Dear Readers and Nascent Another Africa Aficionado’s

We have some good news for you here at Another Africa. With your positive feedback and words of encouragement, and awe at what lies beneath the surface for our African adventure, we have taken the plunge, and made the commitment. We happily announce that we are the proud new owners of www.anotherafrica.net

So we will be making our home there from this point forward. Naturally you are more than welcome, in fact we hope that you will come visit us often, no need to be announced. Our house is your house.

Warmest greetings,

Another Africa

This week around the world in New York, the city prepares for the annual furniture and design fair, ICFF. Retailer and housewares purveyor ABC Carpet & Home is showcasing the M’Afrique collection produced by Italian manufacturer Moroso. A project conceived by Patrizia Moroso, Moroso’s in-house Art Director as well as daughter of founder Agostino Moroso. Moroso is now positioned as being one of the most innovative and creative players in the field of design largely to Patrizia’s efforts. The company is known for scouting and commissioning young talent who have gone on to become big names in the industry like Konstantin Grcic. Last June, when Moroso was interviewed at Milano Salone she describes her motivations behind the project; “multifaceted, modern Africa deserves to be known and sustained for the originality of the creative languages with which it enriches global culture.” Couldn’t have said it any better, basically the raison d’être for Another Africa!

Moving on to London and the feature of this post is new concept store, Darkroom, which opened last fall on Lamb’s Conduit Street. An area of London which Monocle magazine describes as the “perfect London street.” Just looking at the collection of products and sensibility, it is easy to understand that they fluidly explore the crossover between fashion and interior in the spirit of objet d’art to unite their offerings. Uniquely, they bring new context for primitive art, textiles and jewellery. Their first foray has led them to launch INTO AFRICA, a summer season of African influenced modernist accessories inspired by African arts and textiles. A collaboration with Corrie Williamson [ Jewellery], David David [ Framed prints and cushions], Despina Curtis [Framed Prints], Florian [Jewellery], Fred Butler/Brie Harrison [Jewellery & Headpieces] and many more…

Aside from fashion products designed incorporating vintage West African fabrics, on view are commissioned limited edition prints and one-off pieces. David David, a fashion label exploring the world of prints and patterns,  in addition to designing cushions has created three modern prints inspired and based on African textile patterns and beadwork.

David David (Untitled)

David David (Untitled)

David David (Untitled)

Despina Curtis, former Deputy Editor for Wallpaper magazine, has created a series of three prints in a limited edition of forty pieces of overprinted framed African textiles.

Despina Curtis (Untitled)

Despina Curtis (Untitled)

Despina Curtis (Untitled)

Designer and Darkroom Director, Rhonda Drakeford, has put her creative talents towards designing two prints based on the Ndebele patterns made famous in the art world, if not beyond, by South African & Ndebele artist, Esther Mahlangu.

This shop should definitely be part of any seasoned shopper’s retail reconnaissance.

Rhonda Drakeford (Ndebele 1)

Rhonda Drakeford (Ndebele 2)

Darkroom
52 Lamb’s Conduit Street,
London, WC1N3LL
Nearest Subway: Holborn Russell Square
Tel: +44 (0)20 7831 7244

Story source: Kindly recommended by London-based artist, Valentin.

[Images via Darkroom Darkroom]

About

Olaf Breuning

Born 1970 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland; lives in New York, New York

Commingling reality and illusion, authenticity and artifice, barbarism and civility, Olaf Breuning creates photographs, films, sculptures, and installations that draw heavily from popular culture and a collective visual iconography. He combines these contemporary aesthetics with more primal shared drives: violence, sexuality, ritual, and companionship. The divergent impulses collide, often with absurd and hilarious results, as Breuning exploits the thin line between humor and pain.

[Excerpt from the 2008 Whitney Biennal]

The lovely Mai will be  hosting a night of African inspired music and images at Tokyo’s night spot du jour, Le Baron de Paris.

Performances and music by Mai Ueda, Digiki, PMKFA, Cruel & Tender (OK version), Chase wolf…..

Date: May 13, 2010 (Thursday)

Time: 22:00 ~

Place: Le Baron De Paris, Aoyama, Tokyo

Mai Ueda

Mai Ueda is an artist and free thinker who explores her sensitivity and talent through different mediums. She emotionalizes technologies, minimizes pop songs, glamorizes daily events and daily used objects and captures personalities in things. She is a founder of digital art movement NEEN. Her work has been shown internationally at festivals, galleries and museums. These days, she plays in the experimental theatre piece, and collaborating with Brooklyn hip hop band Das Racist.

DIGIKI

DIGIKI, Paris-born Tokyo resident, Antonin Gaultier. Member of conceptual indie music label TOKYO FUN PARTY and the man behind DIGIKI, a fusion of digital kid. Get a flavor for his vibe on his monthly music podcast, Polypunk, bits and beats selected by Digiki.

Cruel & Tender (OK version)

Cruel & Tender otherwise known as Audrey is an artist, fabulous illustrator and co-founder of music, art and culture publication OK Fred . Audrey takes you on an around the world musical tour as co-host of the Radio OK Fred podcast series which to date has featured music heavy weights such as Michel Gaubert, Marie from Colette, Paris.

PMKFA

Micke Thorsby, aka PMKFA. Tokyo-based Art Director and Graphic Designer extraordinaire will be putting down some fat beats, expect to hear some Afrikan sounds. Flyer design courtesy of PMKFA!

DJ Chasewolf

Chase Wolf is the alias of LA native Matthew Chase, “it boy” photographically documenting the LA, Tokyo party scenes and more…

Image inspired by New York-based photographer Phyllis Galembo.

We are able to take a glimpse into this visually charged and creative world through the art of whit and narrative that Galembo uses to frame her subjects.

Dressing in costume has a magical quality to it. It becomes a second skin that can free the human spirit allowing you to assume or project another reality; a notion that goes beyond cultural borders. Upon discovering her work, I felt a random connected disconnectedness apparent with the works of contemporary Swiss artist Olaf Breuning, Design/Art duo Vibskov Emenius to Bernhard Willhelm and as far reaching as Japanese fashion label Comme des Garçons.

Comme des Garçons S/S '09, Olaf Breuning - Doubles (2002), Vibskov Emenius - Self Portrait, Bernhard Willhelm S/S '10

Story source: Kindly recommended by London-based artist, Valentin.

[Images via Phyllis Galembo]

About

Galembo teaches photography at the University of Albany (1978 – Present).

She has published various books including: Dressed for Thrills, 100 Years of Halloween Costumes and Masquerade (2002), Vodou: Visions and Voices of Haiti (1998), Aso-ebi, Cloth of the Family (1997), Divine Inspiration from Benin to Bahai (1993) and Pale Pink (1982).

Her work is available through Steven Kasher Gallery.

Where are Benin, Burkino Faso, Nigeria & Sierra Leone?

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Jewels of the Kalahari is a fair trade and sustainable accessory collection developed by London-based Gem industry specialist, Anna Haber. Several years back, Haber in conversation with British supermodel Lily Cole discovered that they both had a common passion, to help indigenous communities promoting their artisanal crafts.  Cole who had recently returned from a trip to Botswana had brought back beautiful pieces made by the Bushmen of the Kalahari. It was love at first sight for Haber, she describes the jewelry as “timeless designs-so modern and unique – it is no wonder that artists like Picasso and Klee were so inspired by the arts and crafts of Africa.”

Shortly thereafter together with Cole, they began promoting the collection. Fashion trendsetter Dover Street Market immediately fell in love with the pieces and bought the collection.

First Collection (2007)

Two years later, Haber is still working together with the Bushmen of the Kalahari, specifically with the community of Ghanzi. She continues to invest her passion and business savvy so that this meaningful and sustainable business flourishes. For this community, this project presents an opportunity to conserve and propel a rich heritage yet also brings a new means for economic self-sustainability.

The latest 15 piece collection was created in collaboration with local craftsmen and British bespoke jewelry designer, Sabine Roemer. It fuses traditional materials and rich techniques with new materials like leather, silver, velvet and satin to make a sublime collection.

This latest collection can be bought online from British fashion retailer Browns. Haber continues to promote this project continually looking for new retailers to stock the brand. She can be contacted for sales enquires as follows haberanna@hotmaildotcom

Sabine Roemer Collaboration Collection

For more information about Haber and this project: http://onefinethread.blogspot.com/

The Kalahari desert in Botswana is home to the Bushman a people that up until the last century have remained quite isolated from the rest of the world.The Bushmen’s traditional jewelries are made from Ostrich egg shells, beads, porcupine quills, wild seeds, bone, wood, leather, tortoiseshell and more. The detail work required required to shape beads from ostrich egg shells is remarkable. Colour variety is made by browning shells in a frying pan.

Detail - Handcrafted Ostrich Egg Shell Beads

[Images via One Fine Thread & Browns ]

Where is Botswana and The Kalahari Desert?

View Larger Map

Flyers

It has been a little over a year since the  Zimbabwean dollar was put to pasture, and to commemorate this moment we look back on the savvy campaign put together by South African ad agency TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris, The Trillion Dollar campaign.We can all get a bit jaded with advertising then out of the blue a stealthy idea appears breaking through the white noise, an intelligent disruption.

So here is the little bit of intelligent disruption that poignantly brought the plight of ailing Zimbabwe front and center, and aimed to increase readership for the newspaper, The Zimbabwean.

The campaign deftly used the near to worthless dollar notes printed with provocative messages. Granted the act of intentionally defacing legal tender was likely illegal yet it was far too cruel yet poetic an idea to miss up. By printing on the currency, a cheaper solution than buying used paper, the medium became a strong element of the message and powerful evidence of the collapsing economy.

This brilliant campaign included billboards, posters and tearaway flyers. It received 7 awards at the 2009 Annual Cannes Advertising Festival, the most accolades for any campaign originating from South Africa in the last 57 years of Festival.

Posters

Poster & Flyers

About the Zimbabwean Dollar

On April 12, 2009 the Zimbabwean dollar is officially abandoned by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

On 2 February 2009, the Reserve bank removes 12 zeros from the currency.

On January 16, 2009 100 Trillion Dollar note issued (approximate equivalent at time of issue $30 USD)

Inflation as of 2008 estimated at 231 Million Percent.

About The Zimbabwean

The first newspaper publication for Zimbabweans in exile of which there are over 3 Million living between the U.K. and South Africa.

Since 2002, freedom of the press has been severely hampered in Zimbabwe with the passing of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA),

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/

About TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris, South Africa

Through advertising, causing disruption which in essence is the art of asking better questions.

In the Annual Cannes Advertising Festival 2009, The Trillion Dollar campaign won 2 Bronze Lions, 2 Gold Media Lions Best Use of Mixed Media, 1 Gold Outdoor Lion for Best Outdoor, 1 Grand Prix & 1 Silver Direct Lion Award.

http://www.tbwa.co.za/

[Images via The Zimbabwean's Flickr stream]

Where is Zimbabwe on the African continent?

These images, above and below, taken mainly in West Africa during the early 1900′s are amazing, totally fierce examples of how beautiful and sculptural hair can be.

On a more contemporary note, Nigerian photographer J.D. Okhai Ojeikere magnificently documents the ephemeral world of hair in his photographic series, Hairstyles. As a young photographer in his early thirties he was passionate about recording moments of beauty, capturing traces of art in life.

His work pays homage to the hair artist or more aptly, the hair architect who through precise movements and techniques, forms hair into a work of art. Images shot mostly from the back emphasis the sculptural nature of the hair and head as canvas and drawing board. Ojeikere has taken more than 1,000 portraits of Nigerian women since the 60′s whom he’s encountered in daily living from the streets, at work or parties. Ojeikere had his first solo show outside of Nigeria in 2000 when sixty-four portraits were exhibited in the world renown Fondation Cartier, Paris.

More photographs of West African women from the 50′s ~ 60′s with some seriously tight tresses.

About

J.D. Okhai Ojeikere was born in 1930, in Ojum Emai Nigeria.

He lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria.

J.D. Okhai Ojeiker is exclusively represented by Fifty One Fine Art Photography, Antwerp.

[Images via Gallery 51, Hair In African Art In Culture, African Loxo]

This beautiful fashion spread titled Noir Hollywood was published in the #18 issue of Metal magazine released in December 2009.

Photography/ Petrovsky & Ramone

Fashion Stylist/ Sonny Groo a.k.a. Adbul Lagerfeld.

Model/ Khaleel Taj Leahong Magnus

[Images via Abdul Lagerfeld]

Despite the hard physical toil and environment faced by the farm workers, Nickerson found herself quite impressed by these workers sense of freedom and happiness. She was inspired to document her experience, bringing to light their air of dignity as well as their unique sensibilities towards clothing.

Through her attention to detail, a skill honed as a fashion photographer,  we too are able to enjoy this refreshing vision. Both form and function happily co-exist in a world where one can freely mix patterns, textures and style without any reference to media currency.

The series was published under the title, Farm by Jonathan Cape in 2002. It is available through UK online retailer  WHSmith.

About Jackie Nickerson

Borin in 1960, lives and works in Ireland.

Came to prominence as a fashion photographer in the 1990s, working in Milan, Paris and New York where her work was featured in Elle, Marie Claire, Wallpaper, German Vogue, Arena, and other publications. Since 1997 she has been traveling and working on personal projects which currently include photography in Ireland and Spain.

Represented by

Jack Shainman Gallery

3 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011

tel. +1 212 645 1701 fax. +1 212 645 8316

email: info@jackshainman.com

hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 10 am –6 pm

[Images via Jack Shaiman Gallery]