Kevin Lawrie and Lisa Ledwick

Kevin Lawrie: Statiese Spasie

Kevin Lawrie is a full-time in-house designer, who – when time permits – creates his own original projects such as Statiese Spasie (Static Space). Melding photography and digital vector illustration effortlessly, Kevin makes composites which feature geometric shapes that one would not ordinarily see with certain subjects. In Statiese Spasie, Kevin explains that the series is a commentary on how domestic animals seem to float within their individually defined, static spaces. He says ‘I wanted to explore the thought that if animals had the will, they may want to break free from these set environments they have so eagerly been cast in. That they can be quite majestic once one ignores the environment that makes them domestic.’ And where does he get inspiration for such works? Kevin says he is mainly influenced by South African culture – ‘I too often see local designers and artists trying to emulate European styles and trends. I think it’s a waste of time considering that we have so much local inspiration that surrounds us on a daily basis’.

Lisa Ledwick: Soliloquy

As part of her Masters exhibition in February this year, Lisa Ledwick, printmaker and illustrator by trade, contextualized and presented a fairy tale heroine who recuperates and revalues traditional aspects of femininity within a feminist context. Her series, Soliloquy, uses predominantly graphite and pencil, although there are some images that use colour pencil, gouache and ink. How does Lisa go about making her work? She explains, ‘To start my images, I use objects around the house, build sets from scratch or take reference material with my camera. I then collage the various images via photography on a digital photographic programme and then draw from that.’ For Soliloquy, Lisa explains that fairytales exist within the current traditional Western fairytale canon and imbue patriarchal ideology that idealise gender stereotypes. ‘These stereotypes (hero as powerful and heroine as weak) have become a cultural norm, and repetitive exposure may negatively influence a person’s sense of abilities. I challenge the discourse by using familiar fairytales as an archetype from which to superimpose an ulterior narrative.’ Soliloquy’s narrative takes place within Sleeping Beauty’s dreams and consists of a journey that she embarks on. The result is astounding and eerie. In her series, one can see Lisa takes inspiration from the art-making process itself, drawing from the ordinary and exploring it through her magical realist style.

If you’d like to see more of Kevin and Lisa’s work, visit their profiles on the onesmallseed.net community.

Words Gosia Podgórska

Kyle Correia De Araujo (25)

Sandton, Johannesburg

Photographer

photograph: Kyle Correia De Araujo

photograph: Kyle Correia De Araujo

photograph: Kyle Correia De Araujo

 

I generally focus on colourful conceptual photography, as if looking through a kaleidoscope. Combining 3D/Warped dimensional editing with vintage colouring, I create visually ambiguous photographs that reference both the future and past of creative photography.

onesmallseed.net/profile/KyleCorreiaDeAraujo

SJ van Zyl (30)

Cape Town

Makeup Artist and Photographer

photograph: SJ van Zyl

photograph: SJ van Zyl

photograph: SJ van Zyl

I’ve met and worked with some truly inspiring team members, stylists and models here, and they play a very big part in the creation of each image. You see something beautiful every day, just waiting to be photographed and given a twist and turned into pieces of otherworldly art. You are only as good as the team you work with.

onesmallseed.net/profile/SJvanZyl

Zeno Petersen (33)

Johannesburg

Cinematographer and photographer

photograph: Zeno Petersen

photograph: Zeno Petersen

photograph: Zeno Petersen

I think my style, like all artists, is changing and I hope it will continue to develop and mature. This art is me in every way. I live it and breathe it. My art is an extension of who I am and my voice.

onesmallseed.net/profile/zeno

Who is Andrew McGibbon?

I am a contradiction. The saint, the sinner.

Today, I am at peace, full of hope for tomorrow. Tomorrow I might be clasping at the edge of calm, sinking into the storms that readily rise – a sea of change.
I am full of love and embody holiness, yet capable of harsh judgment and expectation.

I believe that the best way to describe the universe, everything we see and know and don’t know yet, is that of a thought in the mind of God, the ultimate creator. I believe, echoes of the first act of creation resonates within each of us.
I create because that echo is strong in me, ever present, inspiring me and directing me – I could do nothing else.

I believe that we can see the journey of the universe in the eyes of everyone around us, in their faces, it shines so plain to all – we must simply see.

I am a photographer – a son, a husband, and someday a dad.

Was there a moment in your life when you knew: ‘I want to become a photographer’ or was it just a natural outcome?

I would have to say, it was a bit of both. If I look back to my late teens and early twenties, I can see a clear path that was somewhat unveiled for me to follow. Some call it coincidence, some call it the hand of God, whatever it was, it was bigger than me and I followed it without much thought. The path of a river is not very thought out by the river. It flows through the path that the earth has for it, beginning as a little spring and ending as a raging torrent. Nothing will ever truly stop a river (though we like to dam them up, literally and metaphorically) a river will cut its way through or around any obstacle. I like to live like a river.

Having said that, there was time when I knew that the evidence in my life indicated a passion and skill for photography and thought, ‘I want to become a photographer’.

Film or digital?

I shoot digital. Mainly because in the commercial world there is no time anymore for slow turn around. I have also embraced the world of digital compositing in the last few years and enjoy the freedom of creating as many plates as I like and combing them later in post-production. I also like seeing the results immediately.I did learn on film though, I assisted for three years before digital was something commercially viable, so I have many hours experience reloading film cartridges.I hold no sentimental thoughts for it.

Your first roll of film you developed; do you remember what this was?

Well, I don’t know if it was the ‘first’ roll I ever developed but it was definitely one of the first ones, once I had started taking an interest in shooting. It was of a weekend away with my friends at the Umdloti ski boat club. Some of the photos were somewhat questionable, involving a little bit of pot. Only after getting them developed did I realize it wasn’t such a great idea. I feel so sorry for the young and reckless now days, in my day (I know that makes me sound really old!) we could go out, be silly and not wake up to our incriminating photos tagged all over facebook.

How – stylistically and technically– has your photography changed since you began?

Stylistically, I wouldn’t say it’s changed so much as matured. My work has always been described most widely as ‘bright and clean’. I think, even if I’m shooting a mafia torture scene, it will still be bright and clean.

Technically, as mentioned briefly in question three, I have become quite fond of digital composites. To do this, I shoot all the aspects of the photograph, including all human subjects, separately, lighting each one as I want and then put them all together later. Again, I haven’t so much changed to this, just added it – I still really love creating a shot ‘in camera’ especially if there are multiple elements that some together for a split second in time and only ever seen through my lens – a great example of this is my new project “Super Colour”.

You get your inspiration from love, mystery, fairy-tale and 1980’s action films – can you elaborate, and provide some references? Ever thought of moving into video production/directing?

Love and mystery are the easiest to explain as I think most of us want them in our lives and if you don’t want mystery, you probably want to be described as mysterious. I like to make images that cause people to feel something, not just cognitively appreciate the work. The word aesthetic literally means ‘to feel’ an anaesthesiologist helps people not feel pain, I help people feel love and mystery… At least, that’s what inspires me.

As for fairy-tales and 1980’s action films… They are both full of outrageous characters and entirely far-fetched story lines but we love them! We want to be the main character, our heart yearns for it. Girls want to be Cinderella and boys want to be Jean Claude Van Damme… well, you get what I mean, they’re the same.

I will most definitely move into directing. I am busy working with screenplay writer on a pilot episode for a TV series that’s been in my mind for a while. We’re really excited about the concept and the basic synopsis! If we pull it off, it should be a hit. Besides that, I shoot a lot of album covers and will probably move into music video directing. I will always be a photographer though.

I have recently bought a bunch of new gear, including some really fancy lights and I have set up my own studio. (Previously I would hire both lights and studio for ridiculous amounts of money per day, limiting the amount of personal work I could push out). Having access to these things has given me the ability to explore 10 years worth of ideas, which is really key in showing the commercial world what you are able to achieve. So, along with some on-going projects, like ‘Super Colour’, I am working on a new portrait exhibit as well as an adventure series (these will be highly composited images where I’ll get to really explore my 1980’s fairy-tale).

Where are you now? Creatively… whatever that means.
Where are you headed?

Creatively? Literally? I need to go further and bigger, always pushing for the best image. A pretty well known British photographer ‘Rankin’ said, that a photographer’s best picture is the one he has yet to take (I’m paraphrasing but it was something like that), so I guess I’m headed up? I want my images to start featuring well known faces so maybe I’ll hop the boarder from Mexico and head north to LA.

Are you a voyeur?

Yes.

Any regretted prints?

Besides the incriminating evidence from my youth… No.

Do you feel safe behind the lens?

Very. Sheesh, these questions keep getting easier!

What is on your bedroom walls?

Nothing. (My wife and I are slowly building up our home and there are a bunch of prints we want to make but haven’t yet.)

Finish this sentence:

“In five days time I willhave shot a campaign for a clothing label, a campaign for a new mobile creative platform launching in SA, shot and composited two album covers, gone on a date with my wife, played 9 holes of golf, watered my lemon tree, given love-energy to my Venus fly trap, drank some wine, had a skype meeting with a script writer in Joburg and slept for approximately 43 hours.

What process do you go through when taking producing prints? Any rituals? Favourite songs… weird habits?

While I’m shooting, I love to have electronic music playing, like Röyksopp or Telefon Tel Aviv, something subtle yet energetic, soothing and hypnotic. While I’m editing, I prefer folk music like Bon Iver or Jose Gonzalez. When we’re on set, I make my assistant layout all the gear really neatly, in a straight line if possible, I guess this helps me feel like I am in control of the shoot and that it will help the outcome.

Oh yes, a nice big Cuban cigar while shooting in studio sets the vibe so nicely!

Is life moving too fast?

I guess in some ways, I never have enough time to get everything done… Especially on the post production side of things. I’m always multi-tasking when on my mac. In other ways, it can’t move any slower… Durban has its limits, but I’ll say more on that later on.

You’re a frequent user of the social media Facebook and Twitter on your blog. Is it important, you think, to connect with your fans and public by using social media?

Totally, it’s all about being known. You can be the best photographer in the world but if no one knows you then you count for nothing. Facebook, twitter and my blog are ways to keep people interested in what I’m busy with and let them know when there is new work on the website. At least 90 percent of my clients have come through the web in one way or another. It’s also a really great way to get feedback from the public on your work and the fact that someone would call themselves my fan is totally awesome!

Tell us something I haven’t thought of asking.

I will travel and work for money.

You value imagination and emotion over rationality while you’re creating. If you did it the opposite way, what would happen, you think?

Well, I photograph people, so if I had to approach that with only my rational mind, the images would probably be lifeless, flat and uninteresting. If I were to approach a totally different subject matter and even use a different medium I would then be in the realm of conceptual art, I appreciate conceptual art but have never felt much for it. I guess I do things this way because it’s just who I am, I couldn’t do it any other way, if I tried, I would probably fail.

You’re born in Johannesburg, but you’re living in Durban now. Is there any chance you’ll leave South Africa for your work?

Yes. I really love my clients and I don’t want to devalue them at all but if we could we would probably leave tomorrow.
My wife is from Belo Horizonte, Brazil and has always lived the city life and I would LOVE to be in a city where there is room for my photography to grow. New York , LA, Berlin, Singapore, London are all places we would go. Unfortunately neither of our passports counts for much globally so the door for us is not yet open.

Cape Town is a very viable option for the near future but I guess fear holds us back for now. It has taken so long to build up client here and the though of starting from scratch is daunting.

What’s next?

Following onfrom the previous thought, I am slowly making contacts in Cape Town, and I will continue to push for work down there while being based up here. And, going back to the beginning, there is something bigger than me unveiling the steps of my life and I have a peace and ease that when the time is right, the door will open and we’ll walk on through. Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be exciting.

Thanks Andrew, take it easy, love your work.

In Issue 19 of one small seed, Andrew McGibbon as one of the winners of Selected Creatives. Click here to see who the winners were for our latest Selected Creatives, and keep posted to one small seed network to see who has made it in for voting in Selected Creatives 06.

Interview by: Saskia van Diermen

Photography: Andrew McGibbon

Join one small seed network today! To become a member and start uploading your own work – whether it be design, illustration, photograph or editorial – then click HERE. Keep posted to our Twitter @onesmallseedSA or and Facebook Like page, ‘one small seed Magazine & TV’ for one small seed network updates! In the meantime, check out the Featured Photography on onesmallseed.net VOTE and WIN It’s now up to YOU… VOTE in the poll below for who you think should have their work be immortalised in print then VOTE now in our poll below. Follow the steps below to win The Mi-Fone Mi-A150 Android phone. Winner will be announced on Friday 18 May.

 
1. Cast your VOTE in the poll below and Like one small seed on Facebook
2. Tag @one small seed Magazine & TV in your Facebook status with a link it to this post
3. Tweet this post, making sure you mention @onesmallseedSA and #SelectedCreatives 07.

Now, without further ado – the contenders for Selected Creatives 07 are: Dr Benway, kEda, Stiaan Schoeman, Zeno Petersen, Kyle Correia De Araujo, Fracois van der Elst, Illana Welman, SJ Van Zyl, Stuart Kerr and Johan Wilke. Check out the contenders’ portfolios and then cast your vote in POLL below! Selected Creative 001: Dr Benway

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.

With our Selected Creatives Competition, Orms & Synergy Live Music Photography Competition and Rock The Boat Competition we have a lot to offer you this month. Read on to find out how you can participate and win some amazing prices!

ISSUE 20 FEATURES:

• THE CELEBRATE ISSUE: SPECIAL THEMED FEATURES
• SA ELECTRO MUSIC FT. HAEZER, NISKERONE, BISCOPE, DJ SASSQUATCH & JAM JARR
• MIXED-MEDIA ARTIST CAMERON PLATTER
• DURBAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST FEATURE
• PALACE OF BONE WRITER-DIRECTOR CLAIRE ANGELIQUE
• FOLK SINGER SYD KITCHEN IN FOOL IN A BUBBLE
• VISA/VIE LEAD ACTRESS MÉLODIE ABAD
• CELEBRITY DRESS-OFF: CAPTAIN STU & THE PLASTICS
• SWISS ART DUO ALEXANDFELIX & THEIR 13 QUEENS
• SWEDISH ILLUSTRATOR LINN OLOFSDOTTER
• LOERIE AWARDS & CREATIVE WEEK CAPE TOWN
• SA ILLUSTRATOR MARCHAND & HIS HORROR-COMEDY CIRCUS
• SELECTED CREATIVES 02: SAMANTHA CHRISTY & RYAN ROAKE
• AFRO-BRIT URBAN FUSION SPREAD: PORTOBELLA
• PUMA ARCHIVE: WALT ‘CLYDE’ FRAZIER & THOSE FAMOUS KICKS
• UK DANCE: FAITHLESS ARE BACK
• DECK WIZARD LEON BOTHA, AKA DJ SOLARIZE OF DIE ANTWOORD
• T.H.O.T.S: BARRIER-BREAKING DURBAN HIP-HOP
• BAND OF SKULLS: NEW INDIE GARAGE ROCKERS

• CITIES ALIVE: WHY CAPE TOWN, JOHANNESBURG AND DURBAN HAVE HEART
• JO’BURG ARTIST KUDZI CHIURAI
• ANTON KANNEMEYER ON THE DARK CONTINENT
• PUMA & KEHINDE WILEY — LEGENDS OF UNITY
• NIKE AFTER 10 — WRITE THE FUTURE
• CAPE TOWN DESIGN AGENCY: AM I COLLECTIVE
• SELECTED CREATIVES 01: WINNERS SHOWCASE
• CITY SLICKERS POSTER SHOW
• DURBAN ILLUSTRATOR GREG DARROLL
• STREETWEAR: ROZANNE IS… ANI-MAL
• HAUTE COUTURE: HENDRIK VERMEULEN’S PROJECT AIKO
• SA MACHINE BLUES: MACHINERI
• CT ROCK ‘N ROLL: BLACK RIVER VALLEY
• GORILLAZ: RETURN OF THE PLASTIC PRIMATES
• ELECTRO DANCE DUO: LOCNVILLE