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.
Maputo based beatmaker drops an exclusive mix for Bubblegum Club while on a South African x Mozambican collaborative residency with Felix Laband and others.
Nandele is one of 6 artists currently participating in a cultural exchange residency between South African and Mozambican artists called Colagem Co! The collaborative residency is funded by Pro Helvetia JHB and kicked off on 26 June in Maputo. All the participants arrive in Johannesburg this weekend, where you can catch Nandele’s South African debut show at Kitcheners on 1 July. The event will be a real culture clash between MZ & ZA. Nandele will be playing alongside Felix Laband (post his Maputo-based residency), Mozambican born Dub Rui (WEheartDUB) and DJ Danger Ingozi. There will be live visuals provided by the artists on residency.
I had a quick word with Nandele Maguni to find out a bit more about this mix, his other work and what he is busy with at the moment.
Please tell us a little bit about this mix?
This mix its part of series I’ve been doing, the first one I launched on my birthday last year, so this one is the second one on the series and it was recorded live at a hip hop festival called “Amor a Camisola”. This mix its all about I’ve been listening to during the times, beats and songs that I listen in small get together with friends, its a great way to test new tunes so I can see how my friends react to the tunes.
How do your mixes/DJ sets differ from your live productions? Does this mix comprise of sounds that inspire your productions?
My mixing or dj sets are quite different from my live shows, it’s all music that I am listening to at the time and I want to share with the crowd. My live shows are more energetic and aggressive, it’s mostly driven by how I feel on the day of the performance. My dj sets are like compilations of artists that inspire me.
What will you be doing in Johannesburg this Saturday? What can we expect to hear at Kitcheners?
In Johannesburg I’ll be performing new material for my new album ‘Likumbi’ that is coming out this year and some new edits I’ve done so far.
At Kitchenersthis Saturday the crowd should expect a performance inspired by Makonde initiation rites which is the meaning of my album title ‘Likumbi’, so it’s going to be a very dark and a heavy experience.
This album was actually built on the fear I felt during the time I was initiated at Mueda village when I experienced Likumbi, so this will be the atmosphere of my music during my live performance.
When did you start producing?
I started producing 5 years ago, but I wasn’t sure of the music i was doing. When I was introduced to Ableton then everything changed. I don’t know why but I started to share my music on Soundcloud with odd names and with friends, sometimes on DJ sets at Dolce Vita, which is a pub in Maputo where I had a residency. It was just to see people’s reaction to the music. So I had positive feedback and then started working on my first EP Argolas Deliciosas (available at nandele.bandcamp.com).
What are your influences regarding your music and how would you describe your music?
My music is influenced by my country and everything that has had an impact on my life, whether positive or negative. My Makonde tribe for example was the main influence for my new material. But in terms of artists I am mainly influenced by Pretty Lights, Flying Lotus and Nosaj Thing.
You mentioned you have an upcoming album called ‘Likumbi’. Can you give us a little bit of information on that?
‘Likumbi’ is a very personal album. It’s about the initiations rite I went through when I was 12 years old, and the Mozambican political climate.
Its an album that has a different dynamic to my previous EP. It is more experimental and it draws on all of my musical influences from drum and bass, ambient music, big beat, trip hop, hip hop, trap, heavy metal and tribal chants.
Please tell us about your collaborative work with visual artist Ricardo Pinto Jorge.
Ricardo and I have been working together since his first exposition during a residency I curated for a spot called Arte no Parke. From that point forward we’ve been working together ever since. He is the designer for most of my projects, and at this moment I am creating the music for his upcoming exhibition Bits of Maputo which is going to be launched this year.
What else are up to at the moment?
At this moment I have been working on a project with different artists in the Maputo hip hop scene, working on my project The Mute Band – we’ve done some big festivals this year like Azgo and Bushfire, and at the moment we are working on our Rumble in the Jungle Tour. The Likumbi tour is also coming soon. But I am working actually right now on the Colagem Co! project which is a collaboration between Mozambican artists and South African artists. It’s like a dream come true because through this project I am able to collaborate with Felix Laband who is an artist that I admire very much.
Whats next for Nandele?
I am working on The Mute Band debut album, and the second installment for the Argolas Deliciosas. But I would like to tour in South Africa and the world so I’ll be working very hard to make that happen. I see myself collaborating a lot through the next years, and working on projects like making music for short films and contemporary dance pieces.
Stream/buy Nandele’s Argolas Deliciosas EP over at his bandcamp page, and find out more about the Colagem Co! project over here and here.
I fucking love Joburg but hell, the city is killing me! It’s a city at the epicenter of creative talent and cultural fusion screaming for recognition. It is here that Red bull music Academy (RBMA) decided to host one of its global music festivals at what for me is the heart of this amazing city of Gold.
The festival would last for 4 days with various interactions and shows held around and within the city Centre. Though such caused my mouth to water and my legs to shake, it would be the longest party session since my varsity years.
Felix Laband performs during the Red Bull Music Academy Weekender in Johannesburg, South Africa on September 2nd, 2016 // Tyrone Bradley/Red Bull Content Pool.
Day 1
I started my Thursday evening on a calm footing. The festivities would begin in Braamfontein. Parking turned out to be a nightmare as it was also First Thursday with galleries open and the food market in full swing. My car guard was especially chirpy that evening demanding that I first give him 20 Rands. He then negotiated down to 10 now and then 10 later once he saw that I wouldn’t budge. Business was booming that evening but he wouldn’t be getting any from me.
The Kalashnikov Gallery on Smit Street would be hosting the haunting urban landscapes of Elsa Bleda. Her exhibition entitled ‘Nightscapes’ features the side shots of Central Joburg buildings. The images of windows standing to attention in strict order with the walls under a silent evening glow. Washing lines drenched in laundry from lonely balconies. The warm light streaming from the night soaked windows seek to remind us of those quiet moments of solitude that happen in the urban sprawl.
Her photographs remind me of the quintessential Joburg buildings. On the outside effigies to a forgone history, that have lost their shine. But within the dense populous, individuals and intimate stories are at play. If we only just stopped and smelt the city fumes. These are ‘quiet moments’ I search for in the city.
Jazzuelle ft The Lazarusman performs at Kitcheners during the Red Bull Music Academy Weekender in Johannesburg, South Africa on September 2nd, 2016 // Tyrone Bradley/Red Bull Content Pool.
Day 2
It’s Friday! I have clocked out from my day job and I’m desperate to officially start the weekend. I’m super armed. Loaded with my press pass and drink tickets, money would not be an issue.
It was back to the city for me and I had dived into it on the deep end. Braamfontein was even more packed than the night before. The streets were buzzing and Red bull signage showed who owned the streets for the night.
I ended up in Great Dane hoping to catch Felix Leband live. I could barely get in the venue, thank God for my media Golden ticket. Sucked into the soothing electronic vibes the venue was the epitome of “happening”. You could barely see the walls. Leband was the conductor orchestrating a sea of heads. At this point there was no space for dancing, only the swaying limbs moving in time to the technic beat.
Okzharp and Manthe Ribane prepare to go on stage during the Red Bull Music Academy Weekender in Johannesburg, South Africa on September 3rd, 2016 // Tyrone Bradley/Red Bull Content Pool.
Day 3
By the third night I am an absolute wreck. I was but a specter of my human self. The night before it was not I doing the drinking but rather the drinks that were consuming me. I had to move on because this had been the night everyone had been raving about and the highlight of my festival, Fat Freddy’s Drop, were in town. I had a responsibility to my readers to push through the hangover.
The event would be hosted in what used to be the sheds that housed the electrics and services for the trams in the early 1900s. This would be the life blood to a budding Johannesburg. Then a mining town at the precipice of colonial forced “modernity”. Today this space has been repurposed to suite Joburg’s new developmental phase of Hipster Gentrification and all the fun and contradiction that comes with it.
Whilst recovering from a major hang over, my new best friend was a can of Red bull classic, the pungent smell of the holly herb seeps through. Its strikes me as ironic that such would be consumed on such an unholy site. The Johannesburg police station was right next door in full view. For those who know this stations infamous history, they call it John Vorster Square. But hey, it was time to party and my favorite local artists were about to show us why ‘Local is just so lekker’.
For me the best part of this all experience was getting to see Moonchild Sanelly in the sexy flesh. She is for me the next Brenda Fassie. A black woman unafraid of her gorgeous body, sexuality is her weapon of choice. It’s not enough to just buy her album (seriously go buy her album on ITunes now!) her high energy performance is the music. Her pop electronic is punchy as a mutha fucka but it’s her music’s deep hard base that keep her music grounded. A mixture of synth pop and kwaito, she keeps it raw on stage, unafraid to show you where the juice is.
I experienced one of those ‘quiet’ city moments from the security guard at the front of the stage. He honestly had the best seats in the house being 1m from Moonchild Twerking bubble butt. He looked like some one’s dad sporting with the facial expression of having smelt something foul. Moonchild’s intensity, her exuberance seemed to be the cause of his offence. What a moment of silent disgust, while Moonchild did her thing and her fans screamed her lyrics in joyous delirium.
For the Academy’s finale that evening Fat Freddy’s drop would be the band to release us into the final throws of the night. Having never heard this band before I can honestly say that they are the craziest and funkiest course in modern music theory I have ever experienced. The band, 7 oaks from New Zealand, who started their session with some reggae. They then threw themselves into a mellow dance hall track and then flung the audience into what can best be described as an intergalactic Disco fusion. A sort of meditative calling to an alien Diana Ross in the heavens. I could not help but dance. My legs were pretty much adamant at this point that I do so.
The ‘quiet’ moment of this evening was watching Toby Chang (aka Toby Laing) on an explosive trumpet medley, changing from slick cut suit to a fabulous pair of white shorts, white top and silver cape. I was in utter awe of his performance. He was in constant motion, his moves Juggernauting through the bands playing, his trumpet was just keeping up with the player. Man, was it a performance that I will never forget.
The festival ended for me that night and would have to continue without me that following Sunday. At Soweto Zone 6 the festival would host its final day. The highlights would include Oskido, Vinny da Vinci and Black coffee. My soul was ready but body was weak and there was no way I could contend with the barrage festivities but somehow I survived and now live to tell the tale.
The RBMA Weekender in Johannesburg was a testament to the great entertainment the city has to offer and is a must see for anyone in the city. It is also a reminder of its possibilities. It is not just a space for commerce but a space for creativity and the ultimate hustle for survival. The city of Gold is not for everyone and many do not make it through its relentless streets. As a young professional failing at ‘adulting’, I’ll be damned if I don’t get my piece of this incredible city!
Uppercut performs at Great Dane during the Red Bull Music Academy Weekender in Johannesburg, South Africa on September 2nd, 2016 // Tyrone Bradley/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20160903-00746 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //Mashayabhuqe performs at the Kitchener during the Red Bull Music Academy Weekender in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa on September 2, 2016 // Wayne Reiche / Red Bull Content Pool.Riky Rick performs at Zone 6 during the Red Bull Music Academy Weekender in Soweto, South Africa on September 4th, 2016 // Tyrone Bradley/Red Bull Content Pool.
