The Artists of Strategy, Soul & Self (Jan ’20-Aug 22)
I started writing my weekly letter in January 2020. Somewhere along the way, I started to share the work of artists that had moved me. It wasn’t intentional. It was more like my love of art and beauty had leaked into my writing life. It wasn’t planned, it simply was. This little piece is a compilation of all the artists I’ve mentioned. Given the ephemeral nature of Instagram, some of the links to some of the work might be broken, but I have linked to all the artists’ profiles and so hopefully that is a way for you to find their work.
Below are extracts from more than 120 letters. They include the names of more than 50 artists. They’re overwhelmingly African artists, mostly painters, although there are ceramicists, sculptors and photographers in the mix. Many of them are young artists making their way. I love all their work.
I hope that you find this to be a useful way to discover artists you may come to support and treasure.
Karl
PS: The bolded text are the letters’ titles in case you want to explore the full post.
– “Care for your clients” (8 March 2020)
“Our human connections are inextricably complex. This week, renowned performance artist Ulay passed on. I have always been moved by his entrance into this performance piece by his former lover and artistic partner Marina Abramović at MOMA in 2010. They hadn’t spoken in more than 20 years. Their reactions speak to everything that is beautiful and painful about love. The capacity to hold complexity is key to a rich life.”
– “Strategy Lesson: Listen to Weak Signals” (14 June 2020)
“This 6-minute tour of New York’s Metropolitan Museum Sahel exhibition is packed with beauty from the empires that surrounded the Sahara Desert. It has the added beauty of a Toumani Diabaté soundtrack.
I was once blessed to see Diabaté perform at The Pan-African Space Station that was conceived, and run by the wonderful musician, composer, and intellectual Neo Muyanga.
The Met exhibition was opened with a performance by the extraordinary Baaba Maal. It’s the perfect backdrop for reflection on this Sunday.”
– “Love the People you Lead” (20 September 2020)
“This delicate sculpture by Atang Tshikare will make your heart smile. He created it in the heart of lockdown. It speaks of life, of growth, of the possibility of renewal. I thought we all need to be reminded of that possibility.”
– “What Will You Do?” (27 September 2020)
“Wow, it’s the last Sunday of September. What a year! This painting by Alexandra Karakashian has captured the year for me.”
– “Mteto Nyati’s Betting on a Darkie” (4 October 2020)
“Like all of us, South African artist Simphiwe Ndzube was forced to improvise during lockdown. Last week, the Stevenson gallery shared 6 new works that emerged from his makeshift studio.
They’re an amazing part of what Ndzube calls a “cosmology of content to explore myths, theosophy, memory and other related mysticisms.” Ndzube is a bit of rock star, with his work (at 30 years old) having already being acquired by the prestigious LA County Museum of Art (LACMA). I love his comment that his work “has to be not too far removed from people’s experience – I need to keep that in mind as I go.””
– “Living With Loss” (11 October 2020)
“Working from his apartment’s courtyard during the early days of lockdown, the superbly talented Matthew Hindley magicked these beautiful abstracts into being. It teaches us that even in our darkest moments we can choose to bring beauty to the world.”
– “Kagiso Msimango’s Unf*ck Yourself” (18 October 2020)
“Speaking of which, this week the Everard Read Gallery introduced me to Nic Bladen’s work – exquisite bronze sculptures representing South Africa’s botanical richness.”
– “Robert Iger’s 15 Years Leading Disney” (25 October 2020)
“The Norval Foundation in Cape Town is currently exhibiting the work of the late Xitsonga sculptor Jackson Hlungwani.
When you stand in the presence of Hlungwani’s work, you can feel him leading you to places that lie beyond the current moment.
Some of the work is monumental, towering metres high, some small and trenchant (his depiction of the archangel Gabriel is a revelation).
The curators – Nessa Leibhammer, Amos Letsoalo and Karel Nel – do a phenomenal job of helping visitors understand how Hlungwani wove Xitsonga symbology together with an African Christianity informed by the Ethiopian Church to create his own vision.”
– “Dancing in Language” (1 November 2020)
“Two weeks ago, I shared Nic Bladen’s botanical sculptures with you. Today, Lee-Ann Heath’s work Blom is sure to make you feel warm and summery. If you’re feeling like spoiling yourself, Bladen has also released a jewellery range based on the Cape Floral Kingdom.”
– “Abdullah Verachia’s Disruption Amplified” (8 November 2020)
“This week, I wanted to introduce you to Nigerian artist Ndidi Emefiele I loved her piece, Here as in Heaven which is currently showing in London’s Gallery Rosenfeld.”
– “Stay Grounded My Friend” (15 November 2020)
“In this context, I have loved artist, photographer and film director Daniel Levi’s recent depictions of trees. His work celebrates their mythical status. He reminds us that trees have majesty beyond the current moment.”
– “How Fear Causes Failure” (22 November 2020)
“Today’s email is about the costs of silence, or more specifically how fear causes failure.
Given that backdrop, I thought I would share Mookho Ntho’s works Weight and Shake The Room, characters who own their space in the world.”
– “Despite the backdrop of our pain, South Africa achieves” (6 December 2020)
“The iconic Tate Modern launched its first major showing of Zanele Muholi’s work. This NYT article by another South African, Pumla Gqola, will give you an excellent sense of Muholi’s global stature.”
– “Hello. Please Open Me. We’re Back.” (13 January 2021)
“Before we start, take a look at Lee-Ann Heath and Georgina Gatrix‘s gorgeous creations. They are guaranteed to make you happy.”
– “In The Face Of The Unfathomable, Seek Joy” (24 January 2021)
“Port Elizabeth based performance-artist, Luke Rudman, collaborated with the iconic Dr. Esther Mahlangu to create this masterpiece to celebrate the 5-year anniversary of the Paris Agreement. I find myself overwhelmed with beauty and peace as I look at. It’s impossible not to be moved, not to have one’s soul fill with possibility.”
– “Businesses Are Not Machines, Nor Are You” (7 February 2021)
“In that jubilant spirit, I thought I’d share the beauty of Nandipha Mntambo’s Ophelia with you. I have many favourites in the Norval Foundation’s Sculpture Garden and this is one of them. I was pleased to see that an edition now has a home in Johannesburg. One day when I am big, I hope to have one in my garden.”
– “Make Work Happier” (14 March 2021)
“Earlier this year the prestigious Philadelphia Museum of Art acquired one of South African ceramicist Zizipo Poswa’s works. This followed a 2019 purchase of two of her works by the LA County Museum of Art. On 25 March, Poswa’s debut exhibition opens at the Southern Guild Gallery.
These are momentous events for any artist. Take a look at her work, and you’ll understand why she is attracting this acclaim.”
– “Some Leadership Lessons” (28 March 2021)
“In getting started I thought you’d like to see this gorgeous work by Nambian artist Tuli Mekondjo. And given that remote working will still be a thing for a while, imagine working at this Italian-designed desk from the mid-50s.”
– “Three Quotations to Consider” (4 April 2021)
“I went through two roadblocks on last year’s 1.2 km Easter grocery run. It might not feel like it, but we are moving forward.
That memory reminded me of this work by the late Danish artist Susanne Ussing. For Elephant Magazine it evokes claustrophobia. To my un-art-educated mind she looks ready to break free. What do you think?”
– “How we limit ourselves” (18 April 2021)
“William Saunders, founder of experience design consultancy Experio, introduced me to the work of Dr Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg whose work “explores subjects as diverse as artificial intelligence, exobiology, synthetic biology, conservation, biodiversity, and evolution, as she investigates the human impulse to ‘better’ the world.”
In this artwork, she “asks visitors to view the world from the perspective of plants and pollinators and to take part in a cultural project to help save bees and other endangered species of pollinating insects.” It’s an interesting challenge, but given our planet, it is a much-needed one.”
– “Creating Growth” (25 April 2021)
“As the fires were fought by brave souls, others rallied with kindness and generosity. One of those people was young artist Shakil Solanki, who donated the proceeds from the sale of four editions of this beautiful work to Gift of the Givers. They, of course, sold in a heartbeat. There is profound soulfulness in an act of creativity mobilising resources to mitigate the consequences of destruction. Thank you to Elana Brundyn who brought Shakil’s generosity to my attention.”
– “Skin: It Takes Blood and Guts” (16 May 2021)
“Two Sundays back we decided that we wanted to see visit Atang Tshikare’s solo exhibition, Peo e Atang. To our disappointment the gallery was closed. Then, to our delight, I received a message from Atang’s wife, sociolinguist and PhD candidate, Tlalane Lekhanya Tshikare, that they were in the gallery and we could pay a visit.
Peo is the name of the Tshikares’ first-born son. His name means seed, and so the exhibition is an expression of the themes in last week’s letter – building meaning through nurturing personal growth.
Tshikare says of his work that it reflects the importance of a “transcendence of self through adversity…a necessary spark for true reawakening.”
The exhibition pays homage both to the seed of the future – Peo – and integrates ‘trace elements of ancestral myths’ and Tshikare’s own creative lineage.”
– “A Pan-African Imagination” (23 May 2021)
“Earlier in the year I told you of ceramicist Zizipho Poswa’s successes. One of those was her first solo show iLobola held at Cape Town’s Southern Guild Gallery.
The show was recently sold-out, with each piece achieving prices between $40,000 and $50,000. It is a magnificent achievement for a South African artist to command global prices from a Cape Town stage.
Many of the sculptures are 1,80m or taller. They are majestic. This video gives you a sense both of their power and of her power.”
– “How You Can Build Sustained Performance” (20 June 2021)
“Conversations is an exhibition currently on at Everard Read Cape Town. Gallery artists invited another artist to produce a work that would be ‘in conversation’ with theirs. I love the idea. Dialogue, connection, creativity, discovery are the foundations of excellence. These two pieces by Nigel Mullins and JM Meterlekamp demonstrate the magic that can result from ‘Conversation’. A few kilometres away Nabeeha Mohamed’s first show at What If The World is on its way to being sold out, and if you like your beauty to have a functional edge then you’ll love knifesmith Bruce Wright’s cleaver.”
– “What Future Do You Want” (18 July 2021)
“Realist painter John Meyer has created what gallerist Mark Read calls a ‘poem of paintings’ to celebrate and honour Mandela. They are spectacular works that, thankfully, do not hide the hardship.
Gather the family and put aside eleven minutes to watch this film. The last few minutes is a conversation between academic Ashraf Jamal and Meyer. It is gracious and respectful. As it ends, Jamal thanks Meyer for time and Meyer reciprocates saying, “it gives me a chance to find meaning”.”
– “Invisible Women” (25 July 2021)
“Powerhouse artist Nandipha Mntambo has consistently used her likeness at the heart of her work. This work in progress will amaze you.”
– “How to be Human” (8 August 2021)
“Erin Chaplin and Jenna Wessels are two Cape Town-based artists whose work I’ve been enjoying. Chaplin is the kind of artist I’d love to be. She’s self-taught. I admire that courage and love this particular piece. Wessels is a recent graduate of leading fine art school, Michaelis. She has a wonderful ability to evoke magic and whimsy. If you are a UK-based African, like many of you are, check out the work of Zimbabwean, Xanthe Somers. If it weren’t for shipping costs, my home would be filled with her work.”
– “The Story Behind the Story” (12 September 2021)
“In May, I told you about Atang Tshikare’s solo exhibition, Peo e Atang. The show was a courageous move. He had put the show on himself, outside of the gallery system, something that very few artists do, and even fewer successfully. I was taken by his work, and immediately bought an edition of the shapeshifter, Khodumodumo.
My spontaneous decision has been affirmed both by the fact that the Khodumodumo series has sold out, and then Atang was invited by Dior Maison to be one of seventeen artists to reimagine one of Dior’s defining emblems: the medallion chair.
I was excited to see him working on that global stage. The work is titled Dinaledi, and it is a representation of Atang’s ongoing work with culture, tradition, cosmology, and the desire to build a world that is more at peace.
On a South African front he has recently completed this astonishing table with South African architect-led design house, Okha.”
– “Creating the Conditions for Creativity” (10 October 2021)
“Then, my dear friend and talented footwear designer, Reggi Xaba, saw one of his stylish sandals converted into an artwork at Johannesburg’s pioneering Gallery Momo. And whilst in Johannesburg, another friend, the dynamic artist and sculptress, Nandipha Mntambo, launched a new body of astonishing work at the Everard Read gallery.”
– “Spiritual Technologies” (17 October 2021)
“And whilst we are in this paused, happy moment, this astonishing work created by Faith47 in tribute to her friend, the street artist, Hyuro who passed on late last year, will be sure to touch your heart. The work is filled with love. And then follow her work to Beirut, where she has been involved in a project called Medicinal Flower of Lebanon, bringing life and hope to the concrete scars of that city’s pain. The work is particularly poignant given the events of the past week.”
– “Innovation, burnout and bravery” (14 November 2021)
“You’ll remember that a few months ago I told you that South African artist and sculptor Atang Tshikare was rocking the world of Dior. Now he’s in New York’s Metropolitan Museum with this amazing piece that he describes as paying “homage to African mothers and daughters. The Litema pattern, beadwork and weaving on the chairs are all adornments of Bantu cultural symbols that were used in ancient times by our foremothers to record information, express feelings and exchange messages.” Atang’s work is testimony to power of using our histories to inspire the present. In connecting to the past, we connect to the power of the ages.”
– “Being Human or Life is Complex” (28 November 2021)
“South African artist Phumelele Tshabalala currently has his New York debut underway at the Lyles and King (each link will take you to a different work). Neo Muyanga’s opera How Anansi Freed The Stories of the World premiered last week in Amsterdam with the Dutch National Ballet and Dutch National Opera, and London-based Zimbabwean artist Xanthe Somers is back home with a show entitled A Vocabulary for Ghosts at First Floor Gallery in Victoria Falls (again, each link takes you to a different work).”
– “Hamdi Ulukaya: The Billionaire Shepherd” (5 December 2021)
“While parts of the world were being weird about South Africa’s scientific excellence, the Southern Guild Gallery represented cutting-edge African creativity at Design Miami, winning Best Gallery Presentation for their showing of work by Andile Dyalvane, Zizipho Poswa, Fani Madoda and Chuma Maweni.”
– “Stop and Listen” (12 December 2021)
“Who knows what a baboon, Black Label beers and a skull are doing together in a painting? Colbert Mashile does. He is without doubt one of my favourite artists. His work compels me to pause and listen, and my world is richer because of it.”
– “2021’s Last Letter” (19 December 2021)
“In closing today’s letter, I return to art. On Tuesday, I visited the Michaelis School of Fine Art’s graduate show. As always, the work was incredible. I was captivated by the power of Amber Alcock’s work. Her intentional disruption of our often-insular human-centric lens, gives rise to works like When the Rooster Crows. Her graduate show was sold out, a well-deserved recognition of her work.”
– “Unlocking Excellence: Lessons from Michelin” (23 January 2022)
“My year ended with Roxanne and artist, Luke Williams, persuading me that Amber Alcock’s painting of Fluffy needed to come home. My rubber art-buying arm was easily twisted and so the 2m by 1.6m giant now has pride of place in our hallway. On the subject of acquisitions, African Art Scene advisory services were lucky (and smart) enough to acquire this gorgeous piece by one of my favourite artists, Matthew Hindley.”
– “Leadership Lessons from Siya Kolisi” (30 January 2022)
As you may know, I live in Cape Town (thanks to Zoom I work in many places – Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Ireland, England, Singapore – what a world!) and so I loved seeing illustrator Xee Summer’s prints of iconic Cape Town landmarks. She’s also the creator of this cheekily profane t-shirt – for the non-South Africans, it loosely translates as ‘keep on truckin.’”
– “The Spur Story: One of SA’s Most Successful Franchises” (20 February 2022)
“I loved this piece by young artist Rahimah Ismail, I particularly resonated with her description of letting her creative energy guide her. I have always felt that the intellectual connections of Nkrumah, Sobukwe, and Biko mean that Ghana and South Africa are soulmates. So, I’ve particularly enjoyed observing the vigour with which Nabeeha Mohammed has immersed herself in her Accra residency and am coveting the small pieces she’s been painting, inspired by the work of Ghanian photographer James Barnor.”
– “How Degrowth Will Save The World” (6 March 2022)
“March is Cape Town’s best month. A less generous soul might say that it is the only few weeks of the year where Cape Town’s weather approximates its beauty. This work by Nigerian artist Ayobola Kekere-Ekun, although not about Cape Town, gives a sense of the languid fun spirit that flows through this month of the year.
Post Art Fair, we headed to one of Cape Town’s oldest restaurants, the charming Maria’s Greek Café. Maria’s is situated on leafy Dunkley Square and is always perfect for a lazy, tapas-led lunch. My personal highlight at the fair was Matthew Hindley’s The Smoky Mirror.”
– “Operational Excellence” (13 March 2022)
“My joy at their success took me to the vibrancy of Kenyan photographer, Thandiwe Muriu. In South Africa, Ed Suter’s work inspires similar happiness as does Haneem Christian’s work The Lover, which recently won the Pride Photo Award.”
– “Pragmatism and Hope” (20 March 2022)
“The Cape Town good news continues. This week the Goodman Gallery announced it would be hosting a show with the famed Ghanian sculptor, El Anatsui. The show, entitled Freedom, is a rare opportunity for South African audiences to see work that is typically only shown to Northern hemisphere patrons.”
– “#112: Thank You Jim Collins!” (16 May 2022)
“Whilst on the topic of delight, here is some magic for your eyes. Over the last two years, I have been increasingly drawn to ceramics. Jan Ernst and Shirley Fintz are two very different but equally amazing artists. I love Ernst’s womb pendants and Fintz’s latest collection for the Southern Guild Gallery is marvellous.”
– “#113: Know Your Story” (23 May 2022)
“I’ve had a fun week watching South Africans popping up all over the global stage. Cape Town illustrator, Russel Abrahams contributed the editorial illustration to an HBR Ascend article on imposter syndrome. Jan Ernst’s Womb collection opened at Collectible Fair in Brussels; Matthew Hindley’s majestic abstracts are on show in Maastricht and Georgina Gatrix’s sometimes luscious, sometimes edgy birds are on display at the Feria ARCO contemporary art fair in Lisbon.
A little closer to home, Nthabi Kekana was chosen to be one of the Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize’s Top 6. I loved her piece, Mmino wa Moya. Also in the Top 6 was talented photographer, Neo Theku, whose work Perils of the dry spell caught my eye.”
– “#115: Compassion and Performance” (5 June 2022)
“A few weeks ago, I introduced you to the work of Cape Town illustrator, Russel Abrahams, so it was great to see that H&M has commissioned him to do this collection. A little before that, I’d told you about the gorgeous Art House Collection, and then they were featured by the Financial Times in this piece on high-style city stays around the world. It’s joyful to see these creatives attracting success and support.
…
In other art news, William Kentridge will be opening a solo show at the Royal Academy of Arts in September. Included in the show is this tapestry created in collaboration with The Stephens Tapestry Studio.
The studio is one of those amazing, behind-the-scenes, African centers of excellence. With locations in Eswatini and South Africa, they create iconic works for some of the world’s leading artists.
These small, deep centres of excellence are such powerful catalysts for the economy around them. They are national treasures.
Another is Cape Town’s African Sketchbook which creates magnificent hand-painted fabrics – their wallpaper, inspired by the doyen of South African landscape painting Pierneef, is astonishing … hmm, there’s a whole other letter there, but that’s not where we’re going today. Today is about compassion and performance.”
– “#117: Creativity in Business” (20 June 2022)
“Matthew Hindley’s spectacular works Absent Minded Feeling and Fountain & Fountain form part of an Everard Read show that opened last week in Cape Town. Fountain & Fountain feels like Hindley found a door to the multiverse and decided to share the secret.
On Saturday morning, landscape artist Luke Williams’ work drew me to 131 Gallery. Williams speaks the multiple languages of sun. One imagines that Ra watches him work with approval, and thanks him for reminding humans that it is he, not them, that brings the day.
Alongside his work was Christiaan Conradie’s. Conradie and Deborah Poynton are artists that achieve the impossible with paint. ‘Maybe I’ll Make It, I Tell Them’, drew me back multiple times. You can see it and all the other works here.
…
Whilst all this was going down at home, Vanity Fair Italia showcased talented designer Reggi Xaba’s Ifele sandals, Simphiwe Ndzube’s work was hung on the facade of The Delaware Contemporary, and Times Square was lit up by young South African talent. What a week!”
– “#118: Being Great At Work” (27 June 2022)
“The writing of this letter is always witnessed by Kenyan artist Chemu Ng’ok’s Psychological Portrait II, which hangs to the left of my desk.
Years ago, when she was still a student, I received an email from her gallery. By chance I was online at the moment it landed. I fell in love and immediately phoned them. I was lucky and was able to buy it. In subsequent years, my calls were always too late. The gallerist would sigh and apologise – the works always sold in minutes.
…
This week, this gorgeous work of Chemu’s appears in a group show in New York’s Chelsea. And this Colbert Mashile piece brought a wry smile to my lips, it was a good way to end my writing day.”
– “#121: Finding Love In Work” (17 July 2022)
“With that in mind, I’ve been countering my bleak mood by dreaming of escaping to one of Pieter Brundyn’s gorgeous villas. His company, In Residence, manages a portfolio of beautiful houses in the most spectacular settings. In this fantasy universe, I would arrive for my getaway in this 1965 Maserati Mistral.
To add a bit more detail, I imagined that these works of Stellenbosch artist, Shany van den Berg were hanging somewhere in my home.”
– “#122: You Will Fail. It’s Okay.” (24 July 2022)
“Vusi Beauchamp’s solo show “The Cult of One” will open in New York in September. It is his debut in that city, so is an exciting milestone in his career.
Ceramicist, Andile Dyalvane, also continues to beguile the world with his brilliance. His latest accolade was a special mention in the Loewe Foundation’s Craft Prize for his work, Cornish Wall. With this creation, Dyalvane has conjured the Cornish coastline into a new form.”
– “#125: The Magic of Gratitude” (14 August 2022)
“I loved artist Simphiwe Ndzube’s posts honouring the great South African sculptors Noria Mabasa and Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi (You can read more about Sebidi here). It is wonderful to see someone who is experiencing contemporary success express gratitude for those who have influenced his way of seeing.
Ndzube’s posts took me to Karlien van Rooyen‘s work. Van Rooyen is the perfect bridge into today’s letter as she is one of those remarkable people who combine art and science, being both a sculptor and a neuroscience student.”