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Design stars Thabisa Mjo and Cole Ndelu to pick up-and-coming

talents for the Design Indaba Emerging Creatives 2021

he annual Design Indaba This year’s esteemed and pioneering Mjo’s product design company Mash.T
Emerging Creatives programme curators are Thabisa Mjo and Cole Ndelu. Design Studio is based in Johannesburg
Tis now in its 16th year. Supported “We’re honored to have two such and it is from here that she creates her
by the Department of Arts and Culture, worthy individuals form this year’s unrivalled forms that blend African
and functioning as a launch pad for future curatorial panel, and we thank them for traditions with contemporary nous. Her
talent, this valuable programme invites sharing their expertise for the benefit of work serves to raise the global status of
nationwide submissions across multiple the next generation,” says Design Indaba South African design as a category, and
disciplines. From a flood of entries, only founder Ravi Naidoo. her individual star continues to shine.
40 young designers can be chosen. Which “We know that Thabisa, who is no Cole Ndelu is a former Design Indaba
is why Design Indaba invites curatorial stranger to Design Indaba, will bring Emerging Creative from the class of 2018.
oversight from experts in the industry. a wealth of international product and She has made a name for herself as a
furniture design experience to the table, brave, progressive photographer who is
while visual maven Cole’s valuable unafraid to confront complex social issues
insights into what’s required, will stem and expose harsh realities through her
not only from having successfully moved conceptual work. She is an award-winning
through the Design Indaba Emerging visual artist who has exhibited her work
Creatives programme herself, but also widely, both locally and internationally.
from having showcased her photography Ndelu first caught the world’s attention
so widely. We’re excited to meet the new in 2017 when she was both a Finalist and
members of the Class of 2021 as chosen Commended Photographer at the Sony
by these two creative dynamos!” Naidoo World Photography Awards (SWPA)
continues. for her projects #blackboyjoy and Pride
Thabisa Mjo of Mash T. Design Studio in the Panther. The SWPA exhibition
brilliantly embodies the new, young launched in London before travelling
generation of unstoppable South African to 16 countries. Since then, Ndelu has
designers. She is the first local designer to received a Getty Images Creative Bursary
have her work form part of the permanent Grant, which she completed in 2018; an
collection of the renowned Musée des Arthouse UK Residency in 2019; and an
Arts Décoratifs (MAD) in Paris, France. Adobe Creative Residency: Community
The museum has acquired two landmark Fund in 2020. She was also selected to
pieces by the South African designer – her form part of the team that developed
iconic Tutu 2.0 lamp and the eye-catching the Corporate Identity for the V&A
Mjojo cabinet. Waterfront’s new food space, Makers
This is not the first time that Mjo’s Landing.
work has been noticed internationally. Her work has been showcased at the
She showcased her work at the Bonne Manchester Contemporary Art Fair and
Espérance Gallery in central Paris from 19 the FNB Art Fair and has been included
June to 10 August 2019 and her products in 27 exhibitions in just four years. Her
are featured in Nando’s restaurants photography occupies the intersection
across the globe. In 2019, she curated an between art, fashion, design, documentary,
exhibition of her own and other designer photography and spirituality. She
pieces at Milan Design Week. makes work that celebrates, honours
She first rose to fame by jointly and champions black people as a
winning the first-ever Nando’s Hot Young counter-narrative to the negativity and
Designer (HYD) talent search for her problematic representations of black
aforementioned Tutu 2.0, a lamp inspired people and Africa.
by xibelani, the traditional garment worn For more information about the Design
by Tsonga women. The Tutu 2.0 went on Indaba Emerging Creatives, please visit
to win our Design Indaba Most Beautiful dw
Object in South Africa award in 2018. www.designindaba.com

dw • Issue 242 67