Monday, 5 June 2023
Atiyyah Khan is an arts journalist, archivist, record collector and events curator from Johannesburg and based in Cape Town.
Since 2007, she has documented arts and culture and has been published in newspapers across South Africa. She was the 2010 Pulitzer Fellowship recipient for her masters studies at the University of Southern California.
Atiyyah is also the cofounder of the music collective Future Nostalgia, which hosts gigs around Cape Town.
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 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.
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.
Revolutionary Papers is a forward-thinking archive of anti-colonial zines, newspapers and flyers that taps into popular print culture to offer historical context and present-day relevance.
A rare album of music typical of this isolated and neglected community sheds light on their traditions and what they hold dear, and invites the world to get to know them.
With the band’s second release, Finish the Sun, the bandleader finds inspiration anew in rediscovering his love of the guitar. As a result, he leans into funk and African groove.
The struggle photojournalist, activist and jazz photographer has given UWC custody of his archive, with plans to digitise it and start an accessible photography centre.
A rare recording featuring Palestinian artist Riad Awwad and poet Mahmoud Darwish has resurfaced, found amid a collection of 12 000 old cassette tapes in the West Bank.
Journalist and author Sam Mathe’s ‘From Kippie to Kippies And Beyond’ profiles four generations of South African musicians, most of whom had been languishing in obscurity.
By its very existence, Soweto’s first nightclub defied apartheid. And as people of all races mixed, many budding musicians got the chance to fine-tune their talents too. Now a new album honours it.
The drummer has fond memories of his childhood home in Mdantsane, where his grandmother allowed him the freedom to immerse himself in music. Hence his latest album is dedicated to her.
Mukanya’s heart will always reside in Zimbabwe, but calling out politicians in his music has made it difficult for him to live there. He is also ready to pass on the mantle.
The acclaimed bassist returns with a second album, At This Point In Time launched in early November. It is rooted in heritage and pays homage to his jazz ancestors.
The Zimbabwean artist has created an extraordinary listening space filled with vinyl records of historical import ranging from political speeches to African struggle songs.
A collaboration between artists from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Senegal has produced an album that keeps a sense of community alive, even in times apart.
A personal reflection on the legacy of Jamaican producer and artist Lee “Scratch” Perry, known for his innovations in sound. Known for his eccentricity too.
The duo’s latest album reflects the experiences of two young Black men in Johannesburg who’ve come into their own despite the many odds stacked against them.
The pianist was a musician’s musician who valued passing on his vast knowledge. As one collaborator put it, there’ll never be another piano player with his sound.
The recently released documentary The Colonel’s Stray Dogs provides a political and personal perspective of Libya under the rule of the late Muammar Gaddafi.
The Cape Town artist who works to redefine the stereotypes associated with her heritage is bringing art to the people for whom it is made by wrapping vinyl images around a taxi.
The quick response of artists around the world to the latest attacks has helped advocate for Palestinians. We interview some of these artists to get their perspective on the work they’re making.