Bubblegum Club

Tag: Luca Williams

  •  Anaka– The Healing Energies of Creative Expression

     Anaka– The Healing Energies of Creative Expression

    Anaka is a creative with a magnetic portfolio and project repertoire to her name. The visual impression of her work is one of sublime distinctiveness. In her photographic world, off-centeredness reigns, non-traditional cropping (such as the metaphorical decapitating of heads) takes prevalence, and where there seems to be a thought given to the rule of thirds – the edges of the images bleed – a clear and intentional stylistic choice.

    Other defining factors to Anaka’s photographic work are the layering of imagery as well as the selection of models that draw on one another, strengthening each image that make up her selections. Her portfolio currently features work for Refinery 29, Ossé, Tony Gum, images of Cape Town based photographer and creative director Imraan Christian as well as images of musician Luca Williams, to name a few.

    Describing herself, Anaka states on her website that “I channel through the mediums of analogue and digital photography, film direction & editing; choreography and movement meditation; collage; & archival documentation in order to contribute to the healing energies that creation brings into this realm.”

    Identifying as a healer first, she expresses that she is a dancer second and a visual artist third. Utilizing her creative virtues in order to sustain the way in which Spirit lives within the creative process. With a multitude of clients and impressive likenesses captured by her lens, Anaka continues her message of healing in other ways with projects such as the ‘Silient Zine’ –  a physical and online archive of artists and their creations within a specific moment intended towards healing.

    Looking at Spirit and healing energies it is easy to mentally create an image of Anaka practicing meditational movement – and she does – for not only personal healing but for communal healing. A dancing child grew into the healer, dancer and artist Anaka is at present. Movement is an integral part of her being. It is a source of positive energy that she pours out onto the world, into her art and into her vision.

    Anaka’s portraits of artists such as Luca Williams and Imraan Christian indicate another interest – to archive African artists and artists working within the African Diaspora. An act that reminds me of an argument made by Susan Sontag in ‘On Photography’ where she proclaims that photographing anyone makes them important and lends celebrity status onto them. She contests that every person photographed is as important as any other person photographed regardless of their social standing – to photograph someone is to monumentalize them (Sontag 1977:31).

    Anaka wishes to highlight the importance of these individuals and their creative pursuits which is accomplished by the mere fact that she created an object from their likeness (a photograph sometimes altered by intervention into a collage). This has a deeper purpose however; the archival material hopes to decolonise the meaning of being an artist within a societal system of violence and oppression against people of colour.

    As her website states “Imagery is infinite” and outlives human mortality. Imagery created by her and her collaborators are put under the ‘Imagery is Infinite™ Ar(t)chives’ title and serves to hold physical and digital space in the world. This also promotes the idea of creating consciously. The title acts as a means to “document how artists are creating now in the face of colonization”.

    Anaka’s work can thus be regarded as a practice of inner healing as well as a broader healing practice towards the community she situates herself within. Her positive energy oozes from her intervention with already documented imagery as well as the power of her future and current vision is of evident prevalence.

  • Immerse yourself in the nuances of Luca Williams’ Sonecy

    Luca Williams is an energetic and passionate young artist from Cape Town who dreams big, and despite being affiliated with Cruel Section and Straight Feels, has already put into motion his plan to start his own record label. “Sonecy is basically the world that I place my music in and it’s a record label that I just started. The problem I’ve always had was that I’m not sure people understand the extent to which I want to take things and how wild and weird my ideas would be. I want to take responsibility for my vision,” Luca Williams says excitedly.

    Unpacking the name gives more sense to the world he envisions. “Sonic Prophecy. What the future is going to sound like. That’s the type of music I’ve been trying to make lately.” Taking inspiration from the groundbreaking French comic Métal Hurlant which influenced Bladerunner and Akira amongst others, Luca Williams imagines Sonecy as a bright world, filled with neon lights, where sound is synesthetic and music has colour. It is in this futuristic world that he creates his music.

    Photography by Mzonke Maloney

    With two EPs under his belt, ‘Just So You Know’ and ‘Someone, Somewhere’, his sound has been described as R&B, although that was never his intention. He would rather be able to define his own genre so that he can set terms and manage expectations. “If I say I make trap, you’ll say this isn’t Migos, this isn’t Lil Uzi. But if I tell you this is just nuance, that’s the genre I subscribe to. Nuance is anything that can fit into Sonecy, that lives in Sonecy. So it doesn’t have to be my music.”

    He has spent the last year working on his third release ‘Just So You Know 2’ and while the process has been challenging and frustrating at times, he believes dumping and reworking tracks is necessary in order for him to achieve what he is looking for sonically. “My mission in life is to make work that becomes referential. That’s what this year’s been about. I’ve been honest enough with myself to say that this is not going to become referential.”

    Photography by Luke Doman

    The upcoming release sees a slight sonic shift with elements of house alongside soul and R&B but maintains his futuristic outlook. “When people ask me what does it sound like I say it sounds like what I think the future will sound like.” Determined to make music on his own terms, Luca Williams is approaching the industry from an angle most artists don’t take, and won’t stop until he has made his mark on it. “That’s the one thing I see as one of my greatest purposes. To provide a certain sonic palette that is immersive.”

  • Orphan Street Clothing Shop – an innovative space defying mainstream retail experiences

    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.