Decor exhibit celebrates creatives who've put Cape Town on the global design map

20 April 2017 - 02:00 By Staff Reporter
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Artists and designers Zikhona Tefu, George Magaso, Michael Chandler, Lucie de Moyencourt, Renée Rossouw, Patricia Fraser and Lisa Firer will feature at 100% Design SA's We are Cape Town exhibition next weekend.
Artists and designers Zikhona Tefu, George Magaso, Michael Chandler, Lucie de Moyencourt, Renée Rossouw, Patricia Fraser and Lisa Firer will feature at 100% Design SA's We are Cape Town exhibition next weekend.
Image: DAVID ROSS

We are Cape Town by 100% Design SA is an exhibition taking place at Decorex Cape Town next weekend.

It will celebrate the design spirit of Cape Town - nominated as World Design Capital 2014 and credited as the world's most creative city last year by international travel site Howitravel.

Conceptualised by 100% Design SA's creative director Cathy O'Clery, We are Cape Town celebrates the curators, collaborators, studios and designers who have put the city on the design map.

"Design plays a substantial role in Cape Town by creating a great environment for tourists, jobs for our residents, beautiful interior solutions for homes, and work that resonates across the globe," says O'Clery.

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We are Cape Town will feature work by Cape Town-based design practitioners such as studio mates Clementina van der Walt, Peta Becker and Hoi P'loy; artists working at Art in the Forest with Anthony Shapiro and Michael Chandler, and some of the Chandler House collaborators.

"The common denominator between all the crafters represented by Chandler House is their willingness to get their design or work 100% right.

"Whether it's perfecting a fragrance, beaded mirror, or a painting - each of these creatives is very passionate about making the very best version of their idea," says Chandler.

The exhibition works like this: ''makers" have been grouped together under one curator to collectively produce a piece for the exhibition. Mostly they're collaborators that have worked together before.

Collaborations you can expect to see

Chandler House group

Michael Chandler is the curator of the Chandler House group comprising collaborators such as Zikhona Tefu, George Magaso, Lucie de Moyencourt, Renée Rossouw, Patricia Fraser and Lisa Firer to produce a product for the exhibition.

Chandler's studio and shop is in the Cape Town city bowl.

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Striking the Surface

Robin Sprong is the creator of custom-designed and photographic wallpapers, printed canvases, fabric prints, vinyl wall tattoos and other surface design concepts.

He is the curator of Striking the Surface, a collaboration with Francois Mostert, Ed Suter, Sarah Ord, Tiphaine Alston, Nina and Michelle van Reenen of Room 13, and Gillian Fuller.

Perfect Partners

Andile Dyalvane and Zizipho Poswa are the winning team behind Imiso Ceramics Studio in Woodstock, which is known for handmade collectors' pieces and beautiful tableware.

"Imiso" means tomorrow in Xhosa, and these distinctly African designs with a futuristic edge draw inspiration from a mix of urban culture, local traditions and nature.

Artistic Endeavours

David Bellamy is the artist, scientist, designer and environmentalist who set up the bbellamy&bbellamy brand, which has a shop in Muizenberg.

He is collaborating with Cathy Stanley of the Keiskamma Art Project and artist Gregory Stock.

We are Cape Town is an exhibition within Decorex Cape Town and a forerunner to 100% Design SA's main event in Johannesburg in August. The event will be called We are Joburg.

This article was originally published in The Times.

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