to people from the subcontinent as ‘barbarians’ or, ‘savages’. For example, the Oxford Dictionary illustrates the definition of Jungli using the quote, ‘the East India Company decided that it could not allow its employees to go jungli, native’. It also lists ‘primitive, uncivilized, uncultured, uncultivated, uneducated, ignorant’ as synonyms. We are attempting to subvert this meaning by calling ourselves Jungli.”
Expressing that they have received a lot of support thus far into their joint venture, the team indicates that there has been quite some interest in their ‘no justice, no peace’ t-shirt. “It’s great because it shows that people rally behind and identify with this message.”
Jungli’s Instagram profile is not only eye-catching but unfolds striking, well curated imagery. Leila has taken various images on the account with both a film and digital camera. Images intended as advertising for the label are more than that, with messages that spread far wider than youth culture captured in an intimate frame lock.
La’eeqa and Leila look forward to a future of creating more t-shirt designs aimed at challenging complacency within wearer’s spaces with fashion. Taking on a different direction they express a desire to place an emphasis on mental health in the brand’s upcoming designs. “Generally, we want to keep making nice things for people to wear at a more affordable price.” Quality and affordability are of high importance to the up-and-coming brand. Keep a look out for what they have in store for you.
Cape Town’s fashion narrative has expanded to encompass a new phase within the increasingly world class city with the opening of Orphan Street Clothing Shop, on Orphan Street. The store launched on the 2 November attracting lovers of street style and modern-day chic alike. The idea for this new dynamic space came about from husband and wife duo, Matt and Molly Kieser. O.S.C.S houses the Maylee and Sol-Sol brands, designed by the pair individually.
Progression within the Cape Town fashion landscape has accelerated resulting in a more interwoven aesthetic with a distinct approach to design, textiles and imagined buyers. Features on multiple platforms such as Bubblegum Club, Hyperbeast, and Highsnobiety acts as forms of a testament to the accolades that Sol-Sol has received over the years. Explaining why South-African fashion-centrics and other street style fanatics over the globe regard the label not only as trusted but as one of our nation’s greatest.
Maylee might not be as widely celebrated as Sol-Sol regardless, but Molly’s designs show an intricate understanding of the need for minimal, quality clothing for women. The small scale of her brand is an indication of personal choice and adds a certain flair to every collection that is produced. Before the launch of O.S.C.S, Sol-Sol and Maylee have operated from the well-known Corner Store shop in Cape Town. A space of their own is not only a suitable step for both brands but also a welcomed decision that can be surmised by simply looking at the turn out at their launch.
The interior design elements of the new O.S.C.S store makes use of light colours, a few darker areas and earthy elements such as some small sections of marble which was tastefully implemented. All and all a minimal, uncluttered, pristine space prescribing to modern retail design aesthetics. The smaller store set up is removed from fast paced fashion retail that can sometimes be overwhelming. Not being a fan of crowds or packed spaces and an avid admirer of these two labels, I’ll be sure to pop by the shop when I’m in town for what I imagine to be an almost tranquil shopping experience.
The launch was paired with the release of their Spring/Summer ’18 collections showcasing one-offs, a few collaborative pieces as well as superbly constructed items. The launch factored for all elements that make launches great, progressively different styles for Spring/Summer ’18, Jameson Whiskey kept everyone’s pallets quenched, and DJ’s Luca Williams and Jon Laura took charge of creating steady energy for the event with their beats.
In O.S.C.S the Kiesers have created a space seamlessly toning their ambitions for these two, praise worthy South African labels. Creating a new frontier that compliments the already fashion swarmed district. I look forward to seeing the growth of this new space on Orphan street and what the future of Maylee and Sol-Sol have in store for its devout wearers.
Leal is a young illustrator and street artist from Johannesburg currently residing in Cape Town. Their choice of subject matter varies to encompass topics including human trafficking, marginalised bodies, their girlfriend Boni, their experiences as a person who identifies as queer, as well as gentrification within Cape Town. Their otherworldly illustrations, and intimate depictions of womxn and other marginalized bodies push a level of intoxication and begs of its viewer to consume more of the Copic artist’s drawings.
Leal’s interest in art was kindled after their sister was gifted plasticine for her birthday. Leal pocketed the malleable play dough and built tiny deer sculptures completed with the use of stick or berry noses. “Art became my way of communicating as a dyslexic and epileptic kid with ADD who was bad at sports and school. It was kinda the only thing I was good at. In high school, I began taking my craft more seriously without really having a distinctive style or consistency which reflects my entire high school experience as a queer body in an all-girls school.”
‘STEVE ZISSOU’
Leal expresses that the inspiration for their work often just pops into their head. Feelings and sounds are important triggers for such moments. Their lax style sometimes references pop culture as can be seen with ‘STEVE ZISSOU’, a piece inspired by Wes Anderson’s 2004 film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. “When I work on bigger pieces and there’s a lot more space for random things I tend to draw items that I would want to take with me to enhance the experience of an alien invasion/abduction like my bong and a pillow.”
Bright colours, lots of pinks. These are the predominant colours that play the part of identifying Leal’s pen flex skills. The use of pink in their work speaks to their gender identity. “Pink is a colour I strongly disassociate with because of its feminine connotations and the fact that my gender identity doesn’t really fall in line with what I used to think pink represented.” Leal has embraced the colour despite the feelings of discomfort they associate with it, believing that their choice to do so has empowered them, making their art more truthful. Leal thus uses the colour as a means to express their views in their work.
‘BABE WITH THE SAUCE’
With work that is often times fixated on their girlfriend, Leal expresses that she has been their muse since they met in high school. Another topic they often explore is the various elements that they take in when skating around the streets of Cape Town. “Something really harrowing is the spatial Apartheid in Cape Town. A lot of my work is inspired by the gentrification that I’ve seen since moving to Cape Town this year. I often portray places I’ve seen in Woodstock as alien landscapes.” The way in which Leal portrays these fictional alien landscapes makes reference to how they believe that the original inhabitants of this space view their home turning into something foreign.
The meaning behind their work surfaces in pieces such as ‘DIVIDED’, a personal work exploring Leal’s gender identity as well as the separation from their true self that they experience. A split head with a pink glass box lodged in between. Within the box there is a small blue human. Leal explains that the head is split in half by thoughts as well as outside perceptions of themselves. The blue person trapped in a pink box symbolizes them. “It describes the situation I find myself in now. If there’s anything I’d hope my work can accomplish, [it] is creating work that people can relate to emotionally, especially queer people who have experienced some of the same things that I have.”
‘DIVIDED’
‘NEON SEX .1’ forms part of a larger body of work exploring the sex trade by referencing Japan, one of the spaces in the world where transactional sex is openly advertised. “The sex industry in Japan is flawed in the sense that there are loopholes in the law as opposed to actual legalization and this leaves too much room for human trafficking. I have referenced actual images of the neon signs outside of sex shops to display how widely accepted the illegal buying and selling of sex has become in some parts of the world.”
‘NEON SEX .1’
Leal expresses that they feel strongly about the topic and recognises sex work as a valid form of work. They tell me that they stand with many in their intention to decriminalize sex work but that they denounce human trafficking and believes that this distinction is vital. “I want people to think about sex work critically and see the difference between the agency of sex workers and the dangers in criminalising their work.”
Leal’s work commands engagement. Even if you don’t enjoy it you’ll probably look at their Instagram to see more. This is due to the alien-like forms and subject matter that come alive in their illustrations combined with unnatural skin colours. The vividness and sometimes explicit nature of the depictions are images that stay in your mind after you’ve seen them. Leal’s lax style and potent hues invite you deeper into their visual claws. Prepare to be drawn into Leal’s sensitive and intimate illustrative world.
‘CATS FROM JAPAN’‘BLAZE UP SATAN’‘PEEP’‘SUCK MY STRAP ON’
Cape Town has been described as a union of culture, cuisine, and landscapes. “There’s nowhere quite like Cape Town, a singularly beautiful city crowned by the magnificent Table Mountain National Park. Human creativity is also self-evident here – it’s one of the things that made the city a World Design Capital in 2014. From the brightly painted facades of the Bo-Kaap and the bathing chalets of Muizenberg to the Afro-chic decor of its restaurants and bars and the striking street art and innovation incubators of the East City and Woodstock, this is one great-looking metropolis. The informal settlements of the Cape Flats are a sobering counterpoint, but these townships also have enterprising projects that put food from organic market gardens on tables, or stock gift shops with attractive souvenirs” reads a description of the city on lonelyplanet.com. The Cape Town creative dynamic is one which holds a lot of weight and to get a clearer idea of how this vista functions I spoke to a number of up and coming artists on the scene to get some insight. Taking into account what I have been told from a number of interviews it is clear to me that there is still underrepresentation within the city, it is still a space in which black and brown bodies often times feel excluded and a grueling hustle to make money takes place within the picturesque city that is usually painted as an idyllic space. Read more to find out what their opinions are.
Sara Lagardien is a young creative from Cape Town that first came to my attention when she modeled for adidas NMD. After this, she did an editorial for adidas Originals at AREA3 sharing the shutter release with Haneem Christian and owning her first editorial with carefully considered styling choices. She explains the editorial in the following words, “Through this body of work I aimed to challenge the perceptions that people have of young Muslims of colour and their Islamic identity which is often viewed through a very narrow and linear lens. I aimed to allow a space where young brown Muslims could exist in the context of Islam and mainstream discourses surrounding Islam and Islamic identity – where their identities and narratives are often erased, denied or delegitimized. Muslims that do not subscribe to the conventional and often conservative mold of Islam exist and we are here to stay.”
adidas Originals Editorial by Sara Lagardien | AREA3
At AREA3 Sara built a lasting bond with other young creatives that worked in the space and conceptualized Takeover: Bree Street that she shared the Creative Director role with Haneem Christian for. Now Sara has a lot to say about Cape Town and I would urge you to take note. When I asked Sara if she has seen any change within the scene and who she believes the leaders of the drive is she tells me that recently a vast amount of coloured and black creatives are taking ownership of their stories and showing it within their creative practices. “I think that this representation is extremely important in informing the way that young and aspiring creatives of colour choose to navigate through Cape Town’s creative scene.” Sara expresses that Dope Saint Jude, Imraan Christian, K-$ and Jabu Newman represent a shared reality in their work that she finds deeply empowering. She feels that there has been a shift in artistic direction for Capetonian artists and calls it a space of reclamation and the amplification of representation. She accredits this to young creatives of colour who are actively working towards change.
“It’s easy to say that the new creative wave in Cape Town is more representative of all the voices and people from various backgrounds when your voice is part of that new wave, but in reality – while progress has been made – we still have a long way to go. When we totalise the creative scene in Cape Town as being a definite group of specific people, it becomes easy to neglect so many young creatives out there – on the Cape Flats, in townships and in communities where people haven’t been afforded the access to opportunities and resources that I have been afforded and equipped with to aid me in changing the landscape of Cape Town’s creative scene.” In Sara’s opinion, young voices are being heard more than before but she states that it is a very selective group of people who are being heard.
‘Takeover: Bree Street’ – Photography by Haneem Christian
Justin February was the next young creative I spoke to that came into the public eye by modeling for labels such as Sol-Sol Menswear. Fast forward a bit into the future and we see Justin taking on photography and creative directing with his adidas Originals Editorial produced with AREA3. Justin expresses that he became mesmerized by Cape Town’s creative scene when street wear brands such as Young and Lazy; Sol-Sol Menswear and 2Bop came into his context. He expresses that the creatives leading the way for the youngins are people like Mathew Kieser, Anees Peterson, and Anthony Smith.
Justin, in agreement with Sara, feels that Cape Town creatives are creating work that speaks about their own realities with an intent to inform their viewers of realities that have previously been disregarded. “I think that shift that I’m talking about is because people are sick of not being heard and have found a great way to let people hear them.” Sara, however, feels that many marginalized groups within Cape Town are still not being heard or receiving fair representation in contrast with Justin’s statement that more people are heard through social media.
adidas Originals Editorial by Justin February | AREA3
Darkie Fiction is a relatively new musical duo who recently released their first single ‘Selula’ produced by Jakinda of Siff Pap. The group formed in Cape Town consists of rapper Katt Daddy and singer and cinematographer Yoza Mnyanda.
When asked about ‘Selula’ the group tells me, “Selula is a song about moving forward. It’s a challenge to look at life from a different perspective and realise that although you may not have everything you want, you still have some things. We made the song at a time where we needed that gentle reminder. It also speaks to how people place so much importance on things that don’t actually really matter. The song literally says that all it takes is cell phones, cigarettes, and champagne to make people happy.”
Their collective journey began at the start of 2016 at The Waiting Room where they were both preforming that night. They express that after some failed endeavours as solo artists, they united their talents in May 2017. The story behind the title of their group is one that I thoroughly enjoy. They tell me that the producer of ‘Selula’, Jakinda once said: “doccie fiction” referring to documentary fiction. The two musicians, in fact, heard “darkie fiction” and it was a name that really resonated with them. After growing into the name, it made sense to them as it speaks of a shared frustration with the South African music industry.
“The word ‘Darkie’ has derogatory connotations. What we want to do is reclaim the word and help to bring light to what it really means to be a young, black and proudly South African creative in the 23-year-old South Africa. We want to celebrate the things that nobody really talks about, the little things that make us darkies.”
Valuing their insights, I decided to find out what their views are on the Cape Town creative scene. The duo expresses that the creative scene in Cape Town has changed in recent years and that there is more integrated racially and socio-economically. They feel that more people are finding a voice and challenging various constructs as Justin suggested. They do however state that there isn’t much of a music “industry” within the city and that the only game changers really are visual artists.
In their opinion that correlates with Justin, young voices are being heard more than ever but they attribute it to the digital age and express that is not a phenomenon that is specific to Cape Town. “The days of making meaningless music or taking meaningless images are coming to an end.”
Photography by Hana Sho
Hana Sho is a young 18-year-old model, photographer and freelance creative from Cape Town. I spoke to her to get her thoughts on the scene. Hana as most of the creatives I have interviewed believes that there is a change in the character of the scene due to social media. She expresses that social media interaction is leading to more collaboration among creatives and that now, more so than before, established artists on the scene are willing to share their knowledge and collaborate with young emerging artists.
When asked about her if she believed that young voices are being heard within this space, Hana leaves me with this “Yes I do, you gotta listen to the kids, cause we know what’s good!” Hana speaks about the shift in artistic direction within the metropolis in terms of young creatives no longer focusing on a niche but instead pushing their creative talents into all of the platforms they wish to explore. She believes that this is aiding in bending certain norms.
“Because of this huge wave of new young creatives in Cape Town, there are more people speaking for those who are yet to discover their voices, and for those who can’t be heard. For that reason, I would hope that there is representation for everyone.” Unfortunately, as Sara noted there are still many artists who do not get to raise their voices due to the lack of opportunities awarded to them.
Photography by Hana Sho
When asked about the unity that seems to persist within the Capetonian creative vista the up and comers tell me that the scene has a tendency to revolve around cliques. Darkie Fiction expresses that it’s about finding your closed network and working together to reap benefits. “The clique thing needs to be dismantled because if we all, truly, worked together the city would stretch way further.” They express that there is a lot of support and competitiveness within the space, a sentiment that Hana and Sara both share. Justin says that people within the space become like a family and do “a lot of cute shit” together. Sara expresses that having her group makes the space more accessible and less intimidating.
I asked these young artists to explain the immense versatility among Cape Town creatives who seem to be able to delve into various creative disciplines. To this Darkie Fiction expresses that due to the space being so small you are always faced with its versatile creativity. They describe it as mixed veg as many people from various origins settle within its parameters. “It’s a very inspiring place to be, there’s a lot to take in all at once.”
Darkie Fiction – photography by Giorgi Young
Sara tells me the following on the topic, “The immense versatility amongst Cape Town creatives is also something that has been cultivated and encouraged by the pioneers of the scene and those who are now mentoring the younger generation of creatives. I also believe that it is our responsibility to do justice to the efforts of those who came before us by allowing our own paths to be informed by the knowledge and lessons gained from their paths.” Justin is in agreement with Sara and expresses that as young creatives they are exposed to a variety of creative outlets that they try and master and make their own. It seems to be a case of fascination and intrigue that turns playful exploration into a more serious art form within this space. Hana expresses that it originates from a DIY mentality that evolves into becoming good at various facets of creativity in agreement with the statements above.
When I came to a question formulated from observation regarding why it seems that creatives within the vista cultivate their careers as models I received some interesting replies. Sara expresses “While I can’t speak on behalf of other Cape Town creatives because I don’t believe that everyone’s creative careers start off as being a model, I can speak about and from my experience. For me, entering the creative scene in Cape Town as a model allowed me to enter a multidisciplinary world that I had never had prior exposure to. Modelling allows one access to the worlds of photography, styling, art direction, makeup artistry, set design and the like. It was in this space – being exposed to a broad creative world – that my creative journey and aspirations were birthed.”
adidas Originals Editorial by Sara Lagardien | AREA3
Justin feels that it comes from name and face association which aids creatives in already having been heard of by the time that they might feel so inclined to pick up another artistic outlet. Hana again tells me that it is something she has not given a lot of thought to but for her, learning both sides of the lens has thought her a lot and her modeling undertakings help her pay for her camera addiction tendencies. Modelling within this space can be seen as a foot in the door and perhaps not so difficult with brands such as Sol-Sol who scouts young creatives as well as the fact that My Friend Ned is based within the vicinity.
I asked the group about opportunities for creatives within the city and Darkie Fiction tells me that there are not enough and that you can only go so far within that space. “There’s a cap, especially as a black creative.” Sara expresses that opportunities exist in Cape Town but that it is a case of who you know to “get in”. Justin and Hana feel that young creatives should create their own opportunities. I agree and half disagree with the statements received for this question as I can easily believe that there aren’t enough opportunities for young creatives within this space. I do however feel like there are more than before with spaces like AREA3 that is aiding young creatives in their paths and yes, you can make your own opportunities but taking into account what I have been told, I believe that the scene is in favour of visual artists more so than musicians.
adidas Originals Editorial by Justin February | AREA3adidas Originals Editorial by Justin February | AREA3
