Sunday Times | The Edit Holiday 2020

N 14

including Edit Living

FASHION

BEAUTY

TRENDS

DESIGN

OPINION

NEWS

th e h oliday issue

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news Text Thang o N t wa s a

Summer EDITOR Sharon Armstrong armstrongs@arena.africa LIVING EDITOR Leana Schoeman CREATIVE DIRECTOR Anna Lineveldt MANAGING EDITOR Matthew McClure ART DIRECTION Carike De Jager JUNIOR DESIGNER Manelisi Dabata SUBEDITOR Benazir Cassim BEAUTY EDITOR Nokubonga Thusi FASHION EDITOR Sahil Harilal FEATURES WRITER Thango Ntwasa FINAL EYE Elizabeth Sleith DESIGN HUB ONLINE EDITOR Stephen Haw PUBLISHER Aspasia Karras GENERAL MANAGER GROUP SALES & MARKETING Eben Gewers CEO Andrew Gill

ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGER Yvonne Shaff shaffy@arena.africa 082 903 5641 WESTERN CAPE ACCOUNT MANAGER Samantha Pienaar pienaars@arena.africa 082 889 0366 GAUTENG & KZN ACCOUNT MANAGER Gina van de Wall vdwallg@arena.africa 083 500 5325 ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR Jamie Kinnear PRINTING Caxton Publishers and Printers PUBLISHERS Arena Africa, Hill on Empire, 16 Empire Road (cnr Empire and Hillside roads), Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193 © Copyright Arena Africa. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publishers.

The publishers are not responsible for unsolicited material. The Edit is published

by Arena Africa.

The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Arena Africa.

All advertisements, advertorials, and promotions have been paid for, and therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publishers.

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hat are your summer style staples?

My staples at the moment are cycling shorts with a t-shirt and a vintage top. I’m super functional at the moment because I’m hectic with my work, so I love a really good vintage dress in the summer.

What’s your advice for people who want to shop sustainably? If you shop vintage,

it’s a very sustainable way of shopping because you’re buying clothing that has already had a life and you are giving it a second life. When buying, also think about where it’s coming from and how long it’s going to last. I don’t always buy everything vintage — some things have to be new because I don’t want to buy second-hand trainers, for example.

I want to buy a quality piece that I know is going to last a minimum of five years instead of buying trend-based pieces that I am not going to wear for longer than a short period of time. It’s about dressing the way our parents and grandparents used to dress, [in clothing] that lasts for a lifetime. How do you style your vintage items? I find that vintage dresses work super well with something that’s very contemporary on the feet, like a really nice pair of trainers or some really cool clogs. I also think it depends on the vintage dresses I wear, which are cotton. I hate wearing polyester so I’d advise people to wear cotton in summer because it breathes and you will be more comfortable in it.

If you are comfortable in an outfit, you will wear it more and more. What are the small steps that up-and-coming designers or already established brands can take towards running a sustainable fashion business? Think about

where you source your materials and the kind of materials you are using.

Hemp is a very sustainable fabric that is supplied here in Cape Town. Linen, which I think decomposes in a few weeks, is a really good material. I think

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I’d also say that when you are building that relationship with your CMT (cut, make and trim manufacturers), have an honest and open relationship. Know how the people are being treated in their workplace because sustainability works hand-in-hand with the environment as well as ethical manufacturing. There is no point in making something out of expensive cotton if the people making it are being paid a slave wage. Capsule

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O L O closets are also another sustainable approach to fashion. Do you have any hacks for building the perfect capsule closet for beginners? You have to think

about a uniform — what is it you wear on a day-to-day basis? For me it’s cycling shorts, jeans, vintage tops and vintage dresses. So think about three or four items and how you can move between them. Focus on what you like to wear.

Don’t make it one that is a completely

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different style to you. Separates are key to a capsule because you can wear them more than three times. Which local designer are you looking forward to wearing this summer? There are so many to

name, but I’m really into AKJP dresses at the moment, because they’re just really nice summer dresses. Laduma [Ngxokolo]’s latest collection has just been so gorgeous, so I would definitely love a piece from one of those items.

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The Naturally Polo Collection is all about sustainability

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he brand’s latest capsule collection, Naturally Polo, will feature environmentally friendly fabrics including Tencel, biodegradable linen and organic cotton. In addition to breaking away from plastics, Naturally Polo seeks to decrease the use of toxic materials

in Polo's production process. Still retaining the brand’s athletic American aesthetic, the Naturally Polo capsule collection features staples such as tailored men's and women’s shirts, preppy blazers as well as slim-fit trousers — all emblazoned with the signature polo-player logo.

MICRO TREND

R799, Zara

R399, Superbalist

R599, Forever New

R799, Zara

STOCKISTS FOREVER NEW FOREVERNEW.CO.ZA SUPERBALIST SUPERBALIST.COM WITCHERY WOOLWORTHS.CO.ZA ZARA ZARA.COM/ZA

R999, Witchery

* PRICES AND AVAILABILITY WERE CHECKED AT THE TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. SUNDAY TIMES THE EDIT CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT PRICES WILL NOT CHANGE, OR THAT ITEMS WILL BE IN STOCK AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION.

EDITORIAL

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trend

IMAGES COURTESY OF HUGO BOSS AND SUPPLIED

BOSS

Compiled by Sahil H a r i la l

Boss: clean-cut staples splicing luxe sportswear with relaxed tailoring / icy blues / rounded shoulders / SUMMER KNITWEAR

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1. Shirt, R999, Polo 2. Crossbody bag, POR, Giorgio Armani 3. Polo sneakers, R1 079, Superbalist 4. Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses, R3 190, Sunglass Hut 5. Puffer jacket, R799, Zara 6. Trousers, R4 995, Boss 7. Blouse, R3 595, Boss 8. Style 22m watch with steel case and silver dial, R35 650, Tudor 9. Knitted tank top, R599, Mango 10. Birkenstock sliders, R799, Superbalist 11. Leather jacket, R14 995, Boss STOCKISTS BOSS 011 884 1437 GIORGIO ARMANI 011 326 7853 MANGO SHOP.MANGO.COM/ZA POLO POLO.CO.ZA SUNGLASS HUT ZA.SUNGLASSHUT.COM SUPERBALIST SUPERBALIST.COM TUDOR TUDORWATCH.COM ZARA ZARA.COM/ZA

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fashion

Production Sharon Arms t r o n g

Photography R oss Garre t t

suburbia

Scale dress, price on request, Viviers; Moschino sunglasses, R3 760, Safilo; earrings, worn throughout, R155, Foschini

Play dress-up at home. Whimsical whites and delicate florals get an unexpected twist in exaggerated proportions

Coat, R3 600; shirt, R1 550; skirt, R1 200, all The Bam Collective

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Dress, R12 295, Paul Smith; X&O blouse, R799, YDE; collar, price on request, Row-G

Blouse, price on request, David Tlale; Witchery shorts, R899, Woolworths

Dress, R29 600, Gucci; collar, price on request, Row-G

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7 Game On knit polo dress, R47 500, Louis Vuitton

6 Blouse, R59 000, Dolce & Gabbana

PHOTOGRAPHY ROSS GARRETT/LAMPOST PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT LILI BO MING MODEL SUMMER/BOSS HAIR SAADIQUE RYKLIEF/LAMPOST USING BALMAIN HAIR COUTURE MAKE UP LIZ VAN DER MERWE/RED HOT OPS PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS SAHIL HARILAL AND NOMBUSO KUMALO LIGHTING GLOW HIRE

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STOCKISTS DAVID TLALE DAVIDTLALE.COM DOLCE & GABBANA 011 326 7808 FOSCHINI FOSCHINI.CO.ZA GUCCI 011 326 7928 LOUIS VUITTON LOUISVUITTON.COM PAUL SMITH 011 883 3709 ROW-G 011 870 4267 SAFILO 011 584 9600 THE BAM COLLECTIVE THEBAMCOLLECTIVE.COM VIVIERS INFO@VIVIERS.STUDIO WOOLWORTHS WOOLWORTHS.CO.ZA YDE YDE.CO.ZA

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beauty Text Nokub o n ga T h u s i

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Blouse, R7 195, Boss, 011 884 1437; Marc Jacobs sunglasses, R2 740, Safilo, 011 584 9600

emper the balmy weather by escaping to the flowery fields of Grasse with the latest iteration of Dior’s J’adore fragrance. Thanks to a perfumery technique called enfleurage, which keeps the scent of floral notes true to nature, the senses are treated to an intoxicating dose of Grasse tuberose, Sambac jasmine, ylang-ylang, centifolia rose and lily of the valley that layer creamy and heady on the skin. With a base of sandalwood, expect to leave a lingering trail of “come hither” wherever you go.

J’adore EDP Infinissime, 100ml, R3 455

At-home hairstyling fit for the runway, glowing skin in a pinch and hot local brands… looks like summer is shaping up nicely

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BOSS

his season, the runway truly became a product of its surroundings as the global pandemic, mandatory lockdowns and hair-salon shutdowns ushered in the appearance of at-home cuts and styling as the hair du jour. British-born hairstylist and session stylist backstage at this season’s fashion weeks, Guido Palau, shares some insights. “[At Dior], Maria Grazia talked about the idea of a woman doing her hair at home.

The idea of just doing two messy braids without being very well done and then pinning them up together, leaving those flyaways and just putting the scarf onto the hair. When you put it together with these gorgeous clothes and it’s under the Dior umbrella, it’s very amped up. But, actually, the hair itself is very easy and feminine. It’s something a woman could do at home. I think with the inclusion, in all the shows, of diversity and personality, there’s a sense of the haircut almost looking a little homemade. Even though they are done by me, a professional, they feel easy. As soon as something feels like it’s being worked on by a hairdresser, it can look a little old,” Palau says.

Easy-textured, individualised hairstyles that looked like models could have done them at home sans stylist — yet still put together and full of movement, despite being visually structured — breathed new life into the idea of hair, giving it a wearability, practicality and a space in our daily lives.

“Even though they were extreme haircuts, I wanted them to have a very easy finish, which feels very modern. So it was key for me, how I finished the hair to make it look kind of easy within the extremity of the haircuts,” Palau says.

It seems the idea of “bad hair days” is no more.

The “runway approach” to at-home styling saw models walking out with simple cornrows, which would typically be done as a protective style before installing a wig. There were also easy pinnedup boho-braids, jagged shags and mullets with malleable texture. Also spotted were overgrown fringes that slightly covered eyes or were nonchalantly swept along the temples like curtains — or the new “cool girl, wet textured hair”, as seen at Chloé and Versace, which looks slightly tousled and as if straight out of the shower.

Text: M o d u p e Olo r u n t o b a

DITCH OVERSTYLED, PERFECTED HAIR FOR EASY-TORECREATE, MALLEABLE TEXTURE THAT FEELS MODERN AND LIVED-IN

GHD ambassador Guido Pal au

Tre nd: Laissez- faire l ock s The inspiration: At- home cuts and DI Y, nonchal ant sty l ing Se e n at: Boss, Prada, Dol ce & Gab b ana, Dior, Val entino

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1. Stila Heaven’s Hue Highlighter in Kitten, R610, woolworths.co. za 2. Luma On The Glow Highlighter Stick in Blushed Nomad, R350, splush.co.za 3. Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Crystal, R370, bobbibrown.co.za 4. Label M Fashion Edition Heat Protection Mist, R295, haircare.co.za 5. GHD Helios Hairdryer, R3 000, ghd.co.za 6. Colab Tropical Dry Shampoo, R85, clicks.co.za

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AN ODE TO SOUTH AFRICA

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1. High Shine Lip Gloss in Black Glass, R159 2. Shimmer Cream Pot in Obsidian, R159 3. Velvet Touch Lipstick in Amore, R160 4. Dual-Ended Colour Stick in Bashful R180; all products, Sir John x WBeauty, woolworths.co.za

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ways to serious glow Prep is key: Use moisture-rich products containing hyaluronic acid.

Instead of rubbing into the skin, warm between the fingers, and press into the skin.

Focus on high points: Try applying a cream highlighter on cheekbones, the nose bridge, sides of the forehead and browbone before foundation.

Glow-up coverage: Apply a luminous, liquid matte foundation all over, starting very lightly and building up coverage only where needed. Sheer out foundation by mixing in a pump of liquid highlighter or facial oil.

Layer for dimension: Layer cream highlighters with different undertones, such as a highlighter with a pink or silver undertone and one with a yellow or gold undertone.

Elevate eyes: Tap some highlighter, clear balm, or a gloss onto the centre of the eyelid.

Skip mascara as it tends to run when paired with glossy or balmy textures on the lids.

ngredient transparency has changed how we approach skincare. Beauty customers are more informed than ever about the names, uses and origins of active ingredients.

We know that hyaluronic acid is hyaluronic acid, no matter whose name is on the bottle. Formulas may vary, but once extracted, it is what it is, and it does what it does, so to speak.

Now that we’ve peeled back the curtain, you’d think brand perception wouldn’t matter much anymore. Alas, it does, because if it didn’t, we wouldn’t be sleeping on the incredible South African skincare brands delivering world-class performance without the hefty taxes and fees that accompany our habit of shipping things in.

My bathroom shelf is evidence: Glossier, The Ordinary, and Neal’s Yard are all residents — bought while travelling or brought back for me by friends. The more I think about the future, however, the more I want the things I use to travel shorter distances (and burn through less fuel) to get to me; the more I want an experience with a brand that’s more cool-girl-next-door than a world away; and the more I care about keeping my hard-earned money on our continent — if not in our country.

There may be no cure for the human condition of desiring that which is out of our reach, but there are a few solutions in our own backyard for acne, dullness and hyperpigmentation. Many have been developed by scientists and doctors who deal with our skin in our climate every day. A while ago, it could be argued that we simply didn’t have the option if we wanted great ingredients in great formulas in great bottles (because, let’s face it, we’re all suckers for packaging), but that’s no longer the case.

Global brands have a few advantages: recognisable legacy or viral fame, larger marketing budgets in stronger currencies, massive distribution networks and our long-standing perception that, when it comes to beauty, foreign is better. Local brands have other things going for them: consumers who are prizing effective formulas over marketing, the equalising potential of social media, and carbon-footprint awareness. Let’s start exploring — Africa is the new wave anyway, and it would be weird if we were late to our own party.

If you love the simplicity of the potent formulas and single-active serums from brands like The Ordinary and The Inkey List, you’ll love Skin Functional and its R200 to R550 price range. Target hyperpigmentation with a 2% Alpha Arbutin formula, or repair your skin’s barrier with their squalane-based Biphasic Facial Oil. Calling all K-Beauty fans: consider adding some homegrown hydration to your extended routine with some mists. Local cult favourite SwiitchBeauty actually makes its popular fragrance-free #SuperHeroSpray, featuring polyglutamic acid, in Korea. There’s also Suki Suki’s Papaya Rose Hydrating Facial Mist, a cell-turnover-accelerating combination of rose water and papaya enzymes, now easily accessible at good old Woolies. There’s plenty on offer if you’re looking to invest in higher active percentages for results with more impact. Skin Ingredients (sk.in) is a line developed by Cape Town-based aesthetic medical practitioner Dr Alek Nikolic. The products are described as “cardio for your complexion”. Their safe-but-potent formulas feature maximum-strength concentrations of vitamin A, vitamin C and salicylic acid, supported by hyaluronic acid and ceramides.

In addition to skincare, if you’re into the contemporary genderless approach to fragrance, trade your next Byredo refill for a fresh, intriguing combination by Johannesburg perfumery Apartment.

With names like “Page 128 Was Missing” and “Forgetting Sandra’s Emails”, the range is grounded in plant-based extracts derived from moss, peppers and various woods, with additions including violet leaf, ink, jasmine, ambergris and incense.

Other brands to check out when you’re scrolling for something new include Skoon, Skin Creamery, Lulu & Marula, Wass Skin, Mesh & Bōne, and Kudu.

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SUPPORT LOCAL 1. Wass Skin Food Summer Cool Comfort Body Balm, 100ml, R280 2. Skoon Skinside Out Sensitivity All-in-one Beauty Smoothie, 10x7g, R550 3. Mesh & Bōne Vitamin C Multipurpose Skin Booster, 100g, R380

IMAGES ROSS GARRETT, HUGO BOSS AND SUPPLIED

ON THE EDITOR’S SHELF:

J’ADORE INFINISSIME

LIVING

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my style

Text Mil a Crewe- Br ow n

Portrait Motl ab a n a M o n n a k go t la

MAKGATI MOLEBATSI

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My ride-or-die shoes are my Church’s

brogues and loafers. If I were taller, I would forgo heels altogether.

The best coffee-table book I own is the catalogue Rise and Fall of Apartheid: Photography and the Bureaucracy of Everyday Life. I was involved in the research for the exhibition, and it is autographed by two people whose collaboration and friendship I cherished and witnessed for close to two decades.

The top item on my home-interior wishlist is a candle or two from Charisma

dotted throughout the house. I’ve been hooked ever since a friend gifted me one. Somewhere in the future I’d love a beautiful cream Berber rug.

Talking style proclivities with this fashionforward art maven

A relatively unknown artist we need to know about is the late David Mbele. I

discovered him at an exhibition at the Standard Bank Gallery titled A Black Aesthetic: A View of South African Artists 1970-1990. His figurative style and execution of township scenes, which was popular with artists of the ’70s and ’80s, is so innocent and pure.

The last inspirational building I experienced was The Fondation Louis Vuitton.

1. Byredo Oud Immortel 2. The Fondation Louis Vuitton 3. Corona Conceptual Shoot by Mpumelelo Buthelezi 4. Charisma candle, The Foundry 5. Rise and Fall of Apartheid: Photography and the Bureaucracy of Everyday Life by Okwui Enwezor and Rory Bester

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I went there to see the exhibition Being There: South Africa — a Contemporary Art Scene. I felt so proud to be standing there and realising I was on a firstname basis with most of the artists in the exhibition. I wanted to tell every person there!

On my travels, I could never do without

my Levi’s 501s. I have had them for so long. They save many situations. Dress them up, dress them down.

My go-to fragrance is Byredo Oud Immortel. A friend once followed its scent in a museum to find me!

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akgati Molebatsi is a supporter, collector and curator of African art and advises those looking to buy as well. As an advisor and curator (under Mak’Dct art advisory and service) and an orchestrator and promoter (as co-founder of Latitudes), she plays an integral role in the art sector. By “educating and developing the inexperienced eye”, she hopes to build an appreciation and understanding of the value in art. We say she’s nailing it, and doing so with authority, grace and an impeccable sense of style.

I started Mak’Dct because of my overwhelming passion for art and admiration for artists, which was

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t is the 10th anniversary of Instagram.

I am not sure that this milestone calls for a celebration. If you, like me, turned from Twitter to Instagram in abject fear for your life (death threats will do that to a person) and loathing for the baser instincts of humanity as demonstrated minute by minute by @realDonaldTrump, the brave new Instagram world seemed to offer a safer, prettier, pinker alternative universe. It had cats, it had food porn, it had girls in fabulous dresses and balloons, and it had filters.

Lots of them to wash your world in sepia escapist tints. Instagram instantly took the edge off. The tranquilliser of social networks. A gentle scroll to happy oblivion.

It spawned a thousand hashtags designed to help you: #liveyourbestlife in #wellness and fulsome #grateful #abundance.

Who won Instagram? Well the Kardashians, for starters. They are all over it like an airbrushed rash and now practically synonymous with the aesthetics of the place — spawning myriad influenzas and wannabe influenzas who populate every frame, upside down on surfboards, in every coffee shop ever (did coffee even exist as a medium for self-expression before Instagram?) and scavenging the world’s most scenic Instagram-worthy spots. Descending en masse on unsuspecting streets and tourist destinations with their Insta husbands or, worse, by their selfies, so that they can get the perfect shot; leaning on the Tower of Pisa; blending artfully into pastel-coloured doorways that are just incidentally innocent people’s means of gaining entrance to their abodes. Talking into their phones as they prepare to sacrifice life and limb as cars almost flatten them during the jacaranda efflorescence. Death by purple filter could be a fatal route to Instagram immortality — the number of people who have died for their art toppling off cliffs and mountain tops is morbidly fascinating. And sadly ridiculous.

inspired by two people who played a significant role in my life. The first one gifted me a Winston Saoli artwork in the ’80s and the second encouraged my deeper understanding of art.

To me, art means seeing and understanding the world through the creative and talented eyes of artists and rallying to appreciate and support their efforts.

What excites me about the African art scene is its diversity and richness and

getting to appreciate it in all its glory at the Dakar Biennale — a must-see.

I’d describe my fashion sense as the confidence to present my creative self to the world and the knowledge that style and dressing are like telling a story: there needs to be coordination and proportion.

My top local destinations for unique design are the Kim Sacks Gallery —

I could fill my house with many of the items there. And Tonic; if I can’t browse their showroom, I’m glued to their website.

The artist I have my eye on right now is a young photographer I have just

met through a masterclass I delivered on navigating the art market and understanding how value is ascribed to an artwork. His name is Mpumelelo Buthelezi. His documentary photography shows so much emotion and intellect, and he has an eye for precision.

My most coveted wardrobe item is

a scarf, every time. I can never have enough of them.

I can’t stop collecting, because artists never stop enticing me.

The Insta decade COLUMN

Here’s to 10 years of the image-sharing social-networking service

Text Aspasia Karras

Portrait Aart Verrips

Speaking of the dead, rappers and basketball players are the dearly departed, but much-beloved, team of IGer winners. But the living king is Ronaldo — still kicking it and, I am happy to report, demonstrating his moves on his exercise bike — an IG wife hazily appearing in a window as she records him for posterity. He waves royally, as well he should. He is the apotheosis of this alternate universe, his life presented in idealised technicolour. We, the audience of untold millions, are just the ghostly observers of his branding message. One, we are told, we all control, now that we are all just personal brands.

I am because I sell. Because, make no mistake, for all the meta amusement on Instagram like the @influencersinthewild account and @world_record_egg — which broke Kylie Jenner’s record for likes and engagement — this platform, like all the others, is about commodification. With every post and every pout and every tragic filter that you paste over your less-than-perfect-but-really#blessed-life — please believe me — you are being sold like so many cattle to the highest bidder, a fullblown victim of surveillance capitalism. So who is influencing whom now, #bitches?

IMAGES SUPPLIED

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Where long lunches turn into late dinners Take a seat at our new Camden dining table, crafted from reclaimed wood and black metal. Available at selected stores and online.

www.coricraft.co.za

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house

Production Graham Wo o d

Photography El sa You n g/ Bu r ea u x

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t’s not often that you stumble across a pristine example of Johannesburg modernist architecture, despite South Africa’s being one of the earlier seats of mid-century modern architecture outside of Europe. There are a handful of well-known historical examples, but few unknown gems waiting to be discovered. So, imagine fashion designer Lezanne Viviers and her husband Walter Anderson’s surprise when they wound their way up a steep, narrow driveway and discovered this late-modernist gem hugging the crest of the rocky ridge in Westcliff.

From the entrance, via a courtyard and path paved with beautifully patterned brickwork, the house appears to be all low, horizontal forms as it hugs the ground. Its flat roof seems to etch a delicate line above the crest of the ridge. From the other side, however, facing the view, the house seems to cascade over the edge of the rocky promontory. Its floating roof overhangs and balconies cantilever dramatically over three levels as the garden drops steeply away and descends down a series of paths and stony stairways to a swimming pool set among the giant rocks, almost like a natural pond.

Viviers says it reminded her of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.

From the garden below, the house seems to grow organically from its rocky base, nestled among the big, friendly-leafed delicious monsters, bamboo and mature trees. Its façade is stitched together by stairways and a delicate lattice of low steel-and-timber balustrades, creating a geometric mesh-like pattern over its front that contrasts with the organic jungle of the garden.

From the inside, beautiful floor-to-ceiling wooden windows and doors let the light spill in with panoramic views over Johannesburg’s famously sprawling manmade forest. “The light is incredible,” affirms Viviers. Deep overhangs shelter the interiors from the sun, so the light is never harsh, and lofty volumes keep the rooms cool and airy. Balconies running the length of the house fuse indoor and outdoor space in the classic modernist fashion.

Viviers and Anderson were captivated. A bit of research turned up architectural drawings showing that the house dated back to 1960.

It was designed by Kock & Orsmond Architects, but little additional information was available. The design, however, has all the trademarks

IMAGES SUPPLIED

MODERN LIFE

of the kind of regional modernism that was gradually developing in Johannesburg in the ’60s, with influences from the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright and even hints of Japanese and Brazilian modernism.

Rather than machine-like European modernism, this house embraces texture, natural materials and decorative detailing. It’s sensuous rather than minimalist, rich rather than pristine, and allround better suited to the blue skies, open spaces and sunshine of Johannesburg’s climate than the flat-roofed white boxes that first came to South Africa influenced by the Bauhaus and Le Corbusier.

Another thing that was clear is that it was almost miraculously intact, with original details and fittings perfectly preserved: from the closets in the bedrooms to various servers and shelves in the dining and living spaces, panelling on what might be a study wall, and even a hidden hi-fi and bar fridge.

It had had just two owners, which explains how so much original detailing survived. “We became its third owners,” says Viviers, and she’s determined to continue the legacy.

She and Anderson have been very restrained in their refresh of the house, with an emphasis on preserving it rather than altering it. For Viviers, living here is about appreciating a 60-year-old modernist treasure and sharing that appreciation. “All I can do is try to respect it,” she says.

So, while the invisible work of maintaining the timber and pulling up old carpets occupied a lot of their energies, Viviers did brighten up the interiors with splashes of colour. “Nothing like a little bit of paint!” she says.

She did, however, stick to colours that were popular in mid-century homes. “I really wanted to keep to the integrity of the modernist architecture,” she says. “I researched what colours were popular in those times and chose the ones that I liked.”

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An authentic late-modernist gem of a home in Johannesburg has been brought to life by fashion designer Lezanne Viviers

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She brought in many treasured items of furniture and art and has been careful to give them room to breathe in the generous volumes. It’s an eclectic selection — “Things I’ve collected over a long time, over six to seven years,” she muses — including many well-suited vintage midcentury pieces. Along with modular lounge furniture, there’s a Danish dining table and chairs, vintage Murano glass and even pastel-coloured tube television sets unearthed at a vintage shop.

But at the same time, there are contemporary and experimental pieces — many designed by friends and collaborators — and even ceramics she made herself. Lights by local lighting designer August de Wet, who does the lights for her shows, can be found dotted about, along with others by Damascus, with whom she’s also collaborated.

Likewise, the artworks include pieces by collaborators and friends: Marlene Steyn, with whom she worked on her SS2020 fashion collection; Lady Skollie, who has modelled her designs. “There’s no method to it,” she insists, she responds more than anything to colour and texture. Nevertheless, the artworks together make an interesting cross-section of new contemporary local art. “I tend to buy from the graduation collections,” she says. “That’s where you see new talent.

There’s something quite raw about graduation collections that I’ve been drawn to.”

The level downstairs was designed almost as a self-contained apartment, and Viviers has set up her design studio there so she can live above the shop, as it were, with just the right balance of integration and separation of home and work. She collaborates with artists and performers, has clients for fittings and entertains the steady stream of people who come with a bustling studio, so her dream of sharing her and her husband’s remarkable find has been realised. She’s even held fashion shows using the long balconies as runways, bringing the kind of life and glamour the house seems to invite. “I really think the space offers that,” she says. viviersstudio.com @viviers.studio

The entrance hall features vivid yellow walls and modern and contemporary artworks. They include works by Fred Schimmel (closest), Lady Skollie (large work) and a work by Georgina Gratrix on the far wall facing front. The ceramics are from Artisafire, a local non-profit pottery studio.

10.

Lotus House, as owner Lezanne Viviers has dubbed it, has its entrance at the top level. From this vantage point, the house appears ground-hugging — its sleek lines emphasising the horizontal crest of the rocky ridge it’s perched on.

The glass door at the entrance does, however, frame a glimpse of the outlook to the front of the house high over Johannesburg’s vast manmade forest.

The screed floor of the sitting room is softened with dyed sheepskins. The modular sofa unit lends itself to being reconfigured to keep the space as open and flexible as possible. The coffee table is vintage Kartell and the ceramics are from Artisafire, a local non-profit pottery studio. The artworks on the turquoise wall include Smile I and Smile II by Georgina Gratrix and More More More by Jody Paulsen.

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Long balconies run the length of the house, extending the interiors outside in what was once a pivotal modernist innovation perfectly suited to Johannesburg’s climate. From up here, the justification for the balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows is clear. Sliding screens, however, provide shelter from the sunlight where the roof overhangs are less pronounced.

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The kitchen includes artworks by Lady Skollie and Nico Krijno, as well as vintage Murano glass vases.

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The main bedroom includes all its original fittings including beautiful built-in cupboards in the dressing room. The wicker peacock chair finds dramatic expression in a corner alongside the window.

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Seen from the reverse angle, the sitting room reveals a wood-panelled wall and built-in unit that houses a vintage hi-fi. The slim beams and high ceiling create a light, airy volume. The modular sofa unit lends itself to being reconfigured to keep the space open and flexible. The orange table lamp is a vintage Luigi Massoni, produced by iGuzzini, Italy in 1969. The ceramics on the shelves include works by Lezanne Viviers.

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In the dining area, the large work on the wall, Braided Bonding, is by Marlene Steyn.

Ceramic works by her feature on the table below, too. Ceramics on the dining table are a collection of found glass objects, including a Murano vase and a Ukranian bowl.

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“For Viviers, living here is about appreciating a 60-year-old modernist treasure and sharing that appreciation. ‘All I can do is try to respect it,’ she says”

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17

The charm of clay

Text M i l a C r ewe - Brow n

KARLIEN VAN ROOYEN

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LUNGISWA JOE

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JAN DE WET -

Want to learn the craft? Look out for the opening of Kim Sacks Gallery’s craft and design school in early 2021 comprising workshops and apprenticeships with esteemed ceramicists. kimsacks.com

BEN ORKIN

Seed pods

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e is only in his final year at Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town, yet Ben Orkin is already a household name. He shot to fame when he won Best New Talent at 100% Design in 2018 and — just a year later — he had a solo show at Whatiftheworld Gallery in Rosebank, Johannesburg. His imperfect vessels take shape from the human body and reveal the physical and spiritual connection between lovers.

“These forms are reinterpretations of intimacy between gay partners. They are specifically about looking at two bodies that reflect each other,” he explains. Seemingly symmetrical, their differences nod to the imbalances that mark relationships, and the bright glazes he uses serve as a contrast to the hand-sculpted forms. Exploring intimate subjects through his works, he is able to process his experiences of the world around him, using his craft as a conduit. “You can say something by building a form with clay, and then the clay can say something else by cracking or exploding,” he notes. Orkin is currently working on his final-year portfolio. @benorkin

Can our one be undone & I need you to be me. I need you, to be me, 2019

Tableware

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STUDIO AN

A look at the rise of contemporary ceramics and some of its newer contributors

hat began as a form of therapy for a burntout environmental activist became a way of connecting to the earth. For Karlien van Rooyen, ceramics are about tactility, memory connection and ancient wisdom, and with their haunting, sinuous forms, her pieces reveal just this. Using the phrase “hi-tech to high-touch”, Van Rooyen sums up the reason for her craft. She was awarded a scholarship for a seven-week residency in Jingdezhen, China, where she studied under master ceramicists, and has gone on to produce ceramics with a social and environmental-sustainability focus. Her pieces are elongated and sculptural with a mournful mood. Van Rooyen has been working on a series of 1.3m-tall vessels, and developing Petrol Funnel, 2020 a series of crocks for gut-healing kimchi and sauerkraut. “To me, the best art offers an immersive experiaving recently returned to clay, Jan de Wet is on his way to beence, something that enables you coming a regular in the ceramics circuit. “As an architect, I think to explore the human experience a of space and its relationship to form. I see the negative — or leftover bit deeper. I like taking the banal-fa— space around it, and I think of ways to use texture and pattern to miliar into an unfamiliar territory, emphasise and celebrate the form, rather than a decorative applicadisrupting expectations and routine tion,” he explains. This unique perspective brings something fresh to to arrest the senses and evoke a his ceramics practice, where his band of meandering candelabras has presence of mind to what one is acrecently blossomed. The texture worked into his ceramics is instantly tually doing in the now,” she says. @karlien_vanrooyen reminiscent of the natural world, hinting at barnacles, sea anemones, coral, the serpentine tentacle of n a fascinating way, clay calls for me to channel my heritage, acknowledging an octopus and the tiny track thoughts and finding simple techniques in and through this ancient medium,” marks of insects. Perhaps his Lungiswa Joe says. Drawing from her Khoisan, Zambian and amaXhosa heritage, she most intricate work, his current produces ceramics that are deeply rooted in history and culture. With a background in commission from Merchants on fashion design, Joe has a keen eye for form, pattern and colour, and with their organic Long entails creating two lifenature and hand-formed marks, her ceramics feature bold primary colours and geometsize octopuses, each holding ric patterns drawn from her cultural links. “Clay is an ancient technology and keeper of four or five candles, and six tentimes, history-making and story. Clay is truly a vessel for more than only flowers,” she says. tacle candelabras. @jan_ernst_ She has recently started experimenting with coiling upside down, having taken an online lockdown workshop with the great Andile Dyalvane, as well as with colour fields linked to Khoisan regalia. And clay is not her only medium — look out for her name in the credits roll as costume designer for the local film Flatland. @lungiswajoe

ntricate marks and pit-fire-blackened, honed surfaces are the calling card of ceramicist Chuma Maweni who, since graduating with a BTech degree in ceramics in 2002, has risen as one of the country’s most celebrated crafters. Identifying his ceramics as functional design, his collection of cups, saucers, vessels, tables and stools has garnered a notable following. Since he opened his own studio in 2016, Maweni’s work has travelled to fairs such as Design Miami and The Salon Art + Design in New York City with representation

by Southern Guild. Predominantly thrown on the wheel, Maweni’s pieces are hand carved with a multitude of fine patterns that score the black charcoal clay he uses. Lately, he has been applying the same carving technique to larger items of wooden furniture. “People are looking more and more for useful items that have high value and strong design aspects to them,” he says of the swelling public interest in ceramic works. Maweni is currently busy with an imbizo table for the upcoming Southern Guild exhibition Solace. @chumamaweni

W

ith a master’s degree in sculpture from Michaelis, Ceri Müller finds creating ceramics to be a meditative outlet, which has now developed into a successful career. Her work takes the form of sombre heads with sorrowful expressions and rotund vessels with characteristically curly impressions enveloping them. “The vessels that I continually produce are inspired by the human body and the fluid, organic shapes found in the natural world,” she says. Made predominantly from stoneware and earthenware clay, these pieces are typically left raw and unglazed in a series of shades that’s deliciously earthy and nuanced. Of late, Müller has also been experimenting with different glazes in shades of green.

Look out for her soon-to-be-launched Spring/Summer 2020 Collection.

cerimuller.com

CERI MÜLLER

IMAGES BEN ORKEN BY MATTHEW BRADLEY; CHUMA MAWENI BY HAYDEN PHIPPS AND SUPPLIED

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here has been rising interest in ceramics in recent years. Contemporary ceramics, in particular, are becoming collectible items, with each objet being viewed as a work of art or a sculptural heirloom, freed from the constraints of mere function.

Some believe that the rise is due to hunger for the tactile, stemming from our growing need to disconnect from our always-on, digital way of life. Ironically, access to social media as a platform for sharing art forms is another contributor. Gallery owner Kim Sacks feels it’s partly due to the efforts of a handful of galleries in promoting ceramics over the past 20 years or so. “More and more art bienniales also feature a ceramics component in their installations,” she says. We take a look at some of the proudly South African names contributing to this groundswell.

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CHUMA MAWENI

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living

FITCH & LEEDES CLASSICS - DECEMBER 2020

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architecture Text Graham Wo o d

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here has always been something slightly apocalyptic about land art. When artists use the landscape itself as their canvas, and work on a scale best appreciated from a passing plane, the results can seem almost magical — as if created by gods, angels or aliens — but also tinged with something ominous.

When you consider land art from the 20th century on, you can’t help but be reminded of the mysterious landmarks left by extinct civilisations, such as the Nazca Lines in Peru, the Uffington White Horse and Stonehenge in the UK or even the pyramids in Egypt. They automatically seem to evoke visions of a future in which we are extinct. What will future civilisations make of the markings we leave on the landscape?

Of course, many of the famous 20th-century examples of land art were made with the looming threat of nuclear apocalypse in mind, probably most famously in something like Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty in Utah’s Great Salt Lake, made in 1970, but in countless others, too.

One of the differences between modern land art and the mysterious monuments and geoglyphs of lost civilisations is that the ancient works hint at a primal connection with the earth and the cosmos. They suggest that the people in those forgotten worlds lived in tune with nature and the gods. The modern works made closer to our own time, on the contrary, seem more like warnings that our own civilisation might meet a similar fate unless we reconnect with that kind of primal knowledge.

Die Noute/ The Narrowing

IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST Visual artist Hannelie Coetzee’s new works at Sandton Gate evoke profound truths about the balance between nature and civilisation in the shadow of extinction The apocalyptic threat we are living with in the present moment is not a nuclear threat but climate change — the fear that we’ll bring about our own extinction through our wilful destruction of the planet. We’ve recently had biblical-scale fires, floods and plague, commonly understood to have resulted from the ecologically careless way that we live.

Before the world went into lockdown (the first time), artist Hannelie Coetzee put the finishing touches to two new works, both at the first phase of the new Sandton Gate precinct on the outskirts of Sandton on William Nicol Drive. The first, Die Noute/The Narrowing, is a series of one-tonne marble pillars that seem to rise out of the landscaped plinth of the building, creating a kind of passage through what she calls a deconstructed mountain. The second is a large-scale planted wall, Muse II, made with specially designed modular planters filled with various species of succulents with different-coloured foliage. From a distance, they create an organic pixelated portrait.

POETRY, SCIENCE AND URBANISM Coetzee’s work shares certain characteristics with those 20th-century pioneers of land art, but she also differs from them in significant ways.

To start with, she’s less of a downer. Rather than delivering an ominous end-times portent, she collaborates with scientists, architects and others to bring about transformation. Hers is less art with a straight message, more an expression that arises or is extrapolated from a collaboration. These works bring a kind of poetry to experiments in science or urbanism (or whatever) that allows laypeople to emotionally relate to often-inaccessible work.

In 2015, for example, she collaborated with scientists studying the effects of veld fires on the grazing habits of antelope. The scientists planned controlled burns in the Khatlhampi Private Reserve, which borders on the Nirox Sculpture Park in the Cradle of Humankind, north of Joburg. Coetzee convinced the firefighters, who would otherwise have simply burnt blocks, to burn an image on the mountainside instead: a boy reaching out to an eland. It could be seen from planes flying overhead to and from Lanseria Airport, and even in satellite images. And anyone who actually witnessed the burn and the image emerging from the landscape couldn’t help but be moved, giving the science a new dimension in human emotional experience.

Buigkrag

ART THAT’S INTEGRAL TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION In the case of Sandton Gate, she collaborated with the developers, architects, landscapers and engineers on the project.

The development itself is one of South Africa’s first green precincts, and has been used as a pioneering case study in the development of a Green Building Council South Africa rating tool for precincts, the next step after individual buildings and interiors. Sandton Gate also pushes the green agenda beyond its own boundaries in the way it interacts with the urban fabric around it. It’s on the Braamfontein Spruit, a waterway that runs from the CBD all the way to the Jukskei River. The developers will rehabilitate the stretch of the spruit around the precinct, revitalising an important node along the watercourse and unlocking the potential of the green spine to connect all the way along its length, with luck, catalysing further rehabilitation. The spruit, properly cared for, could be one of the longest urban green lungs in the world.

In keeping with her usual practice, Coetzee wanted the artworks she created at Sandton Gate to be integral to the design and construction of the development rather than a decorative object plonked on the podium when all was done. Her idea, originally, was to create a sort of sculptural work using granite blasted from the site to make the foundations of the development, using the ancient rock beneath the city. That’s planned for the second phase.

For the first, working with the marble company supplying the precinct, she brought in tonnes of marble that would otherwise have been discarded. A shard — a gigantic, many-tonned offcut or crust of marble with an undesirable diagonal line — was carefully sliced into massive

Benko and Eland

stone pillars and craned into place. On one level, it’s simply an elegant solution to the fact that Coetzee couldn’t use the granite from the site itself. But, in bringing in construction waste from elsewhere, she introduced another kind of commentary to her work: she used the offsite excesses of typical construction sites to critique what seems like watertight commercial efficiency.

When seen from above — from one of the terraces on the upper floors of the building overlooking the podium — the sculpture looks almost like a dinosaur skeleton, perhaps a reminder of extinction, but also a way of evoking the sense of ancient time beneath the city. Something primordial breaks through the Anthropocene encrustation on top of the cityscape, interrupting the neat, orderly landscaping on the plinth, the precision of the advanced architecture, and asserting the presence of earth.

The other artwork she has created reprises the pixelated images she often makes with various media (often discarded ceramics and stone offcuts from quarries and factories used to create mosaics). They began with her fascination with “low-resolution” images rooted in many years of working as a photographer, especially one who experienced the transition from film to digital photography. The image in Muse II isn’t immediately visible. It looks like an ordinary planted wall until, suddenly, all the foliage dissolves into a portrait of a woman.

What starts as nature is abstracted and becomes part of something human in the crystallised geometric order and logic of the planters, and then as sublime in the magical moment in which you recognise the human face. The delicate balance between order and chaos, human civilisation and nature, is evoked in the moment when the image appears — the opposites momentarily in harmony.

IT’S ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE But perhaps the bigger truth these works help to articulate is the role of the individual in the precarious future of urbanism. Whereas the land art of the 20th century seems to suggest that our survival as a species depends on our rediscovering a way of living in harmony with some sort of natural or cosmic order, these works of Coetzee’s suggest something subtly different.

The most fundamental experience of them is not the bird’s-eye view as you fly by, but the individual perspective. In the case of Die Noute/ The Narrowing, it’s the weird compression of space you feel when you enter the work, the sensation of being drawn inside the landscape or of being swallowed by the mountain. In the case of Muse II, it’s the magic in the individual perspective you need to find to recognise the image as it dissolves into something comprehensible.

These artworks do not convey a lesson about a new order that should define our way of life as we go forward. Rather, they seem more concerned with bringing an experiential and emotional dimension to our individual relationships with the earth and the city. And it comes across not so much as a mysterious message from above as a visceral experience of the grounds of our existence, within ourselves. Which might, after all, be the best place to start.

IMAGES TRISTAN MCLAREN COURTESY OF BOOGERTMAN + PARTNERS

Muse II

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22

travel Text Leana S ch o em a n

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grew up on a farm, so the whole country-living thing is not new to me.

But Boschendal Wine Estate has pleasantly surprised this country girl, substantially elevating the familiar and humble farm experience. The estate’s unique approach to the sought-after countryside experience remains unpretentious and wholesome, which is no easy task given the competition.

But after my visit earlier this year, I might be so bold as to say that Boschendal conclusively ticks all the boxes.

Established in 1867, this is one of the oldest wine farms in the country, with a rich and deeply grounded heritage and tightly knit community values. Nestled in a beautiful valley between the Simonsberg and Drakenstein mountains, the pristine farmland stretches over 1 800ha, with rich biodiversity continuing to offer endless abundance and create memorable experiences in so many ways.

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IT FEELS LIKE VISITING (REALLY NICE) FRIENDS A deep-rooted sense of family and community was evident the minute we were welcomed to the reception and all throughout our time there, even though there are as many as 600 employees working on the farm. After our mid-day arrival on an unusually windy day, we were welcomed with a basket of fresh farm goods and delicious wine to indulge in, with which we did a sterling job of course.

The Friday-night village market is something not to be missed. The market takes place under the large oak trees bejewelled with beautiful circular-light installations that softly light the casual, festive gathering of neighbours and friends who share their delicious produce with visitors on the main werf. It’s a great start to the weekend at Boschendal, whether you’re a guest or just a nearby visitor in need of a night out in nature.

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IT IS THE ULTIMATE PLACE TO WIND DOWN IN STYLE The estate offers a variety of accommodation options to suit everyone’s needs, each totally unique and beautiful in its own way. Word has it that they are still adding to the list. We really enjoyed staying in the Werf cottages, located in the historic central werf area and walking distance from The Deli and Werf Restaurant, with majestic views of the mountains and gardens and gigantic trees. These spacious cottages have such an understated luxurious and cosy feel to them, and every aspect of the space and décor is considered in every way imaginable. It’s the kind of space you never want to leave. Each cottage offers a lounge with a comfortable sofa, a fireplace and farm-style kitchen with dining area as well as a spacious suite with an amazing bathroom complete with shower and bath and, of course, Africology amenities to top it all off. We especially enjoyed having our morning coffee on the stoep surrounded by sweet-smelling blooms, rolling hills and the early-morning buzz of farm life.

Summer at its best, I’d say.

Rediscover R all the pleasures of nature at one of our oldest wine farms

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MASALA FISH INGREDIENTS: (SUGGESTED SERVING WITH PAN-FRIED FARM KABELJOU & MUSSELS) MASALA SAUCE:

2 tbsp curry spice • 2 tbsp cumin • 2 tbsp coriander seeds • 2 cinnamon sticks • 3 pods cardamom • 1 tbsp cayenne pepper • 1 tbsp turmeric • 3 bay leaves • 2 medium onions, chopped • 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled & chopped • 1 medium fresh green chilli • 30g fresh coriander • 5 large tomatoes, blended • 30ml oil • 250ml water

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THERE IS NO END TO THE BOUNTY The Boschendal bunch take sustainability pretty seriously and pride themselves on preparing every morsel of delicious food from their own farm produce — whether it is a delicious steak or a plate of veggies. Farm to table in style is what they do! If they’re out of anything, they keep their food miles low by popping over to the neighbours to source only the freshest and best things they can find, all sustainably grown, of course. Wine tasting is an absolute must — a sensory feast at its best — plus their sommeliers are a special breed of wonderful humans who have grown up in the winelands, making them the ultimate wine connoisseurs with astounding knowledge. Breakfast in the conservatory is a delightful event, offering one of the best views of the lush and perfectly manicured veggie garden surrounded by towering mountains. Every morsel of food and drink that passed my lips was a taste sensation, delightfully unpretentious, flavourful and nourishing — a rare occurrence, I’ll have you know.

METHOD

Blend all dry spices in a food processor.

Blend onions, garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander in a food processor. Add the oil to a medium-based pot. Add the blended dry spices and fry lightly. Add the blended fresh ingredients, and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until spices and onions are cooked. Add the blended tomatoes and stir through. Add the water and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Use a stick blender to blitz the sauce until smooth, then strain through a sieve. Pan fry the seafood for 5-7 minutes (depending on portion size) and cook in masala sauce.

YOGHURT EMULSION:

4 large eggs • 1/2 lemon, juiced • 1kg plain yoghurt • 500ml olive oil METHOD

Blend the eggs with lemon juice, salt & pepper. Add yoghurt gradually. Slowly add olive oil and blend until the mixture thickens.

SPRING ONION SALSA

2 spring onions • 1 clove garlic • 50g ginger, finely chopped • 70g fresh paprika, chopped METHOD

Mix together finely chopped spring onion, garlic, ginger and paprika.

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BOREDOM IS A FOREIGN CONCEPT IN THESE PARTS Farm and cellar tours, guided hikes, scenic mountain-biking excursions, horseback riding through “bos en dal”, calming swims and lazy picnics are just a few activities you can busy yourself with during your stay. Or just relax and unwind. If you want some peace and quiet while enjoying the comforts of your cottage, house or tent, you can send the kids to the incredibly cool treehouse without feeling a moment of guilt. The educational playcentre team will introduce the young ones to an authentic farm experience, and they’ll return with a newfound respect and love for Mother Earth.

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GARNISH

• Ginger, julienned

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BOSCHENDAL IS ALWAYS WIDENING ITS HORIZONS The brand-new tented camp at Boschendal has been the talk of the town for a while now. I visited the site, which was close to completion at the time, and I can confirm that it is going to be spectacular. The carefully secluded location overlooks majestic mountain ranges with hills and valleys as far as the eye can see. The seven fully furnished luxury private tents will be offering the full Boschendal experience and certainly will be the place to be this summer. I will be returning. boschendal.com

METHOD

Deep fry ginger until crispy.

5 MINUTES WITH BOSCHENDAL EXECUTIVE CHEF ALLISTAIRE LAWRENCE — AND HIS FAVOURITE RECIPE RIGHT NOW

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ince we thoroughly enjoyed every single bite of food during our stay, we just had to catch up with executive chef Allistaire Lawrence to find out how he keeps things fresh, new and amazing all the time.

How do you continue to find inspiration for your creations? A lot of my cooking inspiration revolves around food memories. You always remember exactly what you were doing or who you were with, on a day that you were eating something amazing (before the days of the ’Gram). I tap into memories and flavour profiles to assist with combinations and dish creativity. My inspiration also comes from the simplicity of the ingredient. I am very blessed to be able to work with the quality of ingredients that Boschendal’s vegetable garden and animals have to offer. Paying homage to a simple ingredient and allowing it to shine as a hero isn’t as easy as we think. The ingredients inspire me to be creative on a level that doesn’t hide the hero.

How do you hold your own, given the fierce competition from other wine estates in the area?

Boschendal is an experience on its own, and no matter how many other farms try to do something similar, they will never be Boschendal. That gives us the edge, always. We believe in staying true to our core values with regards to cooking, service, how we farm, how we train our staff. All of these form a personality that can’t be replicated in another space.

We cook from the heart, focusing on respecting the ingredients.

What proportion of your ingredients are grown on the farm? Depending on the season, about 60% to 70% of the vegetables we use come from the garden.

All our beef and pork come from the farm. The industry is changing, and there are more “like-minded” suppliers out there who source and farm according to Boschendal’s ethos. It makes it easy for us to get a wide variety of quality produce from other suppliers, without having to worry too much about their “story”.

What’s your favourite recipe at the moment and why? We currently have a poached line fish with masala sauce on the menu. This was developed by our junior sous chef Leroy Sebybo. It’s filled with flavour and smells like comfort, happiness and snippets of growing up.

What is your ultimate comfort food? Any flavour of samoosa or a fresh, warm daltjie.

IMAGES SUPPLIED

FIVE REASONS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH BOSCHENDAL

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