March Obsessions
What I'm into right now... (mostly South Africa!)
What I’ve been loving…
(1) South Africa, specifically Plett and Cape Town
I went on a trip to see my dear friends Ruby and Sam with Zarina and Rara. We hiked, we swam, we grilled. Absolutely epic.
These shrimps straight from the nearby ocean. To die for.
Spectacular…
(2) The Steven Cohen show at the Iziko South African Museum
Rarely have I been so uncomfortable with an artist’s work. Cohen knows how to disturb, push buttons, a true provocateur, even in the age of the internet, his artistic choices give me great pause and make me reflect on the role of the artist. I winced and grimaced and was left with many questions.
When provoking, what responsibility does the artist have towards their unconsenting audience?
The infamous performance Chandelier from 2001 takes place in an informal settlement on the outskirts of Johannesburg. The settlement, where disenfranchised people lived, is being actively dismantled by state officials wearing red jumpsuits (Red Ants). Steven arrives in a tutu made out of a chandelier, barely-dressed.
The spectres of apartheid, of white privilege, of class haunt the piece, and perhaps make it so much more salient. Steven boldly presents his queerness in an era where such an identity was still shocking but simultaneously taunts, agitates and provokes the nearby Black populations who are literally being unhoused. The whole thing is deeply unsettling. Though, I am happy art exists to make us have these terribly difficult conversations.
Also. Across the museum, some works were covered by a black tarp because the museum administration decided not to show the works anymore because of their offensive nature. Instead of removing the works entirely, they merely draped them… which meant that I could, when the guards weren’t looking, peek under to see! I had never before encountered such a display of censorship in an arts institution before. (I would assume that the works would just be removed entirely instead of the dramatic black veil).
Recommend.
(3) The house of Beezy Bailey
Sometimes you step into a home and realize that every inch of it is the expression of the person who lives there. Hand-painted tiles in the kitchen. Even the fridge is painted. The ceilings. Every detail the result of an intentional decision.
(4) The Mount Nelson Hotel
For geopolitical reasons, I had to stay an extra day in Cape Town. I decided to stay at the Mount Nelson. I got a facial. Went to the spa. Cold plunge. Sauna. The staff is the nicest. Service is impeccable. I highly recommend.
(5) Overkill by Lamb
yearner anthem, on repeat