When we think of museums, we often think of antiquated white buildings filled with even more antiquated objects. Museums have a tendency to feel far removed from society. For museums to better serve communities, and support heritage and the arts, they need to be responsive to society.  “There never should never be a single person’s... The post Unpacking Heritage with Cultural Practitioner Kefiloe Siwisa  first appeared on Bubblegum Club ..read more

Both on behalf of BubblegumClub and as a loving friend, I visited ceramicist Justin Brett and enjoyed an insightful studio visit and interview, which went into his creative journey and recent body of work. As I stepped into the space, I was enveloped in an atmosphere of creative contemplation. With candour and humility, Brett shed... The post Deliberating on Design & Disassembly // A Studio Visit with Justin Brett first appeared on Bubblegum Club ..read more

The land is black, and a farmer stands tall in the centre, watching over the women, cows and harvest. She finds root in the earth while her cow horns (shaped like a new crescent moon) point to the sky. A mother just initiated a child into the world, the cast at the foot of the... The post Poetics of Collective Presence in “RE GONA” by Cow Mash first appeared on Bubblegum Club ..read more

Nearly a year ago, I spent a warm afternoon with one of my heroes, renowned photographer Roger Ballen at his Inside Out Centre on Jan Smuts Avenue. It’s taken me that long to finish this text, partly because the fanboy in me wouldn’t let me observe his creative process objectively. With over five decades of... The post Ballen and the City // Afternoon Rendezvous with a Problematic Fave first appeared on Bubblegum Club ..read more

The start of art week had an air of obvious serendipity to it. Upon settling into my seat on the plane, I took out a book on curatorial practice, making my seatmate ask if I was of the arts. The book went unread, replaced by the discourse spanning the two-hour flight from Johannesburg to Cape... The post GENERATIONS: Move Beyond the Discourse at Investec Art Fair 24’  first appeared on Bubblegum Club ..read more

When I was a young and impressionable art student, I had the misfortune of being taught by Ed Young. Jokes! ? What’s unfortunate is that the brand of art he taught me to love, complete with the Maurizio Cattelans and Martin Creeds of the world was tailor made for white artists like himself and some... The post Has Ed Young Gone Soft? first appeared on Bubblegum Club ..read more

The audiovisual installation ABJ by Emeka Ogboh will be showcased during the 2024 CAN at the SOMETHING venue in Abidjan. SOMETHING, founded by Anna-Alix KOFFI in 2021, provides a physical platform for publications like SOMETHING WE AFRICANS GOT, PROFILES, and Women’s Paper. This non-profit art centre, dedicated to video art, digital art, and critical discourse, is... The post Emeka Ogboh Presents “ABJ” Exhibition in Abidjan first appeared on Bubblegum Club ..read more

Cape Town’s art week is officially afoot! RESERVOIR’s open studios, part of the Investec Cape Town Art Fair‘s VIP programme, inaugurated the proceedings with an impressive array of art, skill and talent. In the heart of Cape Town, Bree Castle House—housing 20 artist and design studios across nine floors, including RESERVOIR’s 7th-floor gallery—opened its doors... The post Meandering Through RESERVOIR’s Open Studios at Bree Castle House first appeared on Bubblegum Club ..read more

We kicked off the art fair week in style last night. Starting at Sethembile Msezane’s studio, in the company of the likes of Siwa Mgoboza, we headed to The Silo Hotel. We were attending an event for the collaboration between the Silo Vault and artHARARE, an artist-run initiative dedicated to fostering contemporary art in Zimbabwe... The post artHARARE: A Fête for Zimbabwean Contemporary Art at the Silo Vault first appeared on Bubblegum Club ..read more

Natalie Paneng’s Ke Thlogo (2023) installation stood out at the STEVENSON exhibition, I Miss Myself The Most. Paneng’s installation features a suspended chair with a miniature house, alongside a metaphorical Room Divider within a space reminiscent of familiar South African homes. With its cleverly kitsch aesthetic and irreverent play on scale, the installation subtly blurs... The post Natalie Paneng’s Immersive Installation ‘Ke Thlogo’ Feels Like Home first appeared on Bubblegum Club ..read more