Table of contents for VISI 109 in Visi

As we speak, I’m typing away sitting at our living room table with my constant companion at the other end during these past lockdown months – my teenager – doing her matric schoolwork. That makes it the second issue of VISI done remotely … and it also marks the second wave of home-improvements for the Smith household. It’s been a thing, right? Sounds like everyone has spent a large part of lockdown thinking of ways to re-imagine, revamp, and redo their homes. For us, it’s mostly been about colour – an instinctive response, I guess, to the sameness of lockdown. Wave One was more of a painting and artwork thing. From a blank-canvas white, one wall got painted pink and another grey … and that resulted in a major rehang…

AFRICAN GINGER Johannesburg-based illustrator and multimedia artist Seth Pimentel (aka African Ginger) uses childhood, relationships, mental illness, personal experiences and current affairs to inspire his mixed-media works. Instagram: @african_ginger ANDREA LIANG Andrea Liang – based in Cape Town – creates stylised portraits and digital illustrations inspired by nature and diversity. She simplifies her subject matter to capture key features in a simple yet striking way, adding colour to make them pop. Instagram: @andrealiangart ISHAARAH ARNOLD Graphic designer and illustrator Ishaarah Arnold is using her illustrations to inspire calm amid the chaos of the global pandemic. She’s used the time during lockdown in Cape Town to hone her skills in a new body of work ishaarah.co.za KIM BISCHOFBERGER Cape Town-based graphic designer and illustrator Kim Bischofberger makes striking digital artworks that…

Whenever I hear the word “home”, whether I’m uttering it or someone else is, what comes to me unbidden are images of my family’s life in the “servant’s quarters” where I was born (1966) and lived for the first few years of my life. My father, thirsty after a meal of salt snoek and bread, scooping a cup of cool water from a galvanised bucket on a kitchen counter. My mother, walking down the road to catch a bus to work. My brother, outside in the yard screaming “blue murder”, in my mother’s telling of the story, because his tricycle’s wheel was stuck behind a stone. This home was a converted garage on my uncle and aunt’s property in the newly declared group area of Charleston Hill, Paarl. It had…

TEXT GRAHAM WOOD n the vast ancient desert of Namibia, nature is the greatest architect. Millions of years have refined the shapes of the shelters that birds and animals create for themselves here. The gigantic nests built by sociable weaver birds in camelthorn trees – vast domed structures of twigs and grass often 3m wide – are one of the most striking examples. “They’re architectural masterpieces,” says Swen Bachran, the entrepreneur and conservationist who established the Namib Tsaris Conservancy with his neighbours in the desert, not far from the famous red dunes at Sossusvlei and the haunting 700-year-old skeletons of dead camelthorn trees at Deadvlei. Before he owned any land in the region, he and his designer and artist friend Porky Hefer visited a spot nearby the site of The…

With homes in London, Paris, Berlin and CapeTown, celebrated South African interior designer Hubert Zandberg has a fail-safe formula for decorating his homes. “Wherever I go in the world, I turn my immediate environment into a small town,” says Hubert, who grew up in the Karoo, a vast semi-desert region in South Africa. “For that reason, I’d always loved London’s Notting Hill as it emulates the small-town community of my childhood where it’s possible to be known by name at your local café, grocer and bookshop.” Having lived and worked in London for the past 25 years, Hubert’s eponymously-named interior design business is located in Notting Hill too. “It’s safe to say I have a healthy obsession with the area,” he says with a grin. “I’d been looking to buy…

Pebofatso Mokoena's practice isn’t one that's based in a moment, he says. “It's more like in situation-scapes that merge, mingle, collide, slice, become miniaturised and expand at different moments of making work.” And that making includes sometimes working in painting, drawing, collage, print, and even video, which reflects this Johannesburg-based painter-printmaker's notion that “there are inherently so many things happening even before the work is made, that influence what the work may represent”. Pebofatso, who was raised in the East Rand, says, “I was born into an extraordinarily violent socio-political moment. Nothing about that situation was serene, but that paradigm had such a profound influence on how I saw the world in general.” Growing up, he adds, his family had a television and that was a sort of escape for…

inspiration behind the ABODE range, and the plans she has for the collection in the future. Having been making sensuous, shapely jewellery for almost 20 years, Kirsten Goss sees her recently launched ABODE collection as “a collection of modern-day heirlooms”. Her signature curvaceous jewellery designs translate beautifully into considered implements and objects for living, with a core collection consisting of sterling silver cutlery, and stainless steel and solid brass serving ware. We chatted to Kirsten about the Why did you decide to create ABODE in addition to your jewellery ranges? Having grown up in a partly Norwegian family, we always had beautifully considered cutlery and homeware around. I guess that had a big influence on my penchant for great details in the living department. If you're going to scoop that…

“Modern Provisions For Modern Hippies” proclaims the glass frontage across this diminutive grocery store in Amsterdam’s trendy Haarlemmerdijk. Klein the Grocer sells only plant-based food, and there are few mainstream brands on the shelves. Instead, shoppers can expect products in beautiful packaging that also don’t contain any artificial additives, are mostly organic and are mainly from small-scale makers. Think Dutch seaweed “bacon”, Portuguese almond butter, fermented soft drinks and a large selection of fresh plant-based cheeses – oh, and don’t forget the Swedish-style cinnamon rolls, or the organic olive oil. If the aesthetic at Klein the Grocer rings a few bells – the bold and bright colours, the fearless use of typography, the smart puns – don’t be surprised. This supercute new store is the latest brainchild of one of…

ZANELE KUMALO, WRITER, EDITOR, ENTREPRENEUR What’s your favourite memory of the house you lived in as a child? Growing up in Tongaat, adventure never lay inside the house. We made imaginary jam from the soft red rock that contoured part of the property, dodged snakes that loved the guavadilla trees we swung from in the tropical garden or escaped beyond it into the neighbouring sugar-cane fields to suck on the sweet grass. Zanele is a regular contributor to VISI and has had writing and editorial roles at a number of top South African publications. She currently runs her own content studio, What Zan Did Next whatzandidnext.com. In this issue, she introduces us to artist Pebofatso Mokoena’s work (page 128). MILA CREWE-BROWN, FREELANCE WRITER What’s your favourite memory of the house…

“So, where is home for you?” fills me with as much cause to pause as “… and, your mother tongue is?” The answers aren’t neat. “I’m from Durban,” I’ll say, hoping that quickly covers both. I mostly only consider Durban the city in which I was born and raised, though to me, home is something else. And it keeps changing. Growing up, we moved often. Until I was about 14 years old, we’d changed address six times as a nuclear family. My father is from Kimberley, my mother from East London. Visiting relatives meant at least a nine-hour road trip, four little girls squished in the backseat, trying not to nap on each other. During those visits to the Northern and Eastern Cape, watching my parents in their hometowns felt…

There’s something altogether contrary about designing a Fresnaye house that presides over the Atlantic Seaboard without giving a second thought to the views. But when it comes to this dazzling home, there’s no desire to follow the rules. You’ll find soft curves where you’d expect sharp right angles and, while you’re cleverly protected from onlookers, glass-walled neighbours find themselves exposed. “They didn’t care a damn for the views,” says architect Robert Silke of Robert Silke & Partners about the homeowners’ brief. “It had to be a functioning family home – that it has views is a bonus.” But take one glance at the bleached-white, three-storey structure that looks a little like an abstract jigsaw puzzle from the outside and you know there’s more to this house than just a family…

Tom Dixon has already produced several designs that genuinely merit the adjective “iconic” – quite an impressive achievement for someone with no formal design training who started out welding one-off furniture pieces to make ends meet while playing in a band. His highly original eye has always also been resolutely bold and industrially inspired, and one of the brand’s latest collections, Press, has all these qualities in spades. It might be more useful to say “in iron presses” because that’s how these gorgeous new pieces are made. Press is a series of heavyweight grooved vases, bowls and candleholders made of fat, chunky coils of pure and clear transparent glass. Graphic in silhouette and simple in function, they are manufactured by heating glass to 1›200›C and dropping big globs of the…

Valoyi’s locally handmade handbags showcase a curated range of traditional textiles that celebrate West Africa, South Africa, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo. “I want to do my part in the redefining of the African narrative, my part in raising our heritage crafts and culture to a place of esteem, and further cementing its relevancy on this world,” says designer Harmonie Mbunga. “Why? Because its history matters. Our history matters.” For Harmonie, celebrating African history and culture is paramount. “Within every culture and tribe found in all the countries of this vast continent there is beauty, there is art and there is craftsmanship. But most of these creations are becoming lost and dying art forms. Our mission at Valoyi is to do our part in keeping the centuries-old heritage…

Slim-line, low-impact and eco-friendly, these minimal screens are designed to shield both restaurant staff and patrons during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Designed by Sandalene Dale-Roberts, founder of Naturalis bespoke furniture, the dividers were born out of necessity – and, of course, her ability to innovate and find a good-looking solution to a brand-new design problem. Sandalene’s husband, restauranteur extraordinaire Luke Dale-Roberts, has already employed them at The Pot Luck Club, one of his iconic venues in Cape Town. “Although dividers aren’t a government prerequisite, we wanted to make every effort to ensure the safety of our staff and guests,” Sandalene says. Made from metal and gloss-sealed Supawood or frosted glass, the attractive screens can be tailormade for any space, including offices, schools and shops. “Hopefully after COVID-19 we will be…

Horticulture major Kevin Brown founded Earthlings, an indoor plant company, in 2001 and has since gone on to establish a division called Moss Works SA. Moss Works creates moss installations, made from preserved moss imported from Europe, which are fully customisable in shape and colour. They can be installed anywhere indoors and are ideal for both homes and corporate spaces. Plus, you’re able to place one of these installations virtually anywhere from ceilings to pillars to walls – the options are as wide as your imagination. WHY CONSIDER A MOSS INSTALLATION? ● Aesthetic greening • No watering or special lighting required • Fire resistant • Fully customisable • No maintenance required • Amazing acoustic properties Boasting both tactile and visual appeal, Moss Works installations offer an alternative to planted “living…

ADD TO CART WE ARE TEAMING UP WITH LOCAL DESIGNERS ON A RANGE OF EXCLUSIVE COLLABS, FROM LIMITED-EDITION POUCHES TO HANDCRAFTED KEYRINGS. GET BROWSING AT SHOP.VISI.CO.ZA WIN WITH AURA INTERIORS One lucky VISI reader will win a Hanna Occasional Chair from local furniture and homeware brand Aura Furniture & Décor. This simple design, featuring an ash wood frame and rope seat, is valued at R5 995. ENTER AT VISI.CO.ZA/WIN. WE ASKED YOU ONLINE IF YOU COULD ADD ONE OF THESE SPACES TO YOUR HOME, WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE? More than 950 of you took our poll to let us know your top pick. Here are the results: 44% Greenhouse 21% Library 19% Wine cellar 16% Treehouse #READERLOVE Enjoying your new issue? Or did you buy something special from the ›ISI…

Any discussion about Minimalism as a design movement would have to start in the East. Traditional Japanese design, with its concepts of ikebana (precise floral arrangement), wabisabi (authenticity in natural imperfection) and ma (spatial intervals), existed long before the rest of the world embraced Minimalism in the 1960s and '70s. This Western turn to simple, pared-back, contemplative forms was mostly in opposition to Abstract Expressionism, with its dramatic excess and perceived spontaneity. Minimalists – in art, music, literature, fashion and architecture – were more interested in pauses and reflection. They sought to include resolved form, calming space and considered materials rather than extra brushstrokes, layered harmonies, additional sentences, more accessories or unnecessary walls. For design, this meant clean, reductive lines, a simple colour palette and a deliberate focus on function…

I REMEMBER SUN-FILLED DAYS OF WALKING IN THE VELD, CLIMBING KOPPIES TO LOOK FOR ROCK ART Arriving on my grandparents’ farm for our annual three-week winter holiday was always an occasion. As was usual, my grandmother waited for us on the big red wraparound stoep. How long she had been hovering in the vicinity of the front door we never knew, but there she always was as my dad parked the car close to the five cypresses that stood guard on the front lawn. Big hugs were always followed by tea and soetkoekies already laid out on the table – setting the scene for so many treats in the weeks to come. In later years my mom told the story of how my great-grandfather used to tell off my grandmother…

HOUSES DESIGNED BY THE MID-CENTURY ARCHITECT MICHAEL SUTTON inspire a rare devotion among Johannesburg design lovers. And so it was for Marilyn McDowell, who lives in a house that has a special place in Joburg design lore: the cluster or “compound”, as she jokingly calls it, in Parktown North where Sutton himself lived, and built a house for his sister, the landscaper Ann Sutton. “I have had a complete passion for Michael Sutton’s homes since I was in my 20s,” says Marilyn, a one-time interior designer. It wasn’t until her 40s, however, that she managed to bag one, and she’s lived in it for over 30 years. “He had such an amazing understanding of space,” she says. “He was a visionary.” Those who know their Joburg architectural history will be…

There’s an oversupply of architecture in South Africa that’s more concerned with what is on the surface than how well the space functions and how it relates to its surroundings. Overly worked and too often themed, it presents the “dream” of living in a certain typecast style by way of gratuitous, decorative frills. This is especially prevalent in large-scale developments, where quality of life ends up coming second to feature walls and on-trend design elements that lack connection to their context. When JohanWentzel and Grete van As of W Design Architecture Studio had the initial discussions for Roundabout Brooklyn with developers KEE Properties, they envisaged an apartment block that would exist in harmony with its surroundings, with a focus on honesty, longevity and above all, liveability. They were also cognizant…

“Design is an expressive medium that I believe can... capture an image that only exists in my mind,” says Glorinah Mabaso. The newly announced winner of the Trenery Print Competition – launched at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair in 2019 – adds, “[Design] has the power to freeze time, it is a visual language that can speak louder than words, and most importantly, it is my sacred space.” From more than 400 entries to the competition, Glorinah’s was singled out for its raindrop-inspired design. The pattern pays homage to the Modjadji dynasty, and specifically, to the first Rain Queen, Maselekwane Modjadji (1800-1854) from Limpopo. Drawing inspiration from the history of the rain dance that Maselekwane headed, Glorinah interpreted the idea of rain smashing and running over glass into her…

Coral Stephens never intended to start a weaving business. But after moving to Eswatini in the late 1940s and needing curtains for her newly built farmhouse, she decided to try to recreate a fabric that she had once purchased in the Eastern Cape. It was made from woven mohair, at a missionary school – so between Coral and Sylvia Mantanga, an employee of Coral’s who was a skilled weaver and had travelled with her to Eswatini, they began training some Swazi women to spin and weave. Once the curtains were made and installed, they were so much admired by visitors that people began asking if they could place orders for them, and so Coral Stephens Handweaving was born. Coral sourced looms, had spinning wheels made by the excellent carpenters who…

Nando’s opened its very first store in Rosettenville in 1987. Yes, although it seems like the beloved fast-food brand has been around forever, it’s really just over 30 – a smack-in-the-middle millennial, if you like. These days it’s hard to imagine South Africa without Nando’s, and VISI’s favourite element of the company’s global identity is undoubtedly its ongoing commitment to local design and art. Which is why, as designer and curator of the space Tracy Lynch puts it, it’s so exciting to see the original Nando’s space revamped to be “an extraordinary showcase of South African design”. The brand’s celebration of local design takes place on both a national and global level, informed by what she calls “the concept of using exceptional South African-designed furniture and an interior-design ZAesthetic”. As…