The first arteBOTANICA was hosted by Nirox Sculpture Park in the Cradle of Humankind yesterday and included a day of fashion, design, photography, performance, food, sculpture and music.
This new annual festival, directed by the talented performer, musician and designer Manthe Ribane was initiated to celebrate creativity in SA in all its forms. With humans seemingly hellbent on accelerating their own extinction, it's important to slow down, take a step back and think about ways to highlight climate change in a positive way.
Gautengers had the opportunity to join a growing global movement of environmental organisations calling for radical action within the wasteful "fast fashion" industry - in style.
Rather than taking to the streets with placards in protest, activists and ethical fashionistas who attended the arteBOTANICA event were encouraged to morph into the surrounding nature by wearing white and neutrals.
The dress code was intentionally not to wear green, to highlight the lack of green in Gauteng despite the fact that it's summer, because of the climate crisis-induced drought in the area.
Ribane's idea is to examine "the values of self-adornment and beautification" and to make people conscious of environmental issues when they come to choosing what to wear and what to discard.
Using "ethical fashion" as a reference point, the line-up of artists fused some of the best of SA's diverse talent, including fashion, design, photography, performance, food, sculpture and music.
The all-day event appealed to all the senses. Highlights included an installation of the knitwear label Maxhosa by Laduma Ngxokolo, whose recent debut at New York Fashion Week signalled his first foray into the fashion world beyond Africa.
Also in the spotlight was creative director, style reporter and photographer Trevor Stuurman, whose Afropunk Festival Johannesburg images were published in British Vogue in January.
Joburg-based visual artist Mary Sibande - whose work was recently exhibited as part of New York exhibition Like Life: Sculpture, Color, and the body (1300 - Now) at The Met Breuer and whose pieces have been purchased by the National Museum of African Art in Washington DC - featured too, as did visual artist Nandipha Mntambo.
Her work uses natural, organic materials and she is known for her mixed-media approach and for her focus on the female body.
Lezanne Viviers of Viviers Studio in collaboration with visual artist Marlene Steyn gave guests a taste of their art and fashion fusion, which was launched recently at Lotus House gallery space, studio and concept store.
Throughout the day, guests also got to see what creative director Amy Zama from DNA Styling Agency, a creative outlet dedicated to working with other young artists and collaborators, is focussing on at the moment.
The full day at the sculpture park closed with an outdoor evening catwalk and musical performance by members of the Johannesburg Philharmonic, during which Ribane also performed.
• Installations created for the event will remain in the Nirox gardens for the public to view. See niroxarts.com/sculpture-park
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.