Bubblegum Club

Tag: online magazine

  • Impossible is nothing for Landa Willie’s TWENTY Mag

    “Not so long ago, I got an amazing team together to start an online mag (only but a few of the crazy things I have done),” declares the opening line of Landa Willie’s editor’s note in TWENTY Mag’s first issue. And while most of us may agree that self-publishing is a crazy, risky business, the finished product only speaks to bravery, raw creativity and the drive to do something different.

    Despite ever-decreasing circulation numbers in print, the scourge of fake news, and the financial hurdles of trying to get a publication off the ground, there is no doubt that young South African readers are still asking for content made for them by them. TWENTY provides just that. In an intelligent balance between strong written content, interviews that let the characters speak for themselves, and the most luxurious Highsnobiety rivalling look and feel, Landa (and her amazing team) have produced something that shouts down every naysayer who says self-pubishing is a juice not worth the squeeze.

    The magic of TWENTY lies in its ability to be both pragmatic and hugely optimistic. While some of the content deals with the marginalization of black women and the difficulties around creative work, the tone is still incredibly uplifting. Drawing from Kendrick Lamar’s black pride anthem, the first issue was entitled We Gon’ Be Alright – setting the tone for an odyssey of content which says to the black creative that anything is possible.

    “I actually took a few months out to rethink and work on our brand identity. I mean in all honesty when we started Twenty, we did it out of passion and didn’t realy think about the project as a business. When we launched the first issue I realised how we can turn it into a business with the response it received,” explains Willie.

    Although the magazine has only produced three issues (with number four on the way), available on ISSU for free, there are the ingredients for a powerhouse product. Between minimalist art direction, careful advertising placement and content that reflects the mood of its young, black, creative reader, there is space for the publication to grow and evolve. And Landa has already got some serious heavy-hitters gracing the pages.

    From an interview with Creative Nestlings’ famed founder Dillion Phiri, to moody lifestyle and editorials featuring the likes of Manthe Ribane, there is no doubt that this team sits at the bleeding edge of cool culture. But instead of taking itself too seriously, it delivers an authentic browse through, with something for everyone engaged in the creative process. Landa shares her plans for the next issue, and has set her sights on going beyond the pages of the magazine.

    “One of the most exciting things I am currently working on is a BLVCK QUEER DINNER series with my partner. We will be hosting dinners to raise money for Queer people who has fallen victim to hate crimes, etc. We are hoping to help victims (especially in townships) and families with hospital bills, rehabilitation, funeral costs and more”

    You can find all editions of TWENTY on issu.com

    Credits:

    SisiphoSojola – Features writer

    InganathiMnyasane – Features Writer

    Meegan Mitchell – Contributor

    SibongileMditshwa – Creative Director (Issue #2)

    WongieMafilika – PR coordinator.

    Karl Ndebele – Creative director (Issue #2)

    KB Mawala – Creative Director

  • Sula Collective: an online magazine for and by people of colour

    Co-founders of Sula Collective, Sophia Yuet and Kassandra Piñero joined forces after meeting online while working for another online publication. Both being art majors, photographers and writers, their creative endeavors were bound to conjoin. I interviewed Kassandra to find out more about Sula Collective.

    Tell our readers about the name “Sula Collective”. How did the idea for Sula Collective come about?

    I came up with the name while brainstorming ideas related to literary figures of color. I was a writing and literature major at the time so that was where my main source of inspiration for everything came from- me referring back to books. Toni Morrison is one of the greatest writers of our time so by searching for her I came across Sula and it was the perfect fit.

    What has been the reaction to Sula by those who contribute to it and those who engage with it online?

    People are extremely supportive! We haven’t really faced any backlash which we’re extremely grateful for. A lot of people are interested in contributing to both online and print issues, but the enthusiasm for print is a bit stronger which is understandable – there’s nothing like holding your work in your own two hands. But all around everyone is just happy to be receiving representation for once which is what we’re most proud of.

    Tell our readers about some of the offline developments that have taken place since you started in 2015.

    We’ve only hosted two events personally which were picnics in New York and London, but we’ve attended many zine and print fests since then. We have also hosted zine making workshops and the like. We’ll be getting more into offline engagement this year!

    Photography by Ihab Amari

    Tell our readers about why you feel creative mediums offer an opening to the sharing of hopes, frustrations and experiences for people of colour?

    I’ve been writing since I was a little kid and at one point considered stopping because I had never read any books about Puerto Ricans, and that was the only life I knew. Once I got older and realized I was represented in literature and art I became a more confident person and no longer hesitated in calling myself an artist. So when Sophia and I created Sula that was something we wanted to give back to our communities. Kids and adults shouldn’t have to go to specialized sections to read about our own people. Whiteness should not be the default and we wanted to be a part of that representation. The internet today is the main source of information for young kids just beginning to find themselves, and Sula is a place where these kids can see others who are of the same ethnicity or nationality creating all kinds of work. That’s an extremely important thing for them to have as they are coming into themselves as fully grown human beings. All too often we come from homes where emotions aren’t shared openly as is common among people of colour, so to give people a place to vent and explore themselves as artists is an important thing. We want all types of art to be represented among us and not just the kind your middle school art teacher tells you is important. We are open to all mediums.

    Tell our readers about the importance of people of colour establishing a relationship with the online on our own terms through platforms such as Sula Collective?

    The relationships we have all formed through Sula are some of the closest friends we have ever made! I’ve met some of my best friends through this magazine and am surrounded by so many people who support my art and have helped me become a more confident person. We can’t stress the importance of community enough. Life is a lot easier when you have the reassurance that comes with a community who endlessly loves and supports you.

    What is the vision you have for Sula?

    Sophia and I hope Sula can become something much bigger than it is now. We’d love to expand to helping our communities in ways more tangible than we are now by hosting events and workshops and other things. We don’t want to give away too much just yet! We love being a magazine and we love being so focused in the arts, but we want to help be part of the movement and we’re brainstorming ways to do so.

    What are you working on at the moment?

    We just released our Spring issue and our next online issue will be out June 1st! We should have a two year anniversary issue out in September and maybe a special event to go along with it so keep your eyes peeled.

    Photography by Pinky Ortiz
    Photography by Amarachi Nwosu