If you were looking for a different glimpse of the Oval Office than the dramatic movie we witnessed earlier this week, look no further than the riot of mosaic-style colour, on display at the Gallery Momo booth at this year’s Latitude Art Fair.
“What I am trying to do is celebrate blackness and bold colours. ‘The Black House’ features the pan-African flag, as this is our seat at the table in the most powerful office in the world,” explains Azola Kingston about the work she began three months ago and completed — talk about poetic timing — the day before the rather colourful meeting between US President Donald Trump and a South African delegation led by Cyril Ramaphosa.
Nearby stands Azola’s proud husband, Zachary Kingston, who, I discover, is the son of lawyer and businesswoman Pulane Kingston and Martin Kingston, CEO of lobby group Business for South Africa.
“She balances me,” shares the advertising strategist, who admits his nose for art falls short. “I like Excel spreadsheets, and I walk around seeing black dots on white canvases.”
Zachary might be even more puzzled by the works of Ronél de Jager, next door at the Kalashnikovv Gallery, because what appears to my eye as rainbow-hued stalagmites prove to be flower arrangements, digitally deconstructed then carefully rendered through brushstrokes on canvas.
“I am interested in the duality of the real world and our digital life,” explains the Joburg-based artist about her works, informed by the chiaroscuro style of the Dutch masters, who deftly used natural light.
However, in Ronél’s case, works such as “Delulu” and “Rent a Friend” take their cue from the artificial light of a cellphone.
An unexpected surprise: Nomuzi Mabena and her photographer beau, Siyabonga Nhleko, also taking in the displays (they’re art fair newbies), before I head out into the brisk Thursday night air for more artistic treats.
The beauty of this burgeoning market is as much about exploring the nooks and crannies of the three-acre plot that is Shepstone Gardens — atop Joburg’s Witwatersrand Ridge in Mountain View — as it is about the art you discover, and hopefully snap up.
An added bonus is all the familiar faces you are bound to bump into along the way.
On the night, I came across genial couple Masedi and Kgomotso Molosiwa; Eugenie Drake, the craft expert who has helped develop the livelihoods of many gifted artisans in the informal economy; publisher Laurice Taitz-Buntman; trend guru Dion Chang; and sculptor Nandipha Mntambo, among many others.
However, someone I couldn’t find was Mary Sibande, who loomed large at this year’s showing — the sculptor and painter’s works, which critique how black South African women are depicted, were on display in three different sections.
Instead, I found solace gazing down from the top of a turret at the newest incarnation of the contemporary painter and sculpture’s alter-ego, Sophie, this time, draped in regal red patterned robes in the Usurpa Gallery space.
Another unexpected treat was bumping into the man who, along with William Kentridge, is arguably our most well-known male living artist.
Nelson Makamo might claim he’s “an underdog” but it rare for a local artist to have their art appear on the cover of Time magazine — or list Oprah Winfrey as a fan.
His art has even fired up a debate among sports lovers, after his most recent work, the new Premiership trophy, was unveiled last month.
“When was the last time people spoke about a trophy?” asks Nelson, when we discuss what he has described as a “love letter to football”.
Another artist — this time of the musical sort — who never strayed too far from the headlines was Brenda Fassie.
Coinciding with the month that Africa’s irrepressible queen of pop died 21 years ago, Brenda’s son, Bongani Fassie, launched the Through My Eyes Legacy Company earlier on Thursday at the Arena Preview Theatre in Parktown, Joburg.
At the event we learnt that through the it, in conjunction with Gallo Music (which forms part of Sunday Times’ parent company, Arena Holdings) and Brenda’s long-time producer Chicco Twala, fans can look forward to a full-length documentary tribute, among other projects.
In conversation with Lesley Mofokeng — who as a cub reporter for this newspaper was given the task of rustling up a Mabrrr cracker, week in and week out — Bongani explained why it was important for him to recognise his mother’s legacy.
“I am still on that journey of establishing myself out of the shadow of my mother. However, you cannot tell the Bongani Fassie story without Brenda, and if you try to tell a story about Brenda, you know I am going to pop up,” said the hitmaker’s only son and heir, to an audience that included musical icons Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, Papa Penny and Chicco.
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