Page 14 - Designing Ways 260
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TRADE WINDS


















                 Sudan, Mayada Adil El Sayed,                                     Benin Louis Houenoude for Salon de
                 White is a colour of movement  Burundi, Margaux Wong arm jewellery  Peinture Grand Popo, Beninese Style
              Design Indaba partners with Google to                            South Africa, Bonolo Chepape, tapestry artwork


                  showcase the continent’s creatives
                        through “Colours of Africa”



                s     Africans, we tell powerful stories   Bensaadi, fashion designer Bisrat Negassi
                 through colour, and today’s   from Eritrea, filmmaker Archange
           Alaunch of “Colours of Africa” by   Kiyindou  “Yamakasi”  from  the  Republic
           Design Indaba in partnership with Google   of Congo and visual artist Ngadi Smart
           Arts & Culture brings this vividly to life.   from Sierra Leone.
           The unique online project showcases 60   The first artistic undertaking of this
           specially curated artworks produced by   scale, the project enables viewers to
           over 60 African creatives, each invited to   discover the stories of Africa as told by the
           contribute a work that captures the colour   African creative community. The artworks
           and character of their home country.  are showcased online, where users are
             “Africa is known for its bold,   invited to spin a kaleidoscope to explore
           unapologetic use of colour. Each country,   the works in a virtual journey through the
           city and community is identifiable by   palette of Africa, viewing each country
           its unique palette,” says Design Indaba’s   through the eyes of a local artist. “This
           founder Ravi Naidoo, who selected the   project tells a story of a continent through
           featured creatives from a wide range of   a universally accessible lens,” says Naidoo.
           disciplines, from architecture, illustration,   To bring the project to life, Design
           painting and ceramics through to writing,   Indaba enlisted former Design Indaba   Nothing of this kind has been done before,
           engineering, the performing arts and   conference speaker Noel Pretorius and   says Naidoo. “We’re very excited to break
           visual communications. Their creations   his creative partner, Elin Sjöberg, who   new ground. This is an important artistic
           have been converted into images, videos,   collaborated with Google Arts & Culture   catalogue, the first of its kind to plot the
           texts and illustrations, showcasing the   Lab to create the design concept and   expanse of African artistry on Google Arts
           best of African craft, product, industrial   interface for the digital exhibition. The   & Culture. We salute Google for taking this
           design, fashion, film, animation, graphic,   kaleidoscopic navigation tool can be used   important step to provide the world with a
           food,  music,  jewellery and  architecture.   to explore the art in a randomised way,   resource like this – not everyone can afford
           The  multidisciplinary  mix  of artists   giving  the  visitor  a  unique  experience   to travel here, or access physical art fairs and
           includes Algerian photographer Ramzy   while allowing the art itself to shine.  museums to view this kind of work.”


                       Ghana, Kobby Toons   Mauritius, vincent montocchio, yellow camouflage  Zambia, Aaron Mulenga, The Afronauts


















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