At play in the realm of political assassinations
A drama from Limpopo tackles the disturbing reality of politicians killing each other for positions. It is a cry from young South Africans for this deplorable situation to change.
Culture
Pierre Kwenders’ evolution will not be silent
The artist’s third album traverses a new musical terrain as he keeps on expanding his sound and working with friends from around the world.
Artists in residence reflect their Makhanda life
Two collectives, Spaza and orangcosong, took up residencies at the National Arts Festival and created projects that speak to the town and the spaces they found themselves in.
The good works of the Sir Alba Arts Academy
Dancers from the small academy in Etwatwa are winning locally and qualifying internationally, but will never compete overseas unless the institutions meant to support such initiatives actually do so.
Facing the beast of rape, femicide and child murder
Gender-based violence is highlighted in several heartbreaking performances at the Makhanda National Arts Festival.
Long Read | Frida Kahlo: A ribbon around a bomb
In this extract from her recent lecture at the Joburg Contemporary Art Foundation, Helena Chávez Mac Gregor reckons with the memory and place of Frida Kahlo in our contemporary imagination.
Greer Valley’s curatorial practice of care
From Stellenbosch to KwaZulu-Natal and Senegal’s Dak’Art Biennale, the curator’s exhibitions sensitively explore land, belonging and the violence of the archive.
Green light spells danger
In Text Messages this week, monomania takes many forms. Most deadly perhaps is Jay Gatsby’s hunt in the present for the possibility of bringing the past back to life.
A new stage for the National Arts Festival
The organisers had to get inventive to hold the festival in Makhanda again this year, but are passionate about ensuring that it thrives for artists as well as audiences.
Terry-Ann Adams draws finely with ‘White Chalk’
In their second book, a collection of short stories, the author takes from their own life and losses and aspires to create a new world that is better for all its diverse inhabitants.
Black women artists in a monumental exhibition
Spanning six decades and featuring more than 150 Black South African women, this art curation is an important intervention between the artists and the archive.
Coming of age, lost in the forest
Yellowjackets explores environmental and gender horror through a then-and-now storyline that offers insight into the long-term effects of trauma, with a hint of the supernatural.
Remembering George Lamming’s spirit of generosity
The Barbadian novelist, poet and essayist was a consummate ‘mental worker’ who played a profound role in shaping the postcolonial Caribbean national identity.
Warsan Shire builds a home of words
The British Somali poet draws readers into migrant life in Bless the Daughter, a collection that reflects her attempts to create a sturdy sense of home and belonging.
Beyond binaries and boundaries with Gabisile Motuba
The composer and vocalist’s new project finds its roots in liberation theology, and the idea that innovation in sound – what good jazz does best – needs to be encouraged.
Mike Mzileni, the gentle giant of photojournalism
He may have been a quiet man, but the reverence afforded him by the photographers in his orbit speaks volumes about his passion for photography, music and passing on his knowledge.
Death by hanging in the real world
In Text Messages this week, the literary deaths of Alan Paton’s Absalom Kumalo and George Orwell’s ‘one mind less’ come to life in Myanmar with the junta’s ominous declarations.
The geometry of grief
The South African-Nigerian novelist Yewande Omotoso has reimagined her deepest loss in An Unusual Grief, the darkly funny story of a mother who infiltrates her dead daughter’s life.
Rangoato Hlasane salutes kwaito’s intellectual legacy
The cultural worker’s film Sesasedi sa Tsodio explores the sociopolitical contexts of one of kwaito’s biggest songs, honouring music as an archive of migrant culture.
Feni Chulumanco takes his home to the galleries
The young artist’s paintings tell the story of his upbringing and his determination to create excellent, original pieces. Now the long hours and hard work are paying off.
Exposing the gender rules that need to be recast
In her new exhibition, Jenny Nijenhuis’ consistent wrestling to understand the origins of violence has led her to highlight the devastating damage of gendered messaging for children.