The Intrepid Designer

Imiso Ceramics - Hands On Talent

The intriguing, beautiful works of Imiso Ceramics (imiso meaning ‘tomorrow’ in Xhosa) are earning their creators accolades around the world.

The burgeoning business was started four years ago by Andile Dyalvane and three contemporaries. Of the founders, Andile and Zizipo Poswa remain, and they’ve since been joined by Lulama Sihluku.

Andile talks to Genevieve Fisher about going glocal, how his cultural identity informs his work, and what the Japanese have to teach local designers.

What do you understand the term ‘glocal’ to mean?
Local going global! In terms of design this means we have something unique to offer the world, something that can fit in anywhere and that is as good as any of its global competitors, if not better.

To what do you accredit your success in the European and American markets?
My work reflects my background and personal experiences of having been brought up in the Eastern Cape according to Xhosa traditions. The pieces I create are not only of a high quality, but are also aesthetically pleasing to many people from different walks of life. People like to surround themselves with beauty and are always looking for something unique and original. European and American markets have recognised this and appreciate our work because of it. They’ve found something original and appealing with a hint of its origin. I like to think that the success of my products is due to the fact that I create culturally relevant, beautiful pieces that slot into a contemporary context.

What, in your opinion, is key to South African designers making a success of their products globally?
In order to create something beautiful and eye-catching, one shouldn’t have to look too far – you’ll find inspiration in your backyard if you need to. Most SA designers I know who have made an impact globally use what they have at their disposal in their immediate surroundings. Heath Nash is a great example: he not only uses material that many consider junk – plastic – to make beautiful products, but he also educates people about recycling and being environment friendly. In my work, I take African artefacts and reinterpret them into contemporary items. The fact that we can be innovative with the little infrastructure that we have,  yet still be able to produce high-quality original products, is the key to our success.

How does your nationality inform your work?
I draw on my experiences as a young black Xhosa man growing up in the Eastern Cape. My personal experiences are reflected in each piece I create. Through my work, I try to educate the world about African culture. I incorporate certain symbols that bear cultural significance. One of these is scarification, which is a prominent cultural practice of Xhosa people as well as other African cultures and symbolises the process of healing or the ritual of circumcision, among others. I like to create a space for enquiry, to talk to people about it if they ask, or for them to find out about it on their own terms. Questioning is encouraged and our shop attendants are well versed in every aspect of the design process, from the symbols employed to the materials used.  The certificates of authenticity that accompany each product explain the source of inspiration for that particular piece.

World Cup aside, why do you believe the world is falling in love with our design aesthetic?
SA design is vibrant. We are also a flexible people, always looking to collaborate. It allows for innovation. There’s also an element of hope in South African design, which we can attribute to what we’ve been through historically as a people. No matter what we’ve been through or where we come from, we can elevate people’s lives through the products we make. Our design products have a lot of substance.

Which SA designers do you admire?
I’ve already mentioned Heath Nash. I’m also inspired by Haldane Martin – his work is African in a contemporary way, which is important as it shows where he comes from. More than this though, his creations could fit into any context around the world. He’s talented, doesn’t shy away from his background and retains originality.

You’ve just returned from the Milan Furniture Fair. How was it?
I’m grateful that I get to travel to different parts of the world – it expands my mind. My attending the Milan Furniture Fair this year was a chance for me to explain the philosophy and inspiration behind my work. What I realised is that the world really is looking at South Africa, particularly with the World Cup imminent.  It was also a wonderful experience to be able to educate people about my work and all that informs it. Seeing people’s reactions to the transformation of a simple piece of clay was very rewarding.

 Who stood out for me, though, were the Japanese designers. They’re inspiring! They work with something simple, but they master their craft and technology and are totally dedicated to what they do. It reflects in their work, and this resonates with me. It is what I aim to achieve in my own work – attention to detail and mastering my craft so that people can see that I’ve taken time and applied a lot of thought to producing a piece.

Imiso Ceramics, +27 (0)21 421 1071,
imisoceramics.co.za  

Source: The Property Magazine
 

Eddie Zoom Keeps the 60’s Alive in Cape Town

How music, fashion and art has influenced this furniture store owners career

   

Eddie Zoom is certainly one of Lower Kloof Streets more prominent stores, with it’s bright red exterior. It invites furniture collectors, but also those who are simply curious to learn what this store is all about. A step inside this unusual furniture store can only be described as travelling back to the 60’s and 70’s - an era when chrome, aluminum and plastic reigned supreme. There’s a story behind all this furniture, not merely regarding the era that it represents, but within the extraordinary life of the shops owner, the original Eddie Zoom. He supplies retro furniture to the international film industry and has even designed for the likes of Billy Connolly. I caught up with Eddie, keen to find out more about the major influences that music, fashion and art have had on one man’s eclectic design career.

What sparked your interest in 60’s and 70’s furniture? Did your parents occupations involve furniture?

Eddie:  “My father is an antiques restorer in Jersey, Channel Islands, although I have never been involved with his business. I started off as an antiques dealer, some 20 years ago, collecting 17th and 18th century French decorative items and chimney pieces. I would regularly frequent antiques dealers in Newark, United Kingdom, where some 5000 dealers would attend.

“It wasn’t until a visit to an eccentric friends house, that I became transfixed with eccentric, retro furniture. His home was fitted with aluminum, chrome, plastic chairs and retro light fittings – an inspiration to start collecting myself. I started to display retro furniture in the shop window of my antiques store on Lilly Road, Fulham, United Kingdom and, at first, people scoffed: ‘Where did you find that, Eddie? In a skip?’, but I knew it was going to happen.”

You spent seven years at design art college. Where were you based and what did you study?

Eddie: “I studied ladies fashion and textiles and fine art, at what is now known as the University of Lancashire, United Kingdom. My studies also touched upon photography and printing and it was during this time that I began to make one-off-design pots. When I left university, I went on to work at popular London fashion house, Harold and Geoffrey Wallace. I have always had an interest in fashion, as I feel that it bears such a large influence on interior design. For example, the tassels and bell bottomed trousers of the 50’s and 60’s.”

You travelled the world for 16 years. Did you draw any inspiration from your experiences?

Eddie: “I was particularly inspired by Italy – this country is home to natural born designers – some American and other European designers. I particularly love; Pier Giacomo & Achille Castiglioni, Italian designers, for their 60’s floss, ‘Tio floor lamp’, with it’s marble base; Verner Panton, a Danish designer, for his independent, mushroom-style light fittings; and Eero Sarinnen, a designer from Finland, for his tulip-style chairs. I enjoyed the arts and crafts period and believe that the likes of Charles Rennie Macintosh and Frank Lloyd Wright were ahead of their time.”

What influences have you drawn from your experience in the music industry?

Eddie: “I spent my younger days managing bands. I played percussion for the Rolling Stones and, in 1969, performed at the Hyde Park Concert. I also ran London’s legendary Marquee Club, which hosted some of the most influential bands of the 60’s and 70’s such as, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zepplin . The 50’s and 60’s was the era of my youth and I am reliving it through my passion for furniture from this period.”

How did you come to help compile Millers Antiques Books?

Eddie: “Having visited my original store in London, Zoom, Millers Antiques saw that I had the most amazing collection. It was something new that captured the changing art, fashion and music of the 60’s and 70’s. I started to provide photographs for collectors all over the world. My photography is mainly of 20th century designs, for example, a Charles Earnes Chair.”

You rent props to the film industry. How did this come about?

Eddie: “I supply props to the international film industry. For example, I was asked to provide props for Daniel Craig, of Bond movie fame such as, Albini lights. Rather notably, comedian, Billy Conolly, once asked me to design a studio with a stone age feel.”

Has your move to South Africa inspired your work?

Eddie: “My son is based here, so this is one of the main reasons I moved to South Africa. However, I am inspired by the basic, natural forms of design synonymous with South Africa.”

What makes Eddie Zoom unique compared with other furniture stores in Cape Town and can you describe some of your more prominent items?

Eddie: “It’s an original store that is inspired by the classics. I am a firm believer in one-of-a-kind collectors items and even design my own. For example, I have designed my own lamp. This lamp is heavily influenced by Verner Panton and Joe Columbo and is a floor standing lamp that gives the impression of four floating Saturn’s. I currently stock a Tecno Adjustable lounge chair, which has an incredible 486 positions, and a genuine, Eero Sarinnen table.”

How would you describe a typical Eddie Zoom customer?

Eddie: “Our customers are people who are new to retro furniture, but are excited about it and want to know more. Conversely, we also get avid collectors coming through our doors who are well read on the subject.”

What does the future hold for Eddie Zoom?

Eddie: “I just want to keep doing what I love most. I would love the opportunity to help decorate more interiors and would like to continue helping the film industry. I am not just a shop keeper; I am a dealer’s dealer and I am passionate and knowledgeable about what I do. I welcome anyone to come and have a browse and an informal chat.”

For more inspirational and unusual stores, be sure to visit our popular Shopping Section

By Lisa Nevitt

Source : Cape Town Magazine

The Barnard Gallery - Where the art is

With its narrow streets, quaint cottages and soaring oak trees, Newlands Village seems to have come straight out of a brochure for a suburb in North West London. You couldn’t ask for a more perfect setting for a fine-art gallery, and it’s here that you’ll find The Barnard Gallery. It’s across the road from the Kildare Centre and its boutique stores (Lulu Tan Tan, Hush Clothing, Tanya Wheeler and Rosenwerth) and diagonally opposite Melissa’s, so the ‘ladies who lunch’ will have a fine time getting their art fix.

‘I believe the exhibitions we will be holding will encourage more people to come to the area,’ says owner Christiaan Barnard.

The Barnard Gallery is not Chris’s first foray into the arts. The son of famous heart surgeon Dr Chris Barnard and mom Barbara, Christiaan was raised in a home filled with magnificent artworks. ‘My mother worked for Sotheby’s and my grandfather was a big collector, so art was a part of our world.’

Chris is quick to admit that his personal collection is still a work in progress: ‘I have some beautiful pieces, but I definitely need to add more. I recently renovated my home, so there are lots of empty walls that need filling!’ He describes the décor in his home as ‘safari lodgy’ and that the works he owns tend to have more of a rough African texture: ‘Peter Beard and Dylan Lewis are my style.’

In his younger years, Chris studied graphic design at the A A A college in Cape Town, and then studied interior design through correspondence. He’s dabbled in various aspects of design for the past 11 years, starting off in residential interior design before turning his hand to the commercial side of the business. ‘I tired of the residential side,’ he explains. ‘You work so hard, yet few people get to appreciate what you’ve done. And clients can be so fickle. It all got a bit tedious.’

So Chris entered the property market, where he could buy land, develop it and carry out the commercial design work himself.
Today he owns several prime properties in Cape Town, including the Newlands building that houses the new art gallery.
His talent for interior design can be seen at the popular Mouille Point restaurant Pepénero, which is run by renowned restaurateur Paul Kovensky. Chris and Paul are also part-owners of Paranga restaurant in Camps Bay.

And it’s not only these businesses to which he’s applied his skills. In 1999 Chris ran an art gallery in Napier Street in trendy De Waterkant, and he currently owns the upmarket décor store, Pa Kua at the V & A Waterfront, which showcases a mix of South African and international wares.

The young entrepreneur describes his decision to open The Barnard Gallery as a strategic one: ‘I realised that many art galleries have closed or been sold recently, and it made me think it was a good time to enter the market – that there was a real need for a new gallery, because the industry is in turmoil.’ Regardless of these troubles, there has still been considerable investment in South African art recently, and Chris believes it’s because people see art as a reliable investment.

Chris’s other reason for opening the gallery is more sentimental: ‘Too many people are looking for financial reward from art. I’m really doing this out of passion! My dream is to sell art that I love,’ he says. ‘I know that this might eventually become a problem; art is so much in the eye of the beholder, so I might have to draw the line somewhere.’

The Barnard Gallery is a large, airy, double-volume space, essential for maximising the artwork’s appeal. It’s modern and sparse, with a spiral staircase in the centre leading upstairs to Chris’s business offices.

Chris is excited about his future line-up of artists. May saw the launch of a joint exhibition by Willie Bester, Rachelle Bomberg, Robert Slingsby, Norman Catherine, Gail Catlin and Uwe Pfaff. This will be followed by solo exhibitions by Rachelle Bomberg, Robert Slingsby and Willie Bester. Previous exhibitions showcased the works of Philip Briel and Paul du Toit. ‘All the artists we have are fantastic, and their reaction to the gallery has been so positive.’

Chris is a true Capetonian. He admits he’s considered leaving South Africa, though he can’t see himself making the move: ‘My brother, an investment banker, now lives in Zurich, which he loves, and although I visit him often, it isn’t for me. I haven’t found anywhere else in the world that suits me as much as Cape Town. Really, where else is there to live?’

In his downtime, Chris loves nothing better than being outdoors, preferably in False Bay on his surfboard if the waves are good. Otherwise he enjoys jogging in the wild or mountain climbing. ‘I also play a bit of guitar!’ he confides laughingly.

This year is proving a busy one for Chris. In addition to lining up artists for  The Barnard Gallery, he’s getting married in October. The Barnard Gallery, +27 (0)21 671 1553

Source: Thepropertymag