JHB North - April 24

Art as a statement
Multimedia artist and designer Raelee Seymour-Brown
says that studying art history and visual culture as part
of her journalism degree at Rhodes University made “the
world expand right before my eyes…I decided I never
wanted to stop learning about this”. Curation builds on
the delight this world presented, because it is the perfect
blend of all her favorite things: “writing, art, history,
research, thinking and creating all in one!”
Her style, she says, is hugely maximalist- an aesthetic that
permeates into every area of her life, from her home to
the way she dresses, her multimedia design work and
the way she thinks. “Of course, that heavily informs my
curation practice,” she says. Her interest in pop culture
is another significant influence, because pop culture is
the lens through which she views the world. “I like to use
dark humour and playfulness to critique or celebrate
the contradictions that arise out of the often obsessive,
hyper-consumerist ideals that pop culture reflects
back to us. That’s what I love about it: it’s always been
considered low art, but I believe it acts as one of the
clearest mirrors of the contemporary values of modern
society and culture – what we find important, and most
critically, why we seem to find these things important.”
Art as legacy
Art has been a part of Tlotlo Lebelo’s life as far back as
he can remember, from childhood afternoons spent at
his community arts centre to his studies in visual arts
at school. He shifted his interest to glass blowing while
working towards his degree in fine and applied arts, and
then again when he moved into his current role as a
manager of art collections - a position which sees him
taking care of historical and contemporary artefacts.
As a ‘cultural worker, Tlotlo’s interest now falls on
preserving those artefacts. “We need to be aware that the
past has a way of returning, and we can’t move forward
without acknowledging that past,” he says.
He embraces the evolution the art world is currently
undergoing, especially since Pan African art is garnering
more attention – attention which is long overdue.
“Africa is rich in subject matter, and it’s great to see
many auction houses accepting consignments from
our continent as more overseas collectors show interest
in our stories. As curators, we have a role to play in
articulating that narrative – it’s a language that’s growing.”
Tlotlo is especially excited to be able to nurture his skills
and develop his network through his relationship with
Latitudes. He plans to help move the spotlight onto living
artists, so that they, too can be studied and their stories
documented for posterity.
April 24 Get It Magazine 13