AFRIKABURN 2011



The most beautiful "burners" in the Karoo- Mbe and Tania

 I know how much time has passed since AfrikaBurn was held but now I have the time to write something much more substantial on it. My housemate and former housemate went traipsing off to the Karoo over Easter while I was stuck in steamy Durban going through a horrid breakup. No Easter Vortex or AfrikaBurn for this person- felt very much like someone who missed out on a chocolate layer cake and only got green beans and broccoli (although do love my veg so...).

First, a little history. AfrikaBurn is a four-day festival combining art, music, dancing and communal living. The point is to bring whatever you need to survive in the desert and exist without cash.  There are no vendors or stalls but a ‘gift economy’ instead. As the manifesto says; ‘expect nothing in return.’ The festival is mainly about the constructing of art in a free space without commerciality and consumerism. How you participate is completely up to you- a theme camp, painting your body, creating your own art installation or volunteering to help out. What people create is truly the highlight of the festival. The theme this year was STOF, the Afrikaans word for dust. The theme is not policed so any "Burner" can interpret it as freely as they want. It’s merely a platform. From what i have gathered about this festival, it is not just about hedonistic exploration but the freedom to have a space where people can be as creative as they want without any outside influence or critic. All the art is then burnt in a cathartic manner to create something else- reflection. Many AfrikaBurn artists take months for the creation of their pieces and yet they burn them happily while reflecting on the journey and the people that have brought them to this place. It is all about engaging!

My friends decided to paint their bodies. Neo, whom we call Mbe, go into the vibe by painting eyes on her nipples and walking around topless. Her rationale was “if you are going to stare at my breasts, they are going to stare back at you.” A group of Americans and other foreigners who stayed at our house in Grahamstown afterward decorated their bus.  Mbe is a phenomenonal person and photographer. Here are her snaps from AfrikaBurn; they explain the wonderment much more succinctly than I can ever hope to. For more, click on Afrika- She Burns, Mbe's album.

Franschhoek Literary Festival

 One of my favourite painters- the King of Kitsch.



All that's missing is a good cup of coffee!



While visiting my dad in Franschhoek this past weekend, I was lucky enough to attend the Franschhoek Literary Festival. Relaxed yet buzzing with all sorts of creativity and colour, this festival has become a must-attend event for all literature lovers. The Franschhoek Literary Festival is a gathering of over 90 authors, poets, illustrators and chairpeople who come together to exhibit and enjoy a wide variety of writing and illustrations touching on many themes from politics to quirky local tales to biographies to sexuality. Now in its fourth year, the FLF has become a popular literary event with its attendance increasing rapidly each year. When it was first started, the main aim was to raise enough money for a community library. With the influx of money from literature lovers in the form of visitors and sponsors, talks are now being held with the municipality to build the library. The FLF was mainly sponsored this year by Porcupine Ridge wines and the Sunday Times. The main information centre and bookshop sponsored by Exclusive Books was in the Town Hall situated, like most of the venues, on the main road into Franschhoek, nestled next to the town’s famed restaurants, cafes, galleries, wine farms and shops. Other venues such as the historical Franschhoek NG Kerk were used for talks, poetry readings and literary discussions from esteemed writers such as Zakes Mda and Peter Godwin.

I managed to pop in on its last day. People milled about reading, talking and buying against the backdrop of mountains and French colonial architecture. Unfortunately I did not have time to attend any of the seminars and readings but thankfully had the opportunity to find out more about the illustration side of the festival (more to come in my next post). Here are some pictures from the Town Hall book and coffee shop with some amazing books on offer. Damn my empty purse!