Plus it feels more like playing than working. To date I have only done papercraft projects for clients, but I have many very exciting ideas for personal projects. Including a papercraft exhibition. If you could look back at your work over the years - what influences would you say helped to mould the spirit of Joh Del?
I have also been a long-time fan of the magical stories and drawings of Hayao Miyazaki. There are so many influences that will pop up all the time. Do you see yourself settling here for a while or is it merely a pit stop on the way to wherever the journey is going to take you?
Man after moving around so much over the last few years, I think I need to try and settle down for a bit and create a nest. I know there are many places left to explore, and many adventures still to come. I would definitely say the double-storey mural inside the Adidas Originals store in Amsterdam. It was a big map of the city. From what I have gathered, you did not plan on starting a lighting business.
What sparked off the initial idea for the two of you? It seemed like a great opportunity to shake things up a bit. How long has the company been running for now and did you expect all the interest it has received so far? We started about two and a half years ago, and in fact Ploy spent the first year doing full-time research, sourcing, testing and certifying our initial products before we were ready to launch in February Where did you meet or did you know each other from before you started the venture?
Ploy moved to Cape Town the following year, and has been here ever since. How long did it take to set up the initial running of the company, what has been the most challenging part of the process so far? We started off with no idea of what we were getting ourselves into, and had so much to learn. The most challenging aspects initially were finding suppliers that had the ability to deliver high quality products as well as learning how to maneuver through all the red tape and regulation.
Something we just never anticipated was how heavily regulated electrical components are, specifically in this country, and how many small technical details needed to be resolved in order to ensure that our products would be safe, as well as comply with local law.
Almost all of the products we import have to be customised in one way or another in order to comply with local standards. You chose to return to the traditional production processes, materials and values to manufacture the bulbs and the accessories. How did you go about finding the resources that could still produce what you were looking for? Well, this is at the core of what drives our value system, and while on the surface it may seem admirable, those goals are not easily achieved in a world where almost every single aspect of production has been transformed by capitalism to exploit value at every turn.
Today, the Bakelite is generally seen as a less desirable material by modern industry. Without getting too technical, a component in Bakelite can.
In those cases, we look to international suppliers that have managed to retain those more traditional skills and production methods. When you look at how the market is pushing for consumers to use more energy-saving light bulbs - how compatible are your products with these demands?
We have to acknowledge that the appeal of an older technology often carries with it an environmental impact. Our Edison style bulbs cannot compete with modern energy saving bulbs, and we approach this with a few points in mind. The first is that the market for these specialist types of bulbs really is very small in a global context. They are decorative rather than functional, and at 40 watts ever so slightly better than the 60 and watt bulbs that we all grew up with.
But even so, we also realise that this planet cannot continue to function irresponsibly for much longer. For this reason, we are actively looking into various options for gradually replacing our range with an energy saving equivalent.
What is the lifespan of your bulbs compared to the average bulb you buy at the supermarket? The lifespan of our current range of bulbs is about 3 hours which is very similar to an incandescent bulb that one might purchase at a supermarket. In the near future we hope to offer an energy-saving equivalent that will last up to 25 hours.
Even though your production is still quite limited at the moment, how competitive do you find it compared to mass-produced light bulbs? We find value in offering products that have a soul, and the response from those who are fortunate enough to purchase at that level appreciate what we offer and the way we run our business. One thing that has been an eye-opener for us is the ruthless and cutthroat manner in which some of the more established mass-market industry players conduct their business.
On the rare occasions when something is given back it usually tends to be a PR facade under the guise of goodwill. You were inspired by the original light designs of Thomas Edison - what process did you follow to plan the new shapes and designs for your range and how much do you still stick to the original Edison concept? One of the big-. We find ourselves skirting the edge between traditional designs and values and often crossing over to more contemporary styles and application.
Besides the bulbs, you also had to focus on the fittings and cabling - did you go the same route as with the bulbs by focusing on the vintage heritage of the products?
Yes, for all our products we follow a very similar conceptual approach on our way to creating or sourcing the end product. That being said, we also take advantage of modern technologies such as 3D scanning, 3D printing, CNC cutting, etc. The woven-cord cables are very visually pleasing - did you stick to what the original old woven colour combinations were or did you choose your own combinations for your range?
Original woven cords were covered in cotton sleeves. That was more functional than anything else, and ironically not always that safe from an electrical point of view. Today, we add the sleeve for aesthetic reasons and create it from fabric that is much safer. Much like our bulbs, we split them into two ranges: one echoes a retro style with twisted cord and neutral colours, while the other is bold with bright colours that are clearly more contemporary.
We are torn between living in a beautiful future or an inspiring past. Our cord colours reflect that somewhat schizophrenic state of mind. Where does the influence for the design stem from and who executed the final design work for the artwork? I am the one tasked with most of the design challenges while Ploy heads up the business end. We try to create a visual style that is as it would have been on the day it was made years ago, rather than something that looks like it has been sitting on a shelf for years and is now all old, wrinkled, worn out, etc.
In the old days they would have done their best to achieve slick packaging, and were limited only by the technology. I try to echo that approach in order to evoke a similar sense of romance. Even when it came to the priming of the packaging itself, you went with an old letterpress - who is doing the printing for you guys?
We have a great relationship with Anton from The Letterpress Company. They have worked closely with us to ensure that our packaging also has a soul. Both of you are skilled in different areas how much has both of your separate experiences helped to evolve the concept of your product? We work closely with many individual designers in Cape Town, and sometimes wonder how they do it. Our biggest strength is easily our diverse set of skills. Ploy drives the business from a functional point of view and I offer guidance on the creative side.
We also have a fair amount of overlap, but for the most part our strengths in those very different areas make us a winning team. Are you both working on the company fulltime now or do you still do other work in your personal capacities?
Although, I also own a small animation studio in Woodstock that I use as a base. Where can the products be purchased from, do you have a distributor or do you have to order through your online site? Most of our products can be purchased through our site and customers are also able to visit our studio by appointment.
Beyond that, we have some great partners who stock a wide range of our products. Have you received any international interest, are any other companies out there providing similar concepts? We regularly ship our products overseas, and as we grow we look forward to exploring more of that potential. We keep our eyes open and have definitely seen a handful of people attempting similar things in other countries.
How do you see the company evolving in the future? We differ from many of the bigger lighting corporations out there in that our primary goal is not profit. While it may sound rather cheesy, we strive to offer high quality products and excellent service. We are not prepared to sacrifice either of those for the sake of a higher profit margin.
Our goal is to move forward and hopefully gather enough resources to gradually transform a world that has been hi-jacked by a corporate culture that increasingly eats away at our faith in mankind. About two years ago we would often have to deal with the constant feeling of frustration and being drained by the monotonous groove of things.
This feeling I shared with both Loopy bassist and James guitarist. We were struggling to regulate a constant flow of creative ideas, money, general self-inspiration and joy. Everything and everybody around us was starting to take on a very dull and transparent meaning. I think everyone one around us was frustrated, either with themselves or the next person.
It was boring and phony. The scene that was once the driving force to the engine of our youthful joy was slowly running out of steam, threatening to break down at any given time. We were desperately trying to fix it even though this was a tough mission. There was vague talk about moving somewhere else, start afresh, just leaving everything behind and work on a new musical direction and identity, reinventing ourselves. My father passed away when I was 8 years old, so in turn I was raised up by a single mom.
For as long as I could remember my mother has always been supportive and understanding. Growing up I had a vague idea of what my passions and ambitions were. It bought me such joy. I was always intrigued and marvelled by the concept of performance art and sharing a bit of myself through this medium. My entire existence revolves around ultimate self-expression and appreciation because this is how my mother had raised me. So my individualism and expressive nature originated at a very young age and has been growing ever since.
My mother was born in Swaziland, my grandmother and her moved to Durban when my mother was only a child. Our extended family still resides there. Even though I have an extremely small family, the moral values and self-discipline structures that were put in place by these two dominating female figures has made me who I am today. I carry these small family values with me proudly, which include sincere gratitude, the celebration, respect and appreciation of self and others as well as sharing and valuing the small things in life.
These teachings I will pass down to my own children and people I meet. As much as I grew up with the love for performance art, I was never really much of a singer, I was terrible actually. Because I was so determined to get it right, I would practice by myself almost every day. It became a bit of an obsession of mine for all I wanted to do was to be to sing along in synchronised unison with the two most influential female voices in my life.
After high school I knew. I wanted to take up drama and performance art studies, majoring in music and vocal training. After varsity my vocal abilities were strong, I fully understood where all the sounds came from and the different placements and control involved with trying to achieve them.
At this point, my next goal was to nurture and discover my own voice. My voice is ever changing and taking different forms as I go. I still feel like that little girl, longing to sing with her mum and aunt in the kitchen, that feeling will forever keep me grounded and hungry for more. It sounded nothing even close to what our vibe is like now. The other girls were close friends of mine and we knew each other prior to the birth of the band and our voices worked really well together, but none of us could play an instrument so we worked with what we had.
Even though we took it seriously it never really felt like it had enough substance or magic to go places and by that time I was starting to outgrow the idea of minimal creation.
We lasted about 8 months I think, one girl fell pregnant and the other two made other fulfilling ventures. I was determined to ride this wave, one way or another! Chasing and outrunning everyone. I took great interest in her fearless nature right away, it was hard not to. This was just the Genesis, the first chapter for what was still to come.
We were meant to be on the cover but Bob Dylan decided he was gonna go ahead and release an album two weeks before the mag went to print. And we were rolling with it, all the way. Roger Young was covering the story, he knew us very well so the interview was far from the usual formal Q and A. This was after a hectic night of partying so we all congregated in this half-lit room.
Roger would randomly chuck questions at us but the entire thing was too debaucherous and the photographer Kevin Goss-Ross was snapping away and boy oh boy did we give him something to capture. Randoms were dry humping in a dark corner, there were people rolling on the floor with eyes rolled back to their heads, stripping all the beds just for the fuck of it, while some gently humped the air to Jefferson Airplane.
Our lives were being captured and we were uncensored!! It was grand. Oh, my beautiful morning star! The pregnancy did come as a shock but I came to terms with the overwhelming. That concept alone made me feel more strong and in control of my own situation. Life only becomes a struggle or hard to bare at the precise point where you stop dreaming.
So I work to make ends meat. I am now and have always been a firm believer in equality and fair resolutions. Most South Africans human beings in general lack even the mildest concepts of compassion and humanity. This in turn leads to all sorts of social ills and discourse. We need to go back to the simple fundamental aspects of being alive. We all possess the ability to love, give, appreciate, sooth and understand. Something along the way hinders these compulsory emotions and we lose ourselves.
Man oh man!!!! This was the highlight of our musical career buy a long shot! Our very first national magazine appearance and it was a twelve-page spread on the Rolling Stone!!!!
Oooh boy we were overleaping with the sweetest joy. Groot Geraak Becoming Big examines the life of Quentino, a young boy growing up in Elsies River on the Cape Flats, an area that has been plagued by endemic gang violence. Quentino and his peers are photographed at various stages over a three-year period in an attempt to locate defining moments in their lives. Clark expresses a personal interest in these defining moments and their potential implications; here the individual is pitted against powerful collective agents.
In areas where these agents have a strong presence, individual identity gives way to survival and the need to conform. The tension resides between a staged performance on the one hand and the re-enactment of actual moments on the other, hence the powerful evocation of a hyper-reality. The success of these images — high in production value and residing in the distinct world of fine art — is measured in the response it elicits from the viewer, be it mistrust or anger at the photographer, or anger at the conditions of the young lives exposed.
Thus we move towards a deeper understanding of the human condition in a polarised context. Gordon Clark b. Clark takes the viewer on a journey of exploration — exploring the idea of going back and how we grow roots in terms of emulating the behaviour of others that surround us, in order to survive. The subject as metaphor transgresses our boundaries and comfort zone by suggesting the stereotypical direction of their future.
Clark currently lives and works as a photographer as well as a film and documentary maker in Cape Town. I think that is the best thing that ever happened to me, as I was forced to make my own living from art, and it was the only thing I knew When I asked my father for money, he gave me some art materials and said that I should make my own money. I think that is the best thing that ever happened to me, as I was forced to make my own living from art, and it was the only thing I knew… I have read that your father is a sculptor, was it just a natural progression for you to evolve your work into giant sculptures or what made you decide to take on this medium?
I actually started off sculpting and steered away from it during the early stages of my career, as I wanted to become more independent in my paintings.
Later, when I was more established in this, I inherently translated it into sculpture. Do you see yourself only taking on this medium in the future or do you see yourself always being more of a painter?
I definitely see myself using this medium more, like the Morphous installation we just did at Circa with just one sculpture. It really excited me to do this project. Francis Bacon would say that he felt like he was giving art what he thought it previously lacked… Do you feel your work fits into this mindset?
I think I combined everything that I liked into one style. For instance, I love the craftsmanship of art, such as that of the old masters like Da Vinci and Michelangelo and at the same time I enjoy abstract and conceptual art. As time goes by, your work seems to have grown bigger, bolder and exploding with much more colour by the year. Looking back at the natural tones and smaller scale you worked on about 6 years ago, what motivated such bold changes through your career so far?
One of the big reasons is that I moved to Cape Town. I think my environment changed me a lot. I was trying to reinvent myself and I suppose I was doing everything I was afraid of. At first, Cape Malay people intrigued me in a visual way. Due to the shift in my environment, I was not use to seeing so many mixed race people. I think these qualities appealed to me almost as if they were universal to.
I then started exploring this more conceptually. No, in fact, I think I was visually stimulated from a young age, since I grew up in an artistic environment. You never studied art but you did have art as a subject in school, do you think your work would have been a lot different or would have taken the same route as it has if you did study art?
Size does matter, especially with your work - do you think that creates a sense of intimidation towards the viewer that is confronted with the imagery? Yes, that is definitely something I wanted to create with the viewer — to be confronted and immersed with the painting, as you stand in front of it.
That is where the abstract quality becomes evident and where you actually translate texture and colour instead of a figurative image. What do you think has lead to the popularity of your works, why do you think they are so appealing and collectable to people?
If you had never seen your work before and then stepped into one of your shows, do you think it would have the same effect on you? I think so, probably, because my work has that quality of a combination of two aspects in one — the abstract and naturalistic quality. What draws you to a painting or a sculpture for that matter? I think that these days one can become overwhelmed by the amount of art out there, and with the internet it becomes much more accessible.
I try to see as many shows as possible, but I think the last time I can remember having that feeling would be seeing big canvases, up close, of Rothko and Richter. I think the evolution of my work may seem slow to some people, but I have been exploring many ideas and mediums, moving into more sculpture installations, which may move my work into a new direction. Many artists have some inner conflict or vice reflecting in their work or actions as an artist, do you feel any of these factors effect your work in any way?
I would not say I directly transfer my conflicts onto canvas, although that is something that may happen inevitably. Who are you represented by at the moment and where can your work be viewed? I think that my work would have taken a different route if I did study art, as I think everything, including our environment, influences us — even if it is only subconsciously.
I find that fascinating. People are attracted to unique accounts. Would you say you were quite into photography prior to using the application or was it the satisfaction of comments and hits that encouraged you to upload more photos? Um, Instagram was a very new app at the time so I decided to give it a try, not thinking that it would have such a big influence on my life. I joined Instagram in December - the app was only 2 months old at the time.
This really spiked my follower count. You have over followers now and have also been listed on the ORMS photographic site as one of nine great South African Instagramers - what would you say draws people to follow a certain type of personality and their images? Users follow accounts for various reasons. They follow celebrities who post hundreds of self-portraits day after day, they follow fashion houses, corporations and even animals who have Instagram accounts. Everyone has a diverse list of accounts in their following-list.
Guys like thiswildidea and andrewknapp only post images of their dogs. You can snap, edit and post a photo in under 5 minutes. That, I love. Likes and comments always encourage you to take better shots. It seems that you were quite drawn to man holes from the beginning of your uploads and it has become quite a theme throughout your work, especially the comparisons you make with other objects like old car tyres or even tree stumps that resemble them.
What is it that draws you to these commonly over-seen road landmarks? The idea of composing a circular object in a square frame has a certain appeal to me.
I shot my first manhole cover at a carwash on Kloof Street. I liked the colour and the composition. People have been sending or tagging me in photos of manhole covers from Durban to Denmark, Sweden, Hungary and even South Korea. If I ride by myself, yes. My riding buddies will get pissed if I had to stop every 5 minutes to take a picture. You see a lot more of the world on a bicycle than you would when driving in a car.
I make mental notes of interesting street scenery, buildings, signs, etc. I have missed so many opportunities, be it with people, perfect light or location. We shot in Khayelitsha a while back.
It was a great experience. What do you consider to be the key element that makes INSTAGRAM so popular and where do you see it heading in the future, with its current video content that seems to be becoming just as popular?
There are other apps that offer the same service, but Instagram has over million active users, with over 7 million users posting daily. Companies are all using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to promote themselves. With the introduction of a video feature, it turned a lot of people away from Vine. I use Instagram video for time-lapse clips, plus, you can add music to your video using third party apps. It also opens a window for a whole new world of creativity.
You have recently been uploading images taken from your digital camera, I have heard that some people comment that it should purely be a medium for mobile photography only. Do you have any thoughts on that and do you see a difference between the two? It started out with uploading mobile images because it was instant.
There is nothing wrong with that. You achieve a different quality when shooting on a DSLR camera versus a mobile phone camera, be it quality or zoom capability. Majority of my shots are captured on my phone using specific apps and lenses made for iPhone, achieving a photoshopped DSLR result. Why do you think a lot of people document their food and their shoes so much? Everyone does it. From latte art to salads - if it looks good, it will get shot.
Once in a while the stars align and you find yourself standing on red bricks wearing yellow shoes, blue jeans, eating a green apple and BOOM!!! Do you plan to shoot any subject matter ahead of time or is it purely imagery that presents itself to you at a certain time and place? I prefer shooting something that pops up around the corner.
You can go out looking for manhole covers and come home with fascinating portraits. Each game challenges players to think creatively and fosters fun competition. It's perfect to take along on airplane or car trips, as a rainy-day activity, and makes a spectacular gift for any occasion.
Score: 3. Yet, the desire to communicate is strong. Janet Teitsort, a long-distance grandma herself, comes to the rescue with a year's worth of ideas to remain close even when the miles divide. Among her numerous ideas are art projects, recipes, and simple gifts that keep hearts knitted together.
Whether children are toddlers or college students, Teitsort offers a cornucopia of connection possibilities including a strong recommendation for grandparents to embrace technology with ideas involving audiotape, videotape, email, and the Internet.
As the grandparent population swells with Baby Boomers, this book is truly timely. Today motorways, cities and streets are places where we spend a considerable amount of time, and where a large number of everyday encounters between people occur.
In the backseat - I-I-I-I wanna get beside ya. In the backseat - so I can be yo' backseat driver. This ain't no country club we 'bout to get this party rockin. You got girls that's with the band let's get on top and. Zodiac Mindwarp - Backseat Education Lyrics. You wanna ride, baby This is a special car Two accelerators, no brakes You wanna know about love?
Backseat Driver Lyrics - Drew Rushline. I'm a backseat driver in my own town I only got one road that I might go down I'm a passive traveler, ride around Because the clock keeps ticking and i don't count for nothing.
I can't get a grip on my intuition Hope it don't lead me nowhere I recognize from the pictures Making my own decisions. Kendrick Lamar - Backseat Freestyle Lyrics. Martin had a dream Martin had a dream Kendrick have a dream All my life I want money and power Respect my mind or die from lead shower I pr The Lyrics for Backseat by Prelow have been translated into 2 languages.
And you're running through my mind again And I can't figure out again Why we always gotta do this. Why we always go through this Am I making no sense again? Are we back on the fence again? Am I too loud, am I too proud, am I too arrogant Seven little girls. Smooching in the backseat. Every one in love with Fred. I said, you don't need me. I'll get off at my house. And this is what the seven girls said. All of them in love with Fred.
This blog is using bi-directional scroll. If it doesn't work, kindly change your browser to Google Chrome Really sorry, I don't feel well. Lick Back Lyrics. Slidin' in that Trackhawk, all my jewelry on, my shirt off. Turn the phone on DND, on silent, all alerts off. Baby come back, you can blame it all on me.
I was wrong, and I just can't live without you. Now that I put it all together. Give me the chance to make you see. Have you used up all the love in your heart.
Nothing left for me, ain't there nothing left for me. You say the price of my love's not a price that you're willing to pay You cry in your tea which you hurl in the sea when you see me go b Back here where we need you Back here where we need you Yeah, we tease him a lot Cause we got him on the spot Welcome back.
Welcome back Welcome back, welcome back Welcome back, welcome back. And I know what a scene You were learning in Was there something that Made you come back again.
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