Image:Sarah De Burgh

First off, how often do you visit Africa?
Every other year or so for six months to a year at a time.

Alright, so what’s coming next for Gold Coast Trading?
A lot of growing and maturing…I have some lectures and exhibitions coming up in Germany and France, which is exciting for me because it’s a sign that Gold Coast is much more than fashion but a creative space or statement that people are interested in. I also want to expand more into South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana so the brand’s touchstone stays close to what I’m doing. As for new designs, I’m working with Petite Noir on a collab that should be out in the next month or so – really excited about him and his music! I’m also involved with some new large partnerships that will expand the scope of the work I want to create.

And, in your words, what’s the overriding mission of your brand?
Be creative, be inspired and stay true to the message of the brand, which is to explore or handle Africa in a less expected way.

Could you define Africa in Gold Coast Trading’s words?

Abundance of truth and beauty. A hazy view of how things could, should or can be.

How would you describe Gold Coast Trading’s clothing style?
It’s always evolving and it’s something I’m trying to define myself actually. It’s becoming less straight-up casual but more functional ‘high-end’ casual. As you can see I’m still working on it but the main thing for me is to give the brand as much space for growth as possible. So along the way I can do many different styles or types of clothing, furniture or whatever else I want to create at the time. I’m not really a fashion guy, I kind of still dress like I’m going to lay brick or tile…but I know what looks appropriate, I have good taste and I also know to never limit your vision.

Image:Bo Streeter

So tell us about the ‘Winds from the North’ collection. What inspired you?
Harmattan, which is the dusty West African trade wind that blows south from the Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea between the end of November and the middle of March. The colours in that collection are faded and dulled to reflect the atmosphere and mood of that unique season in West Africa.

Do the prints you use have a certain meaning for you? (Do they represent Africa?)
To me they represent emotional responses. I don’t think I intend for them to be strictly representational of Africa and I don’t think they always are. But instead they represent a train of thought that is usually inspired by – but not limited to – my time back home in Africa.

Images:Bo Streeter

Let’s get to some more complicated stuff. What do you think Africa would have been like if it hadn’t been for the slave trade?
Wow…that’s a tough question…
In many ways the same and in many ways drastically different, which I think is okay. Obviously many of the issues that serve as the major stumbling blocks in Africa, like exploration of natural resources, corruption and general conflict would be dramatically different. Africa isn’t and was never meant to be perfect. So, like on every other landmass around the world, the same basic problems would exist due to pure imperfection but at least a measure of the suffering that touches Africa on a daily basis would not exist.

“Africa isn’t and was never meant to be perfect.”

Where would you like to see Africa socially, politically and economically in 20 years?
I would love to see Africa keep up with its growth, move into more ownership and evolve into its fullest potential, but the ones who make our planet’s policies are doing a good job of dimming the prospect of positive change in this world in general. So, I feel it could get worse before it gets better due to the system we currently live under. I feel we have so much in place to distract us from the ‘more important things’, we fail to see how far we are drifting in the wrong direction. With all that being said, I live and breathe hope! There is good news all around us and hopefully some day, sooner than later, we will see the change we have been looking for – not just in Africa but on a global scale.

“the ones who make our planet’s policies are doing a good job of dimming the prospect of positive change in this world in general.”

And Africa in 200 years?
Even more beautiful! I think it will be bursting at the seams with accurate knowledge and love – a place where people come to innovate and enjoy.

What African artists do you admire the most?
Laurence Chauvin Buthaud, , Petite Noir, Spoek Mathambo, Esau Mwamwaya and Loza Maléombho to name a few.

Which artists did you collaborate with last? What was it about?
I recently worked with The Very Best for Capsule Collection and I also served as their tour merchandise. I also worked with Questlove for the Fela Kuti dedication album and I’m currently working on some select designs for Nas. And like I mentioned, I’m finishing a cool piece for a collab with Petite Noir and have two major ones on deck.

What countries in Africa do you owe your best memories to?
Ivory coast for sure! Though I’m Nigerian, it was my gateway back home and where I spent the most time by far. I’ve seen everything there from wars to pristine white sandy beaches, seeing all of that trained and shaped who I am and who I’m becoming. Living in Ghana also meant a lot to me because I learned a lot about myself and what I really want in this life.

How do you feel about so many Africans dreaming of emigrating to the west?
I get it for sure but it’s not all what it’s cracked up to be. The streets aren’t paved with gold and in most cases you can end up physically as well as spiritually cold and alone. It’s the nature of life in the west, it’s a singular lifestyle. People are running after money or a name and within that chase, community or people don’t matter. So come if you want to do what you need to do and then go back home and grow it there.

On another note, how did you get into fashion?
I don’t know honestly, it was never a goal of mine. It just all kind of started from designing, album art for some popular musicians and then it sort of morphed into what I do today.

And what made you do the Soweto Youth 1976 line?
It was a two fold thing. Firstly, out of the respect I had for people like the BLK JKS and Spoek Mathambo who showed me a ton of love and support but also sparked me creatively! Secondly, out of respect of the event and the sacrifice that fell on those ones to effect a large change.

Images:kyle Johnson

“All my dudes from South Africa always seem to look effortlessly stylish”

What do you think of South Africa and its fashion? How does it compare to the rest of Africa’s and the rest of the world’s fashion?
All my dudes from South Africa always seem to look effortlessly stylish and dress pretty much how I want my end product to be worn. South Africa also seems to be a melting pot of fashion sprinkled with a bit of traditional or cultural sensibility. That makes a look that is in step with what I’m doing. For the past few seasons South Africa has been my fashion reference point, so I’m very excited and eager to expand here further this coming year.

Image:Bo Streeter

Interview by John Norman, 2012

Issue 24 of one small seed asks you to ‘Listen to my Colour and Look at my Sound’. Music, motion, words and colour – looking beyond the obvious, our latest issue brings a union of the senses. To follow is an all-inclusive preview of the new issue: a full breakdown of content that resonates with inspiration. Hold on tight…

The human story is told in the language of pop culture. Coca Cola designed Santa Claus and Hugo Boss the uniforms for the Order of the Death’s Head. Jimi played The Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock and the Devil went down to Georgia. David Byrne wore a big suit and Princess Leia that bikini. We couldn’t handle the truth, needed a bigger boat and loved the smell of napalm in the morning. Assorted male models shot JFK, RFK and JR, then Biggy Smalls, Tupac and the Sheriff. And something made Andy Warhol’s Marilyns smile. Maybe it was the hand up the Mona Lisa’s skirt. (Gustav Swart)

This issue’s theme of ‘Listen to my Colour and Look at my Sound’ led us to some odd doors as we sought artists that bridged the divide between the visual and the aural.  An interview with legendary album artist Storm Thorgerson – referred to some as the 6^th member of Pink Floyd – allowed us to revisit the aesthetics of the ’70s, while 21^st Century poster designer Dan Khulken tells us about making posters for bands like Black Keys and The National. Issue 24 is a 30 000-plus words visual explosion, and one such visually exploding artist we spoke to is the infamous Gonzo illustrator and Hunter S Thompson’s partner-in-grime, Ralph Steadman. Another artist that tore through the ’70s and still doing what he does best is Horace Panter – the bass player of The Specials. In this issue, Panter gives us a candid account of his life in music and his life as an artist, from playing with The Clash to his time working as a white van man, he shares memories of his life on a road less traveled.

Our fashion spread this issue comes direct from Tokyo, Japan. Creating a 3D-like effect, reminiscent of Nintendo games and early Star Wars films, Japanese designer Kunihiko Morinaga created his Low Resolution collection around the 8-bit inspired colorful square blocks. Mari Sarai’s lewd black and white nudes feature as this issue’s photography section, her subjects including celebs like Gavin Rossdale’s daughter Daisy Lowe and model Janice Dickinson. We have a feast for the ears in the form of interviews with Kenya’s globe conquering Just a Band and the revolutionary American poet Abiodun Oyewole – the man who robbed the KKK and worked with legendary Jazz musician Gil Scott-Heron on his famous song ‘The Revolution will not be Televised’.

Ever tasted the letter ‘f’? Or smelled the colour blue? Well, some people have! One of our main features this issue is on Synesthesia – the condition that lets people see sound as colour – and trace its path through the methods and madness of some of the brightest stars in the human firmament. Click HERE for a preview of the feature. On the local frontier, we sit down with singer/song writer/actress Sannie Fox, electronic trio Digital Rockit and all four members from Cape Town band iScreamStix. Olmeca Editión Black Tequila joins us in showcasing electronic DJs/Producers, with this issue bringing Blush n Bass and Felix Laband to the party.  We watched architecture dance slowly to visible music in our architecture feature, looking at structures like The Sum of Days, NY; Stillspotting, NY; the Jewish Museum, Berlin; Jetty Square and more.

Ending with the beginning, our cover for Issue 24 is devoted to one of the street artist/videographer Mr Brainwash’s tongue-in-cheek creations. This issue features a six-page interview with the artist, who talked to us from his L.A. home about money, art and Andy Warhol. Showcasing at 34FineArt Gallery in Woodstock, Cape Town is an exclusive selection of Mr Brainwash’s latest artwork, including issue 24’s ‘Madonna’ silk screen on paper with spray paint.

Right, without further ado… Here’s the breakdown for Issue 24 “Listen to my Colour and Look at my Sound”.

FEATURES

American Civil Rights Icon

Abiodun Oyewole: Grand, High Wizard

Founder member of The Last Poets talks about verse, Gil Scott-Heron and robbing the KKK. Click HERE to read our blog ‘The Revolution will not be Televised’ and find out more about the legendary Gil Scott-Heron: a spoken word poet, jazz genius and close friend to Abiodun Oyewole.

Defiant Photographer

Mari Sarai’s Girls on Film

Black-and-white nudes that stare right back and you and challenge the Gaze. Check out a video interview we found with Mari Sarai by visiting onesmallseed.tv HERE.

Aural architecture

Echo Chamber: The Sound of Space

Our investigation of sound and concrete spans the globe and classic art movies. First we took Manhattan, then we took Berlin. Click HERE and visit onesmallseed.tv to watch the video titled Berlin: Die Sinfonie der GroBstadt, which showcases a selection of abstract visual content that portrays the ‘life’ of a city.

Cape Town-based breakout band

iScreamStix: It ain’t Sorbet

A big scoop of local talent

Kenyan Globetrotters

Just an Interview with Just a Band

Meet the voice of East Africa’s ‘superhero’ Makmande. He may not exist but he sure kicks ass

Cross-sensory Exploration

Neuromagic: The Harmony of Synesthesia

We dive into the magical world inhabited by synesthetes: individuals who see, hear, feel, smell and even taste colour. Such people include legends of our time, like Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd, Marilyn Monroe and Vladimir Nabokov to name a few. Click HERE for a preview of the feature and then visit one small seed TV to see a video about this unique condition

Genre-busting rocker

Sannie Fox: Rage with the Machine

This star of stage and screen proves that you don’t have to be a fatbottomed girl to make the rocking world go round.

Gonzo illustrator

Ralph Steadman: Another Freak in the Freak Kingdom

We can’t stop here. It’s bat country

Controversial Pop Artist

Mr Brainwash: Laughing all the Way to the Banksy

We got a call from the man who calls himself ‘Banksy’s biggest piece of art’. We’ve uploaded a snippet of the interview featured in the magazine, simply click HERE and see if you can make out who Mr Brainwash really is…

Jozi Beats

Digital Rockit: The Neon Gods they Made

Local veterans of the electronic scene look forward and back

Classic Album Art

Storm Thorgerson: Dark Side of the Tunes

We get under the covers with the man who designed for bands like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Muse and machineri.

Troubadour’s Poster Boy

Dan Kuhlken: Dreaming of Electric Sheep

The National, The Black Keys, Red Hot Chilli Peppers… just some of the bands that LA-based design team DKNG have worked for

Musical contrasts

eleKTRONIK Dialogues

A new department brought to you in conjunction with Olmeca Editión Black Tequila dedicated to showcasing the best and brightest musical talent.

Ska rocker and painter

Horace Panter: If Music is your Special Thing

The bass player of The Specials went from fame to obscurity and back again

Avant-garde Fashion

Kunihiko Morinaga: Pretty in Pixels

Chic couture meets the chunky pixels of 8-bit arcade games on the catwalk. Check out our interview with Morinaga in the latest issue, and if you’re thirsty for more information on pixel fashion then check out our blog HERE.

DEPARTMENTS

IN STORE

Products for your eyes, hands, and mind…

BOOK REVIEWS

Get the critique on books that will read you.

SELECTED CREATIVES

We reveal the winners for Selected Creatives 06, a showcase of the very best uploaded to onesmallseed.net. Click HERE to check out who made the cut, voted by you on the one small seed network.

FILM REVIEWS

This issue we check out Mike Cahill’s Another Earth; Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, Tarsem Singh’s Immortals, Lars von Trier’s Melancholia and Paula Van der Oest’s Black Butterflies.

MUSIC REVIEWS

We dissect the beats that are supposed to move your feet.

NOW SHOWING

Issue 24 showcases some of the most gripping videos we found in 2011, including Influencers; Jeff Staple; Earth time-lapse view from Space; Press Pause Play; Morpho Towers: Two Standing Spirals; Brain Eno’s Imaginary Landscapes and Berlin Die Sinfonie Der Grosstadt, a fascinating video that sheds light on the discourse of aural architecture. Click HERE to watch these awesome videos.

THE LAST WORD

We leave this to South African writer duo Headline Payoff and illustration by Mark Venter.

ISSUE 02 FEATURES:

• SA ART: A CONVERSATION WITH BEEZY BAILY
• CAPE TOWN CREATIVES: MASHUPS
• AFRICAN ART: SESSIONS EKAPA
• SOUTH AFRICAN ILLUSTRATOR: ANTON KANNEMEYER
• ICE-SCULPTING: JOURNEYS IN ICE
• LOCAL PRODUCT DESIGNER: GEORGE HAY
• SA CONTEMPORARY DESIGN: DESIGN FROM A TO …XYZ
• CAPE TOWN ARCHITECTURE: SPECULATIVE THINKING
• AWARD-WINNING ARCHITECTURE: DORNIER WINE ESTATE
• INTERNATIONAL STYLE: MONTREAL – THE CITY OF SAINTS
• INTERNATIONAL STYLE: HOT COUTURE
• DURBAN HOT-SPOT: THE SPACE TO BE
• FASHION NEWCOMERS: GET YOUR FREAK ON
• FASHION: ONE TO WATCH
• DESIGN: CLUB COCA-COLA
• CAPE TOWN DESIGN: DADDY BUY ME A PONY
• LOCAL ARTIST: RETRO REVOLUTIONARY – MATT EDWARDS
• SA MUSIC: ROCK DEVELOPS IN STAGES
• INTERNATIONAL MUSIC: MAKING IT FROM SCRATCH
• SA MUSIC: MAGIC IN A MAJOR
• PROFILE: BUDDY SYSTEM: FLY ON THE WALL
• GLOBAL CINEMA: PALERMO HOLLYWOOD
• SA CINEMA: TSOTSI
• PHOTOGRAPHY: FROM REAL… TO REEL
• PHOTOGRAPHY: GUY TILLIM