Bubblegum Club

Tag: performance art

  • Discussions on survival as an independent artist in South Africa

    Discussions on survival as an independent artist in South Africa

    According to the World Economic Forum 15-20 million young Africans are expected to join the workforce every year for the next three decades —begging the question; what opportunities will exist to allow these young individuals meaningful work; work that is challenging, impactful and unexploitative.

    Surviving as an independent artist has always been a particularly difficult endeavour. In an increasingly difficult economy thronged with high levels of unemployment and competition, artists find themselves at wit’s end on how to survive while earnestly pursuing their work.

    The 2018 South African Wealth Report estimates the global top-end art market for African Art accounts for US$1 billion, of which US$450 million (R5.5 billion) is held in South Africa specifically. The report estimates that South African art prices have risen by 28% over the past 10 years (in dollar terms) far above the 12% rise in global fine art prices. However, the manner in which this creation of value is distributed remains skewed — with very few leading artists at the top; Irma Stern, Maggie Laubser, JH Pierneef, Alexis Preller, Gerard Sekoto, Hugo Naude, William Kentridge and John Meyer. It is unfortunate that the art world mirrors the rest of society in terms of how value is created and how the cake is divided.

    What are the tenets of a sustainable career in the arts? In which ways are artists at differing levels of experience and “success” sustaining their careers and their lives? Through engagement and conversations with artists across various mediums and platforms; from those who recently left art school to those with decades of experience in the art world, (specifically fine artists practicing in photography, filmmaking, painting, printmaking, performance art and writing), I fill in this context and my own observations.

    What instantly became clear is that pursuing a career in the arts and opting to remain independent requires dedication and commitment and should be inspected through the lens of entrepreneurship.

    The blended approach

    Many artists opt for the blended approach in terms of how they make money. They seek to work with a range of brands and corporates over and above passion and personal projects. Many are open to part-time work as well as other work outside of the industry as a strategy to supplement income; this ranges from tutoring, baby-sitting, retail and working for institutions and galleries.

    A stable source of income is seen as an important component to creating more spaciousness as they work on strategies for a more scalable income.

    “The secret to working part time is finding something that grows, teaches and inspires you. Outside of film my first career opportunities came from galleries to create performance artworks – specifically avant-garde Hollywood-genre immersive narratives.” – Emma Tollman (writer, singer/songwriter, actress).

    In the same light, some artists are able to fully fund their work and their lifestyles without needing to supplement with additional work.  Factors such as; length of time spent in the industry, visibility and a substantial portfolio contribute to where artists find themselves on the part-time/full time artist scale.

    “I try to balance freelance and corporate work. Corporate always pays better and on time, but it is often not the most exciting thing. Freelance is often great because you have the luxury to pick what you want to work on.” – Lidudumalingani Mqombothi (writer, filmmaker and photographer).

    Additional avenues which can provide a source of income include residencies, prizes and grants from art institutions as well as the government.

    Understanding the market

    Artists feel the pressure as they tug between making work that is commercial and work that is more honest, a constant negotiation between authenticity and relevance. Commercial work sometimes results in overproduction —prioritising sales over growth and experimentation.

    A key observation is that South African art buyers tend to be rigid in terms of what they’re looking for; there are very specific narratives and aesthetics that the market is interested in, making it very difficult for more conceptual and experimental artists to succeed financially.

    Brands and corporates are also less open to risk; they gravitate towards artists that already have a strong following and a certain level of visibility —a popularity trap that results in brands approaching the same “trendy artists”.

    “Usually those spaces are looking for trendy or cool people or work that is ‘accessible’ in ways that one can exploit the term. There’s a particular aesthetic that such commitments require.” – Nyakallo Maleke (multidisciplinary artist in installation, printmaking, sculpture and performance).

    It is difficult to conclude with certainty what factors exactly will result in success. Is it the quality of the work, social capital, seizing opportunities as they occur or merely an air of celebrity? However, we speculate that some level of awareness of industry dynamics and politics allow different artists the ability to navigate with agility and to plan around ways in which they can approach opportunities.

    “By grade 12, I was already selling designs and charging consultation fees, I started exhibiting my work in my second year — that became one stream of income. I think diversifying my practice has also helped financially.” – Banele Khoza (Visual artist).

    Administrative competence goes a long way in ensuring a more professional art practice, which often has a bearing on the type of work and clients artist work with. Quite simply, these include:

    1. the ability to price work fairly and appropriately
    2. client acquisition strategies
    3. securing a reliable support team
    4. sending quotes and invoices on time.

     

    Artwork by Banele Khoza

    Thinking for the future

    Sustaining an art practice requires investment through time, mentorship and training. A contested issue among artist is the idea of working for free — while some artists use this as a long-term strategy to build a considerable portfolio, others refuse on principle. A resistance towards the exploitative nature of brands, corporates and institutions.

    “Sometimes you need to weigh up your options and see what would be sustainable for you to gain; what would be beneficial as an opportunity in the long run. Sometimes you need to turn down a gig, especially if the client wants to underpay you or doesn’t see the value in what you do. It’s also okay to take a break to work a 9-5 so that you can plan further for your future and really focus on where you want to be after that.” – Nadia Myburgh (recent graduate and photographer).

    A key theme that emerges is the importance of saving; many of the artist we spoke to mention this is a key learning area in their journey. Saving allows greater freedom where a highly unpredictable and precarious income stream is a reality.

    “I’ve learnt along the way to always stay true to what I want to achieve and to let go of fear. I was afraid of how long it would take me to get on my feet without a 9-5 or how I would be able to sustain myself. Sometimes you’re held back by financial constraints as well as time constraints but also by fear. I’ve learnt that I need to be fearless and brave.” – Malebona Maphutse (Printmaker, photographer and filmmaker).

    Artwork by Malebona Maphutse

    Social Media to generate professional currency

    More and more artists are embracing social media as a way to enhance their marketability and reach. They continue to use social media (to varying degrees) as a way to make their work more accessible while drawing in new audiences. “Social media and galleries play an important role in exposing my works to potential buyers; both local and international.” – Themba Khumalo (Visual Artist).

    Social media is often the vessel through which many collaborative efforts are cultivated. Artists are pointing to the importance of learning and growing together whilst also alerting each other to opportunities that can be financially beneficial. They are pointing towards ideas of honing your skill and making yourself more marketable and thereby creating a competitive edge.

    “Collaboration creates space and a platform for people to share ideas and tackle difficulties. But I think it’s difficult when we are still obsessed with this myth of the genius, we idolise creatives and put them on a pedestal. I think that can be a hindrance to collaboration. You kind of [have] to do your own thing and benefit from it alone, monetary or otherwise, but there is something to be said for collaboration. You can create a bigger network in that way.” – Nikita Manyeula (Masters student at the University of Witwatersrand).

    Through this process of conversing with artist about the often, unnamed pains and joys of building a sustainable art practice, I was able to gain some insights into the different possibilities of navigation. Although there are no easy or guaranteed answers, keep in mind the key takeaways; be patient, save money, understand the dynamics of the industry and invest in the work. I am inspired by the idea of celebrating small victories as a way to sustain energy and passion – a simple concept that allows emotional and mental wellbeing.

    Artwork by Themba Khumalo
  • Russell Bruns – Shane Malone and The Art World Hustle

    Russell Bruns – Shane Malone and The Art World Hustle

    The Instagram of Shane Malone is a portrait of a delusional hustler. Permanently dressed in a suit, shades and a gold chain, Malone presents himself as a well-connected European art agent- always on the move, always making deals. But the evidence on his own timeline suggests a very different story. He awkwardly exhibits photographs in subways and in front of bemused passengers on cramped economy class flights. A picture of him with a poster of Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski makes the outrageous claim that the soccer superstars “requested a private viewing before the World Cup and I managed to squeeze them in”. And yet in the midst of all these fantastical boasts, he only lists one actual client in his illustrious stable- the South African visual artist Russell Bruns.

    Fortunately, rather than a real person living a clearly fabricated life in public, this gaudy character is a creation of Bruns himself. Trained as a lens-based artist, his practice to date has used photography and video to, as he puts it, “defamilarise everyday life”. Projects like Candyland, an exploration of the unspoken prejudices of South African academia, revealed the hidden ideological structures we take for granted as we go about our days.

    But with Shane Malone, he has inverted his usual practice, using his everyday life as the character to defamiliarise photography itself. The crass salesman persona was inspired by past personal experience. “As long as I can remember I’ve been involved with some kind of selling, from door to door sales when I was a kid, to being heavily involved with an evangelical church in my teens selling the gospel to anyone and everyone”.

    The mixed emotions produced by such experience has been a fertile creative ground to explore. “Initially the roles would terrify me. However, I eventually grew to learn from them as they provided me with this strange, almost half-speed, way of seeing and engaging with my surroundings. These observations would feed into my photographic practice, but I never considered engaging with the performative nature of sales as a device up until now”. More specifically he’s found himself inspired by the often uncomfortable experience of having to sell himself as an artist, and the cocktail of entitlement and self-loathing this inspires.

    In the spirit of defamiliarisation, I also “interviewed” Shane himself.

    Shane, do you feel like you are the art equivalent of influencers and disrupters like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk?

    No, I think Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk are the tech equivalents of Shane Malone.

    What is the Shane Malone philosophy?

    Sell or be Sold.

    How do you choose your exclusive client list?

    By looking at their financial statements.

     

    Through this gauche mouthpiece, Bruns shows us how truly bizarre our cultural obsession with selling ourselves has become.

    Keep up with Shane on Instagram.

  • Maria Metsalu // the power of performance art

    Maria Metsalu // the power of performance art

    Maria Metsalu graduated from the School for New Dance Development in Amsterdam in 2016, and takes on the joint roles of artist, performer, choreographer and facilitator. Her practice has evolved from her working as a solo artist, to one in which she works collaboratively, often facilitating other artists in her work. She combines music, collage, voice, and movement in what shares both offline and online.

    Metsalu is aware of how the space in which she performs affects the way it is received. Her live performances take place in varying spaces, and Metsalu is conscious of how these spaces influence not only who will attend, but the way in which what she creates will be ingested; how audiences will react and how much time the audience will spend engaging with the work. “In general, I like to be given the possibility to show my work in many contexts and spaces because each different experience will keep informing the work further,” Metsalu explains in an interview with AQNB.

    Her work invites a kind of self-reflection for the audience, one in which viewers uncomfortably interrogate the tension between wanting to view, and a shyness about that desire. Therefore, her work engenders an attentiveness from those who view or experience it live that has a presence on its own.

    Photographs of ‘Mademoiselle x’ by Alan Proosa

    Mademoiselle x is one such work that demands this self-reflection. It is based on a semi-fictional character named Mademoiselle x who is convinced that she is a decomposing body. Despite this, she strongly believes that she is immortal. In this work, where the character occupies a kind of in between space, questions around what is possible, what is “too much” and what is the ending or beginning come to the fore.

    Metsalu is also the co-founder of Young Boy Dancing Group, an evocative dance collective which explores similar themes to Maria’s own practice, such as voyeurism, interaction, and the power of movement. The group also challenges perceptions of gender and sexuality, and pulls apart the limits of institutionalized spaces.

    To check out more of Metsalu’s work visit her website.

    Young Boy Dancing Group
  • CUSS Group and 1.1 to present new surreal performance ‘Why Die to go to Heaven’ at Alt_Cph 18

    CUSS Group and 1.1 to present new surreal performance ‘Why Die to go to Heaven’ at Alt_Cph 18

    Alt_Cph is an independent exhibition bringing together selected contemporary artist-run and alternative exhibition spaces across Europe. This year there is a dedication to presenting new performance art.

    Beginning today and taking place at FABRIKKEN for Kunst og Design in Copenhagen, Alt_Cph 18 will continue until Sunday. The idea for the exhibition is that it will be in constant development throughout its three day presence. Each performance will leave an artefact or mark behind, as an acknowledgement of what took place. In this way the exhibition will have various artistic components that will culminate into a complete, frozen form by the ending of the exhibition on Sunday evening. Tying the displayed content together is Alt_Cph 18’s design – a giant metal grid and bright pink floor making up the body of a large living sculpture.

    Art platform 1.1 will be participating in this year’s exhibition in collaboration with art collective CUSS Group. The collective will be presenting their new performance Why Die to go to Heaven – an open-ended and surreal work that re-stages one of the most iconic camera tricks employed by Vukani Ndebele, a Durban based filmmaker who specialises in lo-fi horror movies.

    In conjunction with the exhibition is a programme of talks, lectures and seminars presented by artists and theorists with a theoretical focus.

  • Swiss electronic composer Aïsha Devi to release new Album

    Swiss electronic composer Aïsha Devi to release new Album

    When I opened the link for Swiss electronic composer Aïsha Devi‘s ‘Mazdâ‘, I had no idea that I was about to be yanked out of space and time. The song stretches her vocals to breaking point over deep, stabbing synths. This alluring music scores images of a lysergic dance of uncanny bodies, Buddhist icons and lush vegetation shrouded in smoke, taking place in what looks like a decadent ceremonial chamber. I felt completely disoriented- was this heaven or hell, from the forbidden past or some savage future? It was both enticing and sinister, and hard to tell if this was an amazing piece of performance art or the final orgiastic blowout of a doomsday cult.

    Recovered from this synaptic assault, I discovered that the video accompanied her 2015 album Of Matter and Spirit, with the visuals being provided by the transgressive Chinese artist Tianzhuo Chen. The ritualistic intensity displayed in the video was not merely an impressive spectacle, but central to her artistic project. She uses her powerful vocal range, veering from the angelic to the guttural, and bone crunching beats to summon collective spiritual experiences. As the title of Devi’s latest track ‘Inner State of Alchemy‘, from the forthcoming DNA Feelings (available in May 2018) suggests, she is looking for nothing less than the hidden gold of the human spirit.

    Album Cover by Niels Wehrspann

    Born in the Alps, and with Nepalese and Tibetan roots, Aïsha Devi’s current work was inspired by a deep period of personal questing, with her immersion in meditation and ancient knowledge culminating in a transformative experience in the Tunisian desert. Alongside her solo production, Devi is also one of the founders of the Danse Noire label.

    Her upcoming release is sure to put her at the forefront of artists exploring a post-club space, where electronic music becomes a key to unlock what her new album calls the Hyperlands of human consciousness.

  • Gabrielle Goliath’s ELEGY // a deadly sonic experience

    I am certain that it is impossible to shake off visual artist, Gabrielle Goliath’s, ELEGY performance. It has been weeks since I was part of the audience and I am still haunted by the memory.

    The chatty room fell dead quiet as the seven operatic female singers dressed in all black walked in single file towards the almost cubic stage.

    The first singer in line stepped onto the stage and began to sing the single note that was passed on to the next singer as she stepped off and the other stepped on.

    The B natural note that was sustained throughout the hour-long performance resembled wailing.

    As the performance taxingly progressed a singer would silently leave the line and stand to form a circle around the audience until only one singer remained.

    Once the remaining singer joined the circle, they collectively exited the room.

    Just like that we partook in the ritual of mourning that had been enacted by the seven black operatic singers.

    Sobs now added to the soul-stirring silence.

    The presence of the absent individual was hefty.The absent individual being a dead black girl, a dead black girl whose subjectivities were fundamentally violated and consigned her to a generic, all-encompassing victimhood.

    Goliath’s ELEGY ceremoniously takes this form. The life of a South African woman, trans or non-binary, that was raped and killed is commemorated. At the performance that I attended at the Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre in collaboration with the Goodman Gallery, we commemorated the life of Karabo Mokoena, a young black woman who was murdered by her former lover.

    ELEGY like most of Goliath’s topics is loaded. Goliath grapples with the problematic of the representation of violence, pain, suffering, trauma and the narrative of others and of another. There is a profound delicateness in Goliath’s imaging, sounding and writing about these sensitive topics. Goliath strategically works around the violence to create the affective impact her audiences are left with.

    Through ELEGY Goliath created a moment where loss became a site for community and empathetic cross-cultural and cross-national encounters. During the Q&A after the performance, the audience was evidently distressed because the performance did not provide a means of catharsis, which was deliberate. Goliath made us personalise a traumatised black body instead of routinely objectifying it.  A distinct decolonial and intersectional space is created during ELEGY, which presents mourning as a social and productive work. ELEGY gives to those who have not been given a moment and plagues us with the irresolution of gender based violence.

  • Cape Town’s New Creative Dynamism | Who is at the heart of the hustle?

    Recent years have seen a creative boom within Cape Town. There is an energy of innovation afoot and this city’s creatives have the game locked down. Playing their cards with calm calculated steps they are pushing the boundaries and making a change within this creative climate. Identifying four of the individuals who have been integral in driving this new-found energy I spoke to them about their approach to success in an industry were the hustle means your survival. From one of Cape Town’s most intimate photographers to the creator of Booty Bass, the founder of Young & Lazy as well as a ceramic jewellery designer. What sets them apart is their ease within themselves, their passion for the game, their eagerness to mentor younger generations, their hunger for change and their inspiration found in one of the most beautiful coastal cities in the world. My pick showcases creatives laying a fresh foundation for future generations to come.

    Photography by Jody Brand

    Jody Brand

    Jody Brand was born and raised in Cape Town and has a background in History and Media studies. With an intention of becoming a journalist, her initial styling and shoots were merely a fun past time. After assisting Richard de Jager she came to the realization that she wanted more ownership of her images that catapulted into a shift in her focus. Jody became known within creative circles for her photographic depiction of South African youth culture and has worked as a production manager for renowned South African artist, Athi-Patra Ruga.

    Since her inception into Cape Town’s creative boom Jody’s lens has matured with her and her initial claim to fame has evolved to address problematic narratives. This year saw Jody’s solo exhibition, ‘YOU CAN’T KEEP A GOOD WOMAN DOWN‘ at the STEVENSON gallery comprising of photographic work, installation and performance art.

    This arresting body of work addresses standards of cis-genderedness, whiteness and able-bodiedness. Questioning them and regarding them as despicable in their violence against different ways of identifying and being. One of her works in the exhibition is a digital print on fabric with the following words pigmented on to its surface “Come celebrate with me that everyday something has tried to kill me and has failed”. A powerful statement acting as a synopsis of her message.

    Celebrating black beauty and rejecting western beauty standards it speaks of the difficulties that marginalized groups of people face within our socio-political context. Jody’s photographic eye is known for its candidly raw and instinctive nature has shaped itself into a calculated lens unfolding a carefully articulated narrative. Shining light on the truth of a narrative Jody comprehends as it acts as a self portrait of its capturer. Jody’s work is a response to our violent past as well as the malevolent nature of the photographic image itself.

    ANG

    ANG is originally from Johannesburg and has set herself apart as a DJ, radio host, promoter and artist manager. Her initial captivation with sound leaned itself more towards technicality than creativity. Her childlike curiosity pushed an increasing desire to comprehend the finer workings of things. “I would disassemble my boombox at least once a week, inspect all the parts and put it back together.”

    Studying as an Audio Engineer she became absorbed by everything relating to sound and practiced as a sound engineer after completing her studies. Her shift from there into venue management branched into a DJ career. As a DJ she naturally progressed into online radio hosting with her own show on Assembly Radio.

    “I actively pursue creating the spaces I didn’t have the privilege of enjoying when I first started playing. That has been my approach to my career from the outset and what has attracted other artists to working with me.”

    Known for the genre Booty Bass that was born from her desire to give a succinct answer when asked to define her electronic music. She states, “The characteristic that got me the most attention was my defiance of genre constraints.” Booty Bass is a multi-genre, influenced by hip hop and RnB. It can be defined as bass driven dance music. “So whether its 4×4, 2step or club music it all makes your booty pop.”

    Recently ANG has been named the head of SHE SAID.SO South Africa, a division of a larger global community of women from different branches within the industry working towards equality and the upliftment of women in music.

    Anees Petersen

    Reigning from Woodstock, Anees is the founder of Cape Town’s Young & Lazy. One of South Africa’s most compelling streetwear labels that was established in 2009. Completing his studies at the Cape Town college of fashion design, he knew from as young as the age of 10 that he wanted to be a fashion designer.

    “My passion was always the construction of a garment. Coming from my background, how you presented yourself told everyone what your status was. Dressing well and caring about what you look like became everything and I got so deep that I wanted to only have things that no one else had. That’s what pushed me to start making my own clothes.”

    The title of his brand was chosen to speak to likeminded individuals and ‘young and lazy’ pinpointed his audience. Anees’ initial designs emulated international trends that he subconsciously produced resulting from an aspiration to obtain similar levels of greatness. Recently the designer has shifted his approach to designing from a feeling or experience.

    Looking into his heritage and role as a Cape Malay Muslim in South Africa, this wealth of culture is currently a main source of inspiration. Young & Lazy is growing up with Anees and is becoming the individualization of its creator.

    Regarding his contribution to Cape Town’s creative energy as one done in collaboration with Cornerstore, Anees passionately states “I see Cornerstore not only as a shell for the brands but a place where the youth and the future of South African streetwear culture come to congregate, find their squad, find their bae. We encourage other people to build this industry with us and our brands act as platforms for even the kid in high school to collaborate with us.” His message to young creatives is to be unafraid of embracing who they are and to stay real, true and original.

    Githan Coopoo

    Githan Coopoo is a 23-year-old creative from Cape Town making his mark on the South African fashion sphere with his abstract ceramic jewellery designs.

    His infatuation with jewellery design was a late discovery in his life. Githan’s love grew only after his first piercing in 2015. “I just became enamoured with notions of adornment and opulence on the body.” Aware of his family line of Indian jewellers he did not initially consider it a personal interest till later in life.

    Photography by Alix-Rose Cowie

    Githan has worked in ceramic from the outset of his jewellery explorations. “I think of clay as something quite universal and accessible. It is literally earth.I love the idea of a relatively unassuming and inexpensive material being utilized and elevated to that of a precious status. I have invested in the fragility of the material after it has been fired.”

    Inspired by found objects such as rubble and cement particles from construction sites he states, “I find a lot of beauty in rejected and dejected articles and objects.” Githan is drawn to working with white in his designs as it emphasizes the ceramic quality of his pieces and expresses that he is often persuaded to work within two tones. This choice makes his pieces chic and bold. The shapes that naturally occur from his process highlight a design that is minimalist and abstract.

    Having produced capsules for Rich Mnisi and Gabrielle Kannemeyer for runway shows and editorials, this year saw his collaboration with New York’s Tibi. He created a capsule of earrings for their New York Fashion Week showcase.

    Photography by Betina du Toit

  • Stark flatness, pale skylines, muddy whites – The Architectural Paintings of Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi

    Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi was born in New York City and finished her art studies abroad before settling in South Africa. Inhabiting the role of a multiform artist, she works predominantly in film, performance art, and painting. She has noted before that she regards her paintings as a footnote to her practice. Her architectural paintings present a historical analysis of city spaces that she has occupied over the years.

    With a keen focus on establishing a narrative in her work, identity and belonging are two topics she explores in her work as she feels that these are concerns that she faces in her own life. Thenjiwe’s mother is a historian that subsequently led her to an interest in accessing her own history and the history of the places she lives and has lived before.

    ‘In Plain Sight (After the Tripode)’ 2013

    Expressing that her work is rooted in looking at moments in history, her practice began analysing the architecture of Johannesburg and how its current and former inhabitants have with the passing of time, both remembered and forgotten who they are. Buildings have the ability to live for a long time and therefore have specific memories attached to them impacting the way a city is viewed. They therefore act as physical reminders of history.

    Thenjiwe’s architectural investigation through paint has a particular interest in the history of apartheid and its effects on the lives of South African’s today. The titles of Thenjiwe’s architectural paintings convey strong emotions towards certain historical monuments from spaces that she has inhabited with titles such as ‘What Is It That You Keep Forgetting (After the Palais De Justice)’ a painting from 2013 that references a law court building in Paris. Her titles are an indication of how she is questioning the relationship that people have with certain building in their surrounds as well as the relationship she herself has. She asks her viewers why they are forgetting their history, or why they choose to remember it the way they do.

    ‘What Is It That You Keep Forgetting (After the Palais De Justice)’ 2013

    Stark flatness, pale skylines, muddy whites, greyish blacks and few colour pops within her architectural paintings act as an identifier of Thenjiwe’s hand. These haunting images that lack a human element simply show identifiable buildings taken over by foliage. These works ask what will happen to these buildings in the future which can be justified by looking at the title of ‘Emergent Phenomena 1 (After SABC)’ 2017, clearly a work speaking about the meaning of the SABC in contemporary South Africa. This can also be seen when looking at ‘In Plain Sight (After the Tripode)’ completed in 2013 that I believe makes reference to the Tripode building in France that was demolished. Is Thenjiwe then predicting or anticipating the fall of the SABC building you might ask? Perhaps, or perhaps she is referring to a desire for restructuring within government broadcasted television.

    ‘Facility’ 2015

    Thenjiwe’s architectural work shows many similarities in style to ‘A Bigger Splash’ 1967 by the artist David Hockney that also carries a strong architectural focus. Elements such as flatness and the use of a muddy colour pallet as well as small colour pops correspond with these works by Thenjiwe.

    Her architectural range of paintings asks us about our past and how we view and remember it as well as address issues surrounding identity and belonging. These are concerns that are focal to Thenjiwe as she comes from a mixed parentage and has lived in many places in her life. Her personal opinion is also conveyed in these works with the use of composition that emphasizes isolation as well as the coupling of loaded titles for her works.

  • Blood. Bone. Skin. Hair // Limb presents Of

    Visual artist Limb (Tamzyn Botha) started building installations for music festivals when she was 19. “Music being my main source of inspiration, but over time (as I am untrained) I have thrown myself into situations where I have forced the evolution of my craft,” she explains. Over the years she has slowly been leaning towards a kitsch aesthetic and is now more comfortable with exploring that side of herself. She is devoted to being as honest and sincere as she can be without having to directly spell things out for her audience, and the positive feedback she has received is a recognition of this direction.

    In her solo exhibition titled Of we see the kitsch aesthetic used to explore the unconscious development of the ego through the “portrayal of textural guises” representing blood, bone, skin and hair. I had an interview with Limb to find out about her artistic practice and to get an understanding of the creative process involved in putting Of together.

    ‘Glimpse of Gore’

    Share a bit about Limb. Do you take on a particular persona as Limb?

    Limb is really a space in which I can be indulgent, and the persona of Limb dresses that way, expresses that way and (hopefully) lives that way.

    Your artist bio states that Limb is “a visual artist whose work indulges play through video, costume, performance in the realms of DIY” – could you please unpack what this means and how this came to be the way you chose to make this what makes up the work you produce?

    The mediums of video and stills are a way in which I can capture the things I make, I will always feel most comfortable using my hands. Tactile creations, things I can feel/mold and play with. DIY is truly just my way of saying collecting, merging and transforming found objects – breathing new life and personality into them (and justifying my hoarding).

    ‘H’

    Share with our readers how you came up with the name of your exhibition, Of ?

    ‘Of’, used to express the origin or part – really just sums up my experience and expression of it. The people and environments that make up my reality and play such intensive roles in shaping my existence and the way in which I consume/release.

    ‘Spoeks’

    Can you please share the inspiration to explore the development of the ego? How did you decide to explore this through blood, bone, skin and hair?

    Blood, bone, skin and hair – the biological development of a human – is something we all naturally can grasp. I wanted to use something laymen, for people to take on the subject matter on a surface level – and within that try to sincerely explore my own ego. The unconscious development of ego are the circumstances and experiences we aren’t necessarily aware of, the peripheral components molding us that are almost unseen. Being aware of that, exploring those shadows.

    ‘at Vandene, when she swopped heads’

    The video is divided into these four elements. Could you please share your thinking and creative process with regards to conceptualizing and putting together each segment of the video?

    I wanted to portray Of Blood in a very bubblegum/pop sentiment – as not to make it gruesome but rather very femme and fabulous. Although glossy and rather psychedelic, this is where the ego begins her radical transformation. Sex and addiction riddled in pink blood. The shrine is filled with glitter dicks, hairy vaginas, pink dragons and kitsch ornaments I have collected over time. Indulgently a shrine to me/of me.

    Of Bone was my very personal depiction of a sort of ancestral homage, almost a camouflage of feeling with the performance melting into the background. The “H” is a message to the world and to a collarbone lover. The scene is gold, like a pedestal of desire and value.

    Of Skin was my most personal, a twisted notion of laying to bed the previous “me” – polarimpala. The head of a polar bear and distorted body of an impala. I separated this character based on my first experience with race that I am aware of. At about 8 years old, we were living a scrummy apartment at the bottom of Southernwood in East London. A kid downstairs who I’d occasionally play with, made quite an impact. Her father was Nigerian and mother – a white South African. I took my barbie down to play, and she removed my white barbie head and replaced it with her black barbie doll head. That memory is vivid.

    Of Hair, my final scene – the sort of “money shot” really employs the idea of the alter ego. The Isibheqe text is a message for the creator of the writing system. No set, but rather shadows of texture and the ego – and the emphasis on eventuality.

    The Ego was my sculpture, and is present in each scene of the video – as she develops.

    ‘Skin of skin’
    ‘Alter’
    ‘Flossy’

    Check out the video below of Limb’s improvised performance in the Blood and Hair characters taken at the opening of ‘Limb presents Of’.

    Credits:

    Shot by Lesedi Rudolph.

    Edited by Amy Loureth.

    Score / water percussion by Behr

    Instant halo by Behr & Leeu

    Stills images shot by Marijke Willems Photography

    Makeup for video and stills by Orli Oh

    ‘Of’ cinematographer: Jono Kyriako

    Director: Limb

    Performance Director: Pule Welch

  • Thrift stores and political influence

    I was always one for the latest Zara or Topshop range, buying selected items from Pringle that I thought were special. That was until I became a working-class millennial and had to start paying my own way in life. As a student, I never understood how expensive life is, your rent, car expenses, food, clothes, toiletries, if you practice art – art supplies and equipment and then money to pay for a R65 cocktail at a trendy bar? Having styled my own shoots, sourced for the shoots of others and having an inclination to save wherever I can has got me to thrifting – and I thrift more than most people probably do. Here I take a look at thrifting as an art and forms of awareness created by thrifting.

    Artist Miranda July is changing the way that the charity shop and the act of thrifting is seen. She has opened her own charity shop inside Selfridges in London, and it is erected amongst brands such as Vetements. This act, which I regard to be a performance piece, is aimed at making the consumer think about what we pay for goods from large chain stores and to compare it with that of items that are pre-owned.

    Life Library of Photography: The Great Themes by the editors of Time-Life Books (1970) – a gift from Wagtails Animal Welfare Society in Port Elizabeth

    July’s act to open the pop-up charity shop shares traits with the performance movement called ‘Happenings’ that arose in the 1960’s – a form of performance art that took place in unconventional spaces. Happenings was heavily influenced by Dadaism and involved active participation from its audience and was known for its improvisational nature. While many aspects of the performance are unplanned, the essence of the occasion was aimed at stimulating critical thought within its viewer and to challenge the notion of art as a static object.

    Miranda’s art piece ties in with the Happenings movement as it invites the viewer to participate by looking at garments, trying them on and possibly purchasing them. It shares the aspect of improvisation and has an unplanned nature as the artist cannot pinpoint the exact outcome of each viewer/participant’s encounter with her artwork. Needless to say, the concept of the performance is unconventional and so is the space in which it takes place.

    Man Ray by Roland Penrose (1975) – from the Wits Hospice Shop

    Other factors of interest are the run time of the performance, the nature of it and the artist’s participation. As the performance piece is essentially an interactive object that can be taken away from, the performance continues to exist regardless of when people remove smaller objects from the location of the performance (buying items from the shop). As a store, people have the option to browse and buy during the shop’s opening hours creating a continuous performance. The artist doesn’t need to actively participate in order for people to buy items, (there are store attendants in Selfridges appointed to assist) the performance piece/installation artwork requires minimal input from the artist after its erection. Despite the fact that the artwork can be constituted as an object, the viewer’s participation within the space and ability to move in and out of it breaks it away from being a static art object.

    July’s artwork is based in London and therefore audience participation from me for example, is not possible. I do however like to think that I can simulate the experience in South African charity shops. As a big devotee to thrifting and a self-proclaimed charity shop veteran, I will share some of my thoughts on the practice of thrifting as well as where to thrift.

    Kodak Instamatic 33 (1963 model) – from Junkie Charity Shop in Melville

    Thrifting is a practice that has appeal for so many different kinds of people – the university student, artists, actresses such as Chloë Sevigny and the philanthropist. I always enjoyed the idea of collectibles and vintage. I bought my first Polaroid camera from an antique shop next to Magie’s Pies in the Muldersdrift area – my parents love the pies there. From there I started going to various thrift stores in Johannesburg. The key is knowing where to go.

    80% of my wardrobe and 90% of my books, as well as 50% of my camera equipment, is made up of items I found in thrift stores, and were relatively inexpensive. All of the items I have are in very good condition, and this has enabled me to have unique items. When buying from larger stores there will always be others who own what you own but with thrifting, there is usually only one item of each within the store.

    Gloves from the Wits Hospice Shop

    My advice for buying clothes is to inspect items carefully. For buying cameras, it is wise to test the shutter before you purchase as many of these shops do not have much photography knowledge and won’t be able to guarantee that the camera is in working condition. All pre-loved items have a story and previous owner. This has always been an aspect that has attracted me to thrifting as well as donating to charitable organizations. In my friendship group we thrift gifts for one another because of the unique characteristics of the items. My favorite places to thrift include The Wits Hospice Shop (there is one in Parkhurst and in Orange Grove) and Ry-Ma-In in Linden.

    I regard thrifting as an art because while purchasing an item you are able to get a feel for what it is that you are attracted to,  as well as add value to items that other people no longer want. I see it as a continuous realization of what I pay for new items and Miranda’s artwork speaks of this knowing loudly. By thrifting, you give yourself the political power to choose to pay less and contribute to the greater good. In my own experience thrifting has enabled my art practice as I predominantly photograph with thrifted equipment and style with charity shop clothing. Thrifting has also defined my personal style as well as the style of artists like Chloë Sevigny. To me, thrifting is an art practice and a performance art as well as an art installation opening up critical thinking, self-awareness and community solidarity.

    Canon EOS 300 (1999) from Ry-Ma-In

  • Yuki Kobayashi // the New Gender Bending Strawberry

    Yuki Kobayashi is a Japanese visual and performance artist, who uses his male body to explore gender neutrality, question racial stereotypes and explore human relations.

    Initially, I questioned how apt a Japanese man, who grew up in a place with not much ethnic diversity could challenge social constructs, such as race and nationality. I wondered about Yuki’s cognisance of these global issues and his investment into them because after all, he has dedicated his artistic career to this mission.

    While sifting through various projects he has created, I was drawn to the New Gender Bending Strawberry (NGBS), a character indistinguishable as human and an icon Yuki wishes to be adopted as a guide and support to the world. The NGBS has a strawberry head and a silver body with all sexual identifiers such are concealed with silver masking tape.

    According to Yuki, the silver skin reminds him of “futuristic inhumanity and robotic material” and the strawberry is used as a metaphor, “it is ruddy like blood, juicy like an organ, and fragile like a heart”. Yuki transforms into the NGBS and incorporates this character into performance pieces to investigate “where we find the privilege of individuality…and where the fairness is”. The NGBS aims to reflect on the earthly condition and reveal the ironic situation to have both freedom and equality as well as how the world will conceive the future between the brightness of utopia and the apocalyptic death of humanity.

    During a performance piece, Yuki delivers a Speech (2013) as the NGBS, “my brain is red, my skin is silver, my sex is masking tape, you are picking strawberries but you will be picked up strawberries by someone in the future, please don’t forget about it.” Yuki defines this as a warning to us earthlings that generosity, sensitivity and responsibility are essential to our existence because social hierarchies “won’t stay like this forever”.

    Yuki was born in Japan, he then moved to Hawaii at 18 and later he attended the Royal College of Art and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, both in London. He spent his younger days as a tennis player and he also used to work in a gay club in Tokyo. Yuki believes that all these experiences has contributed to the subject of his art and made him conscious of the global policing of the human body in regards to nationality, race, masculinity, sexuality, athleticism and the performance of gender.

    Yuki’s travels made him aware of how people are immediately categorised due to physicality. His interest in how most of us are seemingly navigating towards equality and freedom yet we are still attached to stereotypes became heightened. He feels responsible to reveal what we most unconsciously avoid so his creative pursuit is to be “a human junction to create a bridge to connect”.

    He is currently working on an exhibition for the Yokohama Paratriennale 2017 in which the NGBS will be collaborating with handicapable people. Moreover, you can view most of Yuki’s work on his website for a stimulating visual experience.

  • Abbie Stirrup – entwining movement, performance, design and art

    Abbie Stirrup probes expressive, performance wear as a fashion designer and performance artist. The nucleus of Stirrup’s expression is the mixture of movement, performance, and art. Stirrup is known for making use of her own body as a canvas and analyzing how the human body can be amplified.

    By utilizing performance and spatial design as a student at the Royal College of Art (RCA), Stirrup contested the formal fashion process. Her design vision has been related to numerous disciplines, one of them being a second skin body suit for adidas. After her work with adidas, Stirrup was asked to attend the Creator Farm in Brooklyn, thereby aiming to influence and examine the unfolding of sportswear advancement.

    The ideology of S T I R was created for Stirrup’s RCA graduating collection. S T I R can be described as a loud neon pallet that utilizes a visual language moving beyond society’s contemporary understanding of human body identification, into a world that is uniquely designed of expression and freedom.

    Stirrup’s Masters consisted of a live artwork, ‘Goose Pimples Live Performance’. This piece looked at a second skin, tracing the route of human consciousness while valuing the energy that flows beneath the surface. Pigmented silicone is put on naked skin and replaces it. Molding without limit, the silicone skin that Stirrup applies is seamless and runs through the crevices of the human form. Tracing the energy of human bodies, the silicone indicates where our marma points are – points activating our inner pharmacy. Stirrup asks the following question in this performance; ‘can silicone skins be designed for nutritional consumption?’

    “We don’t have to confine to existing systems. Live art has no boundaries of self. It is without rules. The smudge, the drip, the crumble. This is the intensity in which I see.”

    Credits

    Performers:
    ThatGal Matsukii
    Debbie Ruijter
    Tara Al-wali
    Ayesha McMahon

    Makeup artist: Elinor Mcmahon lead by Alex Box
    Hair design: Darcie Harvey

    Digital projection mapping: Adam Joshua

    Tentacle developer and show support: Annie Richardson
    Choreography assistant: Saul Sébastian Aidan Ssan