20SOMETHING 20SOMETHINGS

A lot of the questions were tricky, requiring that the creatives choose the lesser of two evils or one favourite over another – but creativity still beat coffee. Still, many would have preferred to bow out on questions such as “Noeleen or Deborah Patta”, “Nollywood or Bollywood”, “Tequila or Jagermeister”, “born talent or taught”, “iPod or smartphone”, “function or funk”, “reading or movies”, and “William Kentridge or Bitterkomix”. Being forced to choose might explain why somewhat contradictorily, function beat funk but iPod beat smartphone.

However, making the tough decision did declare Bitterkomix victorious over William Kentridge. Asked to choose between other local cultural icons garnered more mixed responses with Brenda Fassie vs Simphiwe Dana and Freshlyground vs Mzekezeke splitting the sample group. On the other hand, voters were quite clear in preferring Tsotsi, Bunny Chow, Pieter Hugo, hip-hop and Deborah Patta over uCarmen eKhayalitsha, Straight Outta Benoni, David Goldblatt, kwaito and Noeleen.

Patriotism still seems to shine brightly. Despite the high level of technology use and internet access, aesthetic taste has not been globalised yet. Local designers Peet Pienaar and Heath Nash came out tops against international counterparts Chipp Kid and Tord Boontje, respectively. However, there are no hard fast rules, with sneakers being preferred to the colloquial takkies and Charlize Theron holding no ground against Scarlett Johannson, despite Theron’s being named 2007’s Sexiest Woman Alive by Esquire magazine.

This may be part of the indication that raunch culture is so passé: Love won hands down over lust and rock stars wiped out porn stars. Still, these are youngins and having kids is not high on the priority list. Backpacks and hyperreality are still trumping suitcases and hypermarkets.

Of course we knew before we started that technology is the word on every street and fibre optic wire, so possibly our survey was already skewed. Confirming our suspicions, cellphones, keyboard shortcuts, YouTube, laptops and 24-hour internet all topped landlines, mouse devices, DStv, moleskin and email-only. Nonetheless, the fact that sunshine slam-dunked Second Life serves as a falsifiable. Also telling is that Facebook only narrowly beat old-school flyers, indicating that technology is not blindly lapped up. Indeed, moleskins and landlines did rake in a handful of nostalgic votes.

From a designer’s point of view, there is clearly a move towards illustrated rather than photographic and boutique rather than mass production. Celebrating unique aesthetic vision over pop culture, Brian Eno was lauded over U2, however, Massimo Vignelli could not hold ground against ice-cream brand Gino Ginelli. “Less is more” and “structuralism” continue to be favourites despite the recent surge of maximalism in the design world. Again hard pressed, no clear winners could be chosen between David Carson or Vince Frost, serif or sans serif and industrial design or product design.

From a more philosophical point of view, Afro-Futurism left Afro-Revival in the dust. These are clearly designers with a conscience, optimistically envisioning a bright future. There was barely any cynicism detected when democracy levelled benevolent dictator, revolutionary countered retro and exercise lapped smoking. A sympathetic note towards humanity was also detected with EQ, indifference and Laugh It Off coming out tops against IQ, hate and laugh at.

Surprisingly, no verdict was reached on sustainable vs environmental and only three vegetarians deferred on the bacon vs biltong question. However, organic did roundhouse low-fat and possibly this is telling of a consumer choice that still needs to be taken up by designers.

Then there are what might be called seasonal preferences: Vespas were preferred over Harleys; yellow over pink; the Eighties over the Seventies; South Park over The Gummi Bears; Survivor over Idols; Tintin over Fritz the Cat; non-fiction over fiction and flying over sailing. Choosing between wallpaper or paint, nylon or silk and columnists or bloggers, proved to be harder with the results showing them as equal.

ADRIAAN HUGO

Adriaan Hugo’s furniture is based on witty interplays between three-dimensional forms and two-dimensional silhouettes, evoking Piet Mondrian with his use of primary colours. Hugo forms part of the newly launched label Dokter and Misses, which includes fashion, ceramics and accessories, and assists renowned furniture designer Gregor Jenkin.

“When I work on an idea I question and explore all the functional and aesthetic possibilities in order to come up with a resolved design that is in keeping with the essence and simplicity of the original idea.”

ANDILE DYALVANE

Taking a meticulous contemporary approach to traditional African storage vessels and scarification practices, ceramicist Andile Dyalvane’s work has an alluring flesh-like quality. Dyalvane is a Design Indaba success story, having first participated in the Design Indaba Emerging Creatives programme in 2005. At the 2006 Expo he was awarded the Elle Decoration International Design Award. In 2007, Design Indaba welcomed his newly formed company Imiso Ceramics.

“I see myself as a designer and design modern work. I also use my culture as a reference and especially draw on ‘ukuqatshulwa’ Xhosa scarification as a design element.”

CARA JUDD

Design Time student Cara Judd has incorporated her personal interest in graffiti in a uniquely sculptural storage solution, which won her top honours in the Elle Decoration Solve 2007 competition. The prize of seeing her prototype being manufactured and sold through Woolworths stores, as well as a one-month internship with Sebastian Conran in London, is sure to rocket Judd into design industry orbit.

“I like the fluidity of dripping spray-paint. This shape inspired storage of flexible, periodical items such as newspapers and magazines that usually lie around one’s home.”

CHRIS SAUNDERS

Photographer Chris Saunders seems to effortlessly cross over from telling portraits to distinctive fashion, spirited travel photography and seamless commercial shoots, maintaining a spontaneous breath of fresh air throughout. Affiliated to the innovative Glamour Mechanics service, Saunders also collaborates with the Team Uncool art collective.

“My main aim is to communicate details often overlooked by others.”

CLARIE ATTWELL

As an Emerging Creative at Design Indaba 2007, Clarie Attwell made a killing selling 250 felt badges, securing an international order and establishing local stockists. Since then, the trained graphic designer has decided to further her studies in fashion and is also looking to start her own company, collaborating with a jewellery designer to make idiosyncratic accessories.

CRYSTAL CAMPBELL

Despite a strikingly conceptual, playful and often quite naughty graphic design portfolio, Crystal Campbell has not settled yet. Through her work with Neil Roake and an experience at Fabrica, the Benetton Research Centre in Italy, she is now seeking to move beyond graphic design to explore human interaction and spaces. She has recently launched a product range, Bird Watching for Girls, through Meld.

DANIELLE ABRAHAMS

Using strong tailoring and striking silhouettes, Danielle Abrahams revives iconic period timepieces in her avant garde approach to fashion. Still completing her studies at Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Abrahams took her first step into the industry at Design Indaba 2007 on the Emerging Creatives programme.

“I am obsessed with the drama of high fashion.”

DILLEN MARSH

Dillon Marsh’s twisted conceptual photography portfolio is characterised by a fascination with death and deconstruction. Nonetheless, his meticulous studio constructions using birds, insects and road kill resist the gross-out factor, rather striving for grace and humour. Taking his lens out of the studio, Marsh has also amassed a sizeable travel portfolio.

“When I stumble across an idea that has potential, I refine it completely so that all that remains is to duplicate, photographically, the image that has developed in my mind.”

DONNE BULLIVANT

Inspired by everyday life and personal experiences, jeweller Donne Bullivant interrogates notions of sentimentality by recontextualising found objects in her collection of rings. Having freelanced since her participation in the Emerging Creatives programme at Design Indaba 2007, she has now been appointed in-shop designer and manager at Tinsel.

“I feel the value of jewellery should be in its relationship to the wearer and their sentiments, and not always relational to the value of raw materials.”

photographic or illustrated x
x kwaito or hip-hop
x Straight Outta Benoni or Bunny Chow
x Charlize Theron or Scarlett Johansson
Facebook or flyers x

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FLY ON THE WALL

Fly on the Wall’s films have a funky urban aesthetic and rich technical repertoire. Comprising producer Filipa Domingues, director Bryan Little and cinematographer Grant Appleton, what started out as a spec campaign for MTV International in 2005 has snowballed into a string of documentaries, commercials and music videos for local and international clients. They are currently shooting their first full-length documentary, which focuses on Afrikaans punk rockers Fokofpolisiekar.

“We make film because we have to, it’s the reason we get up in the morning.”

x Seventies or Eighties
x Tsotsi or uCarmen eKhayalitsha
nylon or silk x
x reading or movies
fiction or non-fiction x

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IAMINAWE

Supposedly a web, print and animation agency, Iaminawe have extended their medium laterally into stage design. Run by husband-and-wife team Gregg Coppen (animation and programming) and Angella Kuch-Coppen (design and illustration), their portfolio was built up while backpacking around South and Central America, exchanging sites and brochures for food and accommodation. Having returned, their client list ranges from Nando’s and Appletiser to the Most Amazing Show and Goldfish.

“Iaminawe is a nomadic experiment in lateral living. It is travel, passion, culture, movement, originality and creativity. It is a stylistic affinity between the extremes.”

x Massimo Vignelli or Gino Ginelli
x Noeleen or Deborah Patta
Brenda Fassie or Simphiwe Dana x
serif or sans serif x
wallpaper or paint x

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KGAUHELO DUBE

Producer and founder of the black curtain theatre movement, Kgauhelo Dube is saddled with a somewhat unorthodox skills set. However, possibly her brand strategy and public relations finesse is exactly what the ailing art needs to rouse its audiences. Waiting for Thandiwe, the company’s flagship production, has toured the country and was broadly praised for telling a contemporary South African story with affectionate humour.

“It’s time that brands started flexing their muscle to draw the average South African into the arts, specifically theatre.”

x Facebook or flyers
x Freshlyground or Mzekezeke
x Straight Outta Benoni or Bunny Chow
iPod or smartphone x
YouTube or DStv x

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KHAYA DLANGA

Khaya Dlanga’s journey from his birthplace in the rural Transkei to hotshot advertising job is mottled with hardship and modest lies. He is an icon for how far chutzpah, creativity and self-promotion can take one. Besides a string of copywriting awards and a cult following on the comedy circuit, Dlanga has become an unofficial YouTube celebrity, rated number 16 on the most subscribed vloggers hall of fame.

“I used to write slogans like, ‘Free Mandela’ and ‘One Man One Vote’ on township walls. As you may have noticed, this was a very successful campaign.”

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KHAYALETHU MTSHALI

Khayalethu Mtshali won the Construction New Media Award in 2006, while he was still a student, which earned him respect from industry heavyweights including Patrick Burgoyne, editor of Creative Review, and Daljit Singh, founder of digit. Despite a job offer from the latter, Mtshali wants to move towards independent films and children’s television, and is currently getting hands-on experience in the film industry.

“I like to be in the creation process from beginning to end – from developing stories and characters to ensuring the communication and integrity of the story is preserved through to post-production.”

Afro-Revival or Afro-Futurism x
Pieter Hugo or David Goldblatt x
x Heath Nash or Tord Boontje
less is more or more is better x
low fat or organic x

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LEBO MASHILE

Lebo Mashile uses words to generate evocative visuals in the mind’s eye. South Africa’s celebrity poet has notably extended her charm into life skills facilitation and hosted the documentary series L’atitude, in which she travelled across the country to paint stories of disenfranchised communities. She is also a founding member of the Feela Sistah! Spoken Word Collective.

“I think one of the most powerful things about women is that they are the first teachers to all human beings.”

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LOUIS BARNARD

Not just another graphic designer, Louis Barnard specialises in children’s book illustration. Studying under first Anton Kannemeyer and then Paddy Bouma, Barnard developed a passion for design, illustration and the inter relationship of image and text as effective communicative tools. His first book, Wie Is Dit?, will be published by Electric Book Works at the end of the year.

“My reinvention of the Afrikaans picture Bible is a post-modern text that encodes a radically different post-apartheid conception of identity.”

x Idols or Survivor
cellphone or landline x
David Carson or Vince Frost x
x Straight Outta Benoni or Bunny Chow
x retro or revolutionary

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LYALL SPRONG

Since graduating last year, industrial designer Lyall Sprong, another Design Indaba Emerging Creative, has mounted two exhibitions at whatiftheworld and amassed a wide-ranging portfolio. Combining unnerving simplicity with constructions that seem to defy gravity and laws of physics, Sprong’s signature pieces may appear to be highly conceptual, but are always pinned on functionality.

“I aim to produce products that are joyful and attuned to the complexity of human need.”

x coffee or creativity
x Nollywood or Bollywood
x Massimo Vignelli or Gino Ginelli
born talent or taught x
x Facebook or flyers

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MAURO RADER

Mauro Rader won the 2007 Construction New Media Awards, securing himself an internship at Poke with Simon Waterfall. Since then he has joined the creative team at animation company Edge, where he has been flexing his creative clout for clients including Wimpy, Cell C and KFC. Although specialising in motion graphics, Rader also has an interest in typography, design and drawing.

“Trees that fight for air and water grow the tallest.”

structuralism or maximalism x
serif or sans serif x
x bacon or biltong
Peet Pienaar or Chipp Kid x
nylon or silk x

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MTKIDU

Mtkidu is a live beat construct and visual manipulation team comprising Murray Turpin (MT) and Nicholas Nesbitt (Kidu). Using “experimental and dark” as a starting point, Mtkidu produce grinding abstract sounds and eerie imagery that plays with the audiences’ own preconceptions – these parties are an experience in themselves. They also form part of the Team Uncool collective and pursue individual design careers.

“This is the ‘present’ future of music and story telling.”

Pieter Hugo or David Goldblatt x
x Brian Eno or U2
x sunshine or Second Life
x function or funk
x pink or yellow

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MURG

Ricky Aylward forms one half of bespoke furniture label Murg, with older brother Lesley Aylward completing the creative force. Murg's anthropomorphic transformations have a darkly comical quality reminiscent of Tim Burton. These highly tactile pieces are considered to be evolving experiments with the makers constantly striving to learn new techniques and approaches.

“We moved to the countryside and got down to learning how to work with tools and wood and metal and skin and bone and cement and grass and horns and whatever we could cut and grind and sand and rip and rivet and glue and paste.”

Tsotsi or uCarmen eKhayalitsha x
Tintin or Fritz the Cat x
democracy or benevolent dictator x
x smoking or exercising
x function or funk

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MZWANDILE BUTHELEZI

Mzwandile Buthelezi developed his interest in typography and graphic design through graffiti. This influence can still be seen in the layering, silhouettes and drip styles in Buthelezi’s iconic work, however, he is also inspired by posters from World War II, apartheid South Africa and old-school hip-hop. Buthelezi’s logo for Ben Sharpa is possibly one of the most widely recognised artefacts from the urban tagging landscape.

“Just walking though the streets of Johannesburg at night or taking a walk in the streets of Soweto is as good an inspiration as looking through a copy of Eye magazine or a good design book.”

Tsotsi or uCarmen eKhayalitsha x
kwaito or hip-hop x
x born talent or taught
sustainable or environmental x
Facebook or flyers x
x Noeleen or Deborah Patta

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PALESA MOKUBUNG

Palesa Mokubung uses a vibrant, cheerful palette to paint the original African fashion silhouette that has established her label Mantsho within its own epoch. Although she previously worked at Stoned Cherrie, Mokubung has become a distinct force, declared one of Cosmopolitan’s top 30 women of 2006. And she dresses Simphiwe Dana.

“I have accomplished a lot of my dreams, but I need new ones.”

x Afro-Revival or Afro-Futurism
nylon or silk x
x photographic or illustrated
x less is more or more is better
x kids or travelling

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PIETER HENNING

With their three-dimensional relief surfaces, one would be hard pressed to call Pieter Henning’s work “paintings”. This tactile quality is indicative of the artist’s experience in woodwork and architecture. Currently he is working as part of the Mock Mock design forum, which aims to produce products that exist in the unclear periphery between design and art.

“Where art becomes visual products and design becomes art.”

x laugh at or Laugh It Off
x kwaito or hip-hop
x democracy or benevolent dictator
Idols or Survivor x
wallpaper or paint x

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RICHARD DE JAGER

With ASCI-like patterns, blown up graphics and sci-fi silhouettes, Richard de Jager’s Pwhoa knitwear label is a far cry from your granny’s oversized pullover. Initially inspired by the hideousness of domestic craft, De Jager’s style has not stagnated, but evolved into what has been termed “organic tech”. Each one-off piece is made using a home knitting machine and hand sewn by De Jager himself.

“A lo-fi angle is our strength as young designers at the tip of Africa.”

flying or sailing x
structuralism or maximalism x
hyperreality or hypermarket x
low fat or organic x
x iPod or smartphone

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RICHARD KAPP

Athough Righard Kapp might be better known for his evolving guitar-driven soundscapes, in which you can catch him playing his guitar with his electric toothbrush, Kapp is also an accomplished illustrator and screenprinter. Having started out making limited edition die-cut CD covers for One Minute Trolley Dash in his garage, Kapp is now set on establishing a poster art scene in South Africa.

“The nice thing about screenprinting is that, even at the printing stage, you are making design decisions – be it with regard to colour mixing or the opacity and finish of the ink you are using. The finished print is an object, rather than just a picture.”

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SIMON VILLET

From Gold Loerie in his final student year to working at Orange Juice Design and then King James, Simon Villet’s portfolio and client list belies his age. Quite settled in what he calls his “twee as fuck” illustration style, Villet is currently expanding his repertoire into user interface design and is also an accomplished painter.

“If you don’t make it fun it’ll be work”

structuralism or maximalism x
hyperreality or hypermarket x
columnists or bloggers x
x hate or indifference
Peet Pienaar or Chipp Kid x