The arts are an integral part of South African culture, meshing our past, present and future into a single medium. At the recent Canvas and Community celebration, we got to imagine a South Africa that does better for the art economy.

Cape Town, South Africa (21 October 2024) — Art is an integral part of South African culture. For our country, it’s a story-telling medium that often merges commentary on our socio-political, history, heritage and questions of who we could be as a nation. It’s also how we honour our unique relationship with wildlife and our natural surroundings while visualising the problems these cherished parts of our environment face. And, of course, it’s a means to inject pride into our communities through murals and public art of different mediums. It’s our past, present and future meshed into a single field.

So, if art has such an important role to play across different borders of the South African experience, the question persists: how is South Africa supporting our artists? And, are we doing enough?

Canvas and Community: An Example of an Artistically Inclusive South Africa

Recently, I attended an evening dubbed Canvas and Community as hosted by the Century City Conference Centre, writes GTG’s Ashleigh. It was an evening any art lover would’ve adored; spoiled with excellent music (from a staff member who got to perform opera to the brilliant classical trio The Muses and Cape Town’s ever-talented Jimmy Nevis), secret ‘fashion shows’ and, of course, a lot of local art.

Fadiel Herman’s street-art-infused paintings, Jaret Loggenberg’s powerful portrayals of the female form and Logan Marlon’s designs were all on full display amongst other talents. The spirit of Soweto was ever present thanks to Moeketsi Moahloli’s mixed media works, while Sarah Danes Jarrett’s portraits left mouths agape (and not just on the paintings).

It was thrilling to see so many different art forms sharing a single space outside of a designated gallery, exhibition or traditional arts festival.

I couldn’t ignore the thought that this is how more South African spaces can and should honour the arts to whom we all owe such a big thank you for preserving and pushing our culture forward.

Local Businesses, it’s Time to Step Up.

Because local art is the tangible mix that’s produced once the South African melting pot is poured out, it only makes sense that it should be shared and appreciated in more spaces beyond those traditionally designated for the arts. There are, after all, only so many galleries and so many residencies available. But how do we grow the space?

One way to do this is for more businesses, especially those up the tourism and hospitality alleys, to invest in our local artists. This isn’t just a means for aesthetic value and measure; it’s a gateway for the world to see who we are.

When businesses become platforms for creative development, wonderful things can happen. Just look at the likes of Karabo Poppy, who is a master at merging her art with branding alignments.

Plug the Art Drain

Just as it is with many students part of South Africa’s ‘brain drain’ dilemma, many of our artists are forced to travel outside of our country in hopes that they’ll get better opportunities. The Free State Art Collective rightly shared that there is a big gap in support for local artists in communities like theirs, while showcases like Alchemy aptly indicated that local artists should be given the chance to claim the spotlight before they go overseas.

The bottom line is that if South Africa wants to boost our art economy, there needs to be a push to carve out spaces for it in other avenues of business. Whether that means from a showcasing and collection curating perspective, creative connection events perspective, brand and partnership efforts, or initiatives that beautify our spaces whilst giving artists a boost.

It matters, as so fashionably highlighted at Canvas and Community, because our culture does. Because we cannot be proudly South African without the arts. And we cannot have a thriving arts economy without South African businesses proudly making room for the patrons of our culture.

Sources: GTG

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Esther Mahlangu’s new mural is dedicated to the spirit of uBuntu! Planted at a London garden gallery, its larger-than-life stature stands tall amid the greenery, giving Londoners something bright, beautiful, and proudly South African!

London, England (20 October 2024) — After her work enjoyed its fair share of the limelight and celebrity appreciation in the USA, Esther Mahlangu’s new mural is taking up space in London!

At nearly 90-years-young, the acclaimed Ndebele artist continues to share her bold and bright geometric masterpieces with the world. Her new mural, titled ‘Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu’ is an ode to the South African philosophy of uBuntu. In fact, its translation from Ndebele to English reads ‘I am because you are’.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Esther Mahlangu (@esthermahlanguart)

The new mural has been ‘planted’ at Serpentine Gallery’s North Garden based on West Carriage Drive, where it boasts the artist’s immediately recognisable patterning and confident style. Painted across 16 wooden panels, the energy of the new mural is larger than life, much like the uBuntu ethos.

Simultaneously, Esther Mahlangu is also the talk of London’s art scene in a different part of the city. At a solo exhibition at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Esher’s work brought an immediate rush of vibrance and life to the walls of Melrose Gallery in the West Wing!

 

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A post shared by Esther Mahlangu (@esthermahlanguart)

Meanwhile, in another creative news piece that made us feel proudly South African, artist Jake Michael Singer has been given the opportunity to represent our country through sculpture at a prestigious event overlooking the magnificent Pyramids of Giza! Jake’s sculpture, We Will Meet Again in the Sky’ is a must-see, and you can learn more about it here.

Sources: Email Submission

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South African artist, Jake Michael Singer, is to represent our country amid the world’s top contemporary artists in a prestigious exhibition overlooking none-other-than the Pyramids of Giza!

Global, South Africa (13 October 2024) — Thousands of years later, the Pyramids of Giza still stand magnificently as a glimpse into the world of ancients.

They are arguably one of the most fascinating structures from the Bronze Age and uniquely, structures that evoke as much (if not more) awe now as they did back then.

Considering that the pyramids have seen more of human history unfold than almost any other trope of engineering around the world, it goes without saying that it’s no small feat to showcase art among them. But, if you’re celebrated South African contemporary artist Jake Michael Singer, that feat is soon to be a reality!

Jake, who is based in Johannesburg and Istanbul, is set to mark a big mark on the global art scene with his participation in ‘Forever Is Now.04’, an internationally acclaimed outdoor art exhibition.

Planned to take place on the famous plateau overlooking the Pyramids, Jake is one of 12 leading contemporary artists from all over the world who will be taking part.

A celebration of art, history and culture, Jake will be representing South Africa with his sculpture ‘We Will Meet Again in the Sky’.

A monumental work that boasts 5 metres in height, the piece moulds themes of connection, transcendence and collective memory into an interpretation of the ancient Egyptian bird Bennu.

As Egyptian mythology buffs will know, Bennu is a symbol of creation and rebirth; transcending the boundaries of the physical and the eternal.

“Participating in ‘Forever Is Now.04’ is a profound moment for me,” says the artist.

“The setting amidst the ancient Pyramids of Giza is deeply inspiring and resonates with the themes of my work. I hope ‘We Will Meet Again in the Sky’ will spark reflection and dialogue among viewers from all corners of the globe.”

‘Forever Is Now04’ will run from 24 October 2024 to 16 November 2024.

Sources: Supplied 

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Cape Town-based photographer Jay Caboz’ ‘Slaapstad’ has earned second place in the Epson International Pano Awards!

Global (08 October 2024) — Cape Town-based photographer Jay Caboz’ photograph ‘Slaapstad’ has earned a proud place in the Epson International Pano Awards—the world’s largest photographic competition dedicated to the part of panoramic photography.

Many have enjoyed Cape Town’s natural fog show, where the famous foggy ‘Table Cloth’ dresses Table Mountain, and the city is seemingly tucked in by Mother Nature’s blanket. But few have seen the view from a great height, let alone captured it.

Jay took a gorgeous series of shots starring Lion’s Head, glittering city lights and dream-like hues adorning the sky as the fog rolled in and onward.

His praised photograph, ‘Slaapstad’ feels like peering into a Romanticism era painter’s fever-dream. The lone ranger atop a peak, the rush of the fog like a waterfall and the breathtaking palette of sky all work so seamlessly together, it feels as if each element were in cahoots with the others.

It’s easy to understand how out of the thousands of entries (over 4,000 at that, as Jay shares), this photo would climb to the second overall place and earn gold in the Built Environment Category! Additionally, another photo dubbed ‘Icarus’ is also placed highly in silver.

Meanwhile, in other epic photography news, a portrait of a Kruger lion—whose eye looks as if the universe itself lies beneath it—has won an impressive photography competition category! Take a look here.

Sources: Jay Caboz 

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43 South African Irish dancers have qualified to represent our country at the Irish Dancing World Championship!

Global (08 October 2024) — In dazzling news from the local dancing scene, 43 talented South African Irish dancers have successfully qualified to take part in the 2025 Irish Dancing World Championships!

These talents will represent four provinces (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape) as well as 9 different dancing schools in a region synonymous with the dance—Dublin.

The dancers’ success comes after an electrifying season of fancy footwork showcased at the 25th anniversary of the South African Irish Dancing Championship that was held in late September. There, respected judges from Ireland flew all the way to Gauteng to be a part of the adjudication panel—a worthwhile trip thanks to the impressive skills, energy and teamwork on display at Nationals; all of which earned them the judges’ favour!

Those selected as part of the squad of 43, include dancers as young as 10 years old and seasoned performers in their 20s.

Beyond individual spotlights, several local dancing schools have also qualified to take part in team events at the World Championships; an area where South Africa has already made its mark with the Robinson Dance Studio famously claiming the Junior Figure Dancing Section in 2022.

Our South African Irish Dancers will be competing from 13 to 20 April 2025.

Sources: Email Submission 

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Showcasing the power of community is a new exhibition that was created by artists across South Africa who teamed up with local bead workers, embroiders, and mosaic magicians!

Cape Town, South Africa (03 October 2024) — A local collaborative collection dubbed ‘Alchemy’ is showcasing the power of community!

With artists, bead-workers, embroiders, and mosaic masters joining hands, the South African creative scene has produced a unique collection in ‘Alchemy’—one that speaks to opportunity, storytelling and, of course, Ubuntu in the form of being inspired by each other.

Curated by non-profit the Spier Arts Trust (SAT), Alchemy will be showcasing at Cape Town’s HUB Gallery, serving as a precursor to a huge opportunity for the local artists—the opportunity to inspire London and all those venturing across the pond for the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair!

The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair is taking centre stage in London from 10 to 13 October. Here, works that were specifically produced in a collaborative way from South Africa will be showcased; offering up local perspectives in unity to a global gathering celebrating culture from our continent.

Alchemy echoes this energy; showcasing over 20 artists and their collaborations with artisans including those from the Keiskamma Art Project (a Project that works with textile artworks that aid in archiving the rural Eastern Cape’s collective memory) the HUB Mosaic Studio (an educational platform that equips apprentices with skills) and fine beaders from Qaqambile Bead Studio that are known for translating brushstrokes into thousands of beautiful beads.

The collaborative works exhibited on Alchemy have been made with hand-cut glass and stone, glass seed beads and wool embroidery. These pieces are three-dimensional and tactile—representing the artisanal finesse of those who worked behind the scenes.

Many of the pieces that form part of the collection are infused with socio-political and personal contexts—an example of how sometimes, it takes a village to capture the full essence of a story.

For instance, Nkosinathi Quwe’s piece tells the story of his isiXhosa heritage, while Meshack Tembani’s artwork honours the strong presence of female leaders from his Crossroads upbringing.

You can catch Alchemy until 25 October.

Sources: Supplied 

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Cape Town has developed a thrilling way to make the city’s cultural heritage accessible to everyone, thanks to a new Digital Vault!

Cape Town, South Africa (23 September 2024) — A newly developed Digital Vault has made it possible for anyone in Cape Town and beyond to access the city’s cultural heritage this Heritage Month!

Developed by the City’s Community Arts and Culture Development Department with help from the Information Systems and Tech Department, the digital vault offers a way for the public to enjoy artworks and heritage items that largely tell the story of Cape Town through the ages.

Not only is it a modern way for the City of Cape Town to manage these cultural treasures and preserve them, it’s also an invaluable educational tool that makes it possible to get a cultural kick even if you can’t get to an exhibition or if artefacts are no longer accessible to the public physically. An Irma Stern painting from her Zanizbar era, for example, falls part of the latter.

Each vault item is listed with high-quality images, information and some of the stories behind the treasure listed. It includes paintings, sculptures, murals, medals, memorials, and even antique furniture, and it offers everything from creative inspiration to scientific curiosity and historical connection.

“The digital vault is an incredible resource, whether you are a student, a school learner, an academic researcher, an art lover or just a regular Capetonian curious about the rich history and stories of our city as expressed through art and collected items. As far as we know, this is the first such public-facing digital catalogue of art and heritage assets in South Africa, and we are very excited for people to start using it,’ said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.

You can access the Digital Vault from wherever you are, here. 

Sources: Supplied 

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Dr Esther Mahlangu’s art has been the talk of Atlanta in the USA recently, with Alicia Keys curating a special collection featuring Dr Mahlangu’s work and John Legend stopping by at another exhibition in support of our local legend!

Atlanta, United States of America (16 September 2024) — Widely celebrated South African artist and local ‘Art Gogo’ Dr Esther Mahlangu’s art is having a well-deserved moment in the spotlight yet again thanks to an exhibition that has attracted the likes of John Legend and another that’s been curated by none-other-than Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz.

Following a whirlwind of excitement that saw Dr Mahlangu’s historic art car come home for the first time in decades before taking off on a world tour and a solo exhibition in New York, other works from the Ndebele star have been attracting acclaimed attention in Atlanta.

‘Heritage Hues’, an exhibition by Dr. Mahlangu that was co-curated by Hassan Smith at ZuCot Gallery presents a selection of her works in fully-fledged vibrancy and Ndebele flair. For Africans in the diaspora, it’s more than an art exhibition from a giant in the field; but also a means of connecting others to their roots through the medium.

The exhibition was recently enjoyed by Mr John Legend himself, who popped into Dr Mahlangu’s world in Atlanta for the opening in visible awe.

But Mr Legend wasn’t the only celebrity celebrating Esther.

In another curation by Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, Dr Mahlangu’s work takes centre stage once again as part of ‘Giants’ at The High Museum of Art, also in Atlanta, following its run in Brooklyn.

The art on display comes from the collection of the music legends themselves, with Dr Mahlangu’s work featuring amongst 115 objects and 98 major artworks, including the likes of Nick Cave and Lorna Simpson.

For South Africans and fans of Dr Mahlangu, it’s incredibly inspiring to see how far our artists journey has taken her, and even more enriching to see how much power art so deeply rooted in a slice of South Africa’s culture has proven to be.

Sources: Various (Linked Above) 

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Anyone who ever thought maths and creativity were still at war might want to page through a one-of-a-kind storybook with an unsuspecting main character: Statistics! Students and staff came together to turn stats into a story, and the product is nothing short of magic.

Pretoria, South Africa (12 September 2024) — Undergraduate students at the University of Pretoria have turned stats knowledge into a new kind of magic by creating a storybook—’Fiction and Fable: Tales of Time-Series.’

What began as a way to keep third years on their toes and engaged in their learning during the pandemic eventually became a new way of consuming the information entirely. A short story anthology written by students, Fiction and Fable: Tales of Time-Series was led by Professor Johan Ferreira of the University’s Stats Department and edited in collaboration with Dr Seite Makgai.

“It was a challenging time just after the pandemic,” says Prof Ferreira. “Everybody was glued to their screens, and my sense was that students were exhausted from maintaining interest and focus across a wide range of continuing academic expectations.”

It was a conversation with his botanist partner that planted the seed of adding storytelling into the mix. They had told him a story made up of plant characters, which sparked him to consider what would happen if he could get his students to do the same thing.

The idea was brought to around 300 students who were invited to contribute. Soon, the book was on its way!

“It took a few months to edit the submitted works, after which the entire submission entered a peer-review phase; therefore, the volume has been completely peer-reviewed by experts in both the statistical pedagogy field as well as within creative writing. After this, it took a few months for illustrations to be done, because each illustration is unique to the story it accompanies,” Prof Ferreira shares.

The storybook comprises the students’ contributions as explored through fiction—making stats knowledge the main character in the kind of twist that reminds us just how interlinked maths and creativity actually are. As for the gorgeous illustrations, these were done by the talented Michelle Pinto.

Considering that humans have digested information through story-telling since the dawn of time, the University commends the creation as an effective learning tool for analytical sciences that’s created a less stressful approach both to teaching and understanding concepts.

“This book comes at the precise moment in time when academic statistics are challenged to think of new and novel ways to advocate for their discipline. I have no knowledge of any other similar statistics storybook being written—the editors should really be considered true visionaries in the field of statistics education,” praised Prof Delia North, former Dean of Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a stalwart in statistics education.

The book is available freely online, and you can dive into it, here!

Sources: Supplied — University of Pretoria 

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Paper, time and passion have turned into much more for Origami artist Damian Michael. Through his craft, he is helping uplift children and communities of Johannesburg through one of the most accessible and life lesson-packed art forms!

Johannesburg, South Africa (25 August 2024) — When artist Damian Michael received an Origami book at 8 years old, the craft seemed difficult and far too much to follow at the time. Little did he know then that Origami would one day become not only his creative passion but also his way of making a difference for South Africa’s future.

Years after that first introduction to the Japanese art, Damian met an incredible woman called Kyoko Kimura.

“[Kyoko’s perspective and passion for Origami as a reflection of life’s beauty and struggles drew me in deeply and I began to take the practice more seriously,” he reflects.

Soon, he began assisting Kyoko with some folding for work in the film and ad industry, and in the process, he became immersed in its unique means of creation.

But, there was another passion that would guide the artist—working with children.

“Much of my life has been spent as a teacher, environmental educator, Life-line/Child-line counsellor, mountain guide, creative facilitator and Au-pair,” Damian shares, adding that being the eldest of 3 young siblings has made working with children feel like second nature.

With these two passions proposing seemingly separate paths, Damian decided to make a third option—merging them.

In 2014, he established his own small NPO and in the last few years upon returning to Joburg, he committed his focus to sharing the art of Origami with inner-city children and communities through his Origami Zoo.

Here, Damian collaborates with a number of existing after-school programs and non-profits including Timbuktu in the Valley. Using Origami and other creative mediums, Damian runs creative workshops that help connect children to new passions and life lessons like patience and simplicity.

Damian reflects that paper is a unique medium because it is accessible to anyone and everyone, regardless of language and, oftentimes, resources.

“It speaks to the idea that hope truly can be found anywhere, in any moment whether it’s a pamphlet in a side road gutter, an old slip in your handbag waiting in the queue after a stressful day or a surprise parking ticket.”

Commenting on what the art means for him personally, Damian shares:

“Origami for me is about creating connection, across all divides and differences, between us and our loved ones, us and our surroundings, us and ourselves.”

He adds, “It has courageously coaxed me outward and connected me with others when I have felt alone and struggled to be in community, it has brought me inward when things have felt like too much…I fold Origami when I am stressed and when I am calm, it brings all the threads of me into the here and now to watch my hands bring something to life from nothing, to create Spring from Winter, death to life and remind me that me and all things are part of this endless cycle.”

You can support his work, here.

Sources: GTG Interview 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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