Trevor Paul – Tokoloshe and the children
Independent illustration representation service Alexander’s Band was invited to show an exhibition of South African illustration at the Design Indaba Expo this year. The result, Paper Planes, was a showcase of over 40 artworks and was one of our highlights. All the prints on show were on sale and a printer set up alongside the showcase made sure every buyer received their print there and then. Alexander’s Band founder, and exhibition curator, Emma Cook let us know that the printer ran non-stop from Thursday to Sunday. They sold just over 300 prints and close to 500 postcard versions of the works.
In a pre-Indaba interview Emma let us know about the theme for the show, “Paper Planes is themed around some of our favourite local myths, legends and creatures. Storytelling is an integral part of any kind of illustration, be it commercial or publishing. We invited 44 illustrators who have each illustrated one of 22 stories. We’ll be displaying images inspired by the same story side by side, not as a means of comparing talent (’cause you just can’t compare some of these pieces, they’re all so great) but rather as a vehicle to help educate the public at the expo about how different illustrators can be and show how different artists can approach identical source material. So it’s gorgeous work being displayed, but with a little bit of education thrown into the mix.”
The brief to the artists was fairly open and each participant could choose which Southern African myth or folk tale they wanted to portray. Emma says, “We got some surprises out of this approach. Some illustrators with vastly different approaches selected the same stories, while some with similar aesthetics chose the same story. And each has ended up complementing the other really nicely. I suppose it helps when you’re working with some awesomely talented and lovely people.”
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Skraal – Antjie Somers
Kirsten Sims – The Enchanted Forest
Sonia Dearling – Nonqawuse
Ian Jepson – The Spectral Hitchhiker
Nina Torr – How the Animals Chose a King
Llewellyn van Eeden – Nonqawuse
Fort Rixon – Racheltjie de Beer
Muti – How the Hole Was Made in the Assvoegelberg
Amber Smith – Umuveli and the Bird
Justin Southey – King Lion’s Presents
Hanno van Zyl – The Spectral Hitchhiker
Greg Darroll – Van Hunks
Maria Lebedeva – Hare’s Harelip
Justin Poulter – Lion’s Wife
Bruce Mackay – Umuveli and the Bird
Chris Valentine – How the Birds Chose a King
Rikus Ferreira – Tokoloshe and the Children
Maaike Bakker – The Great Thirst
Toby Newsome – The Enchanted Forest
Lorraine Alvarez – The Tug of War
Russel Abrahams – Savuri and the Rainbull
Daniel du Plessis – The Rain Queen
Dani Loureiro – Savuri and the Rain Bull
Adrie le Roux – Jakkals Trou Met Wolf se Vrou
Willeen le Roux – Wolf Jackal and the Barrel of Butter
Anja Venter – Aintjie Somers
Linsey Levendall – Racheltjie de Beer
Khaya Mtshali – Wolf Jackal and the Barrel of Butter
Jade Klara – Die Keks van Hex Rivier
Jesse Breytenbach – Die Heks van Hex Rivier
Hylton Warburton – The Flying Dutchman
Jono Garrett – Jakkal Trou Met Wolf Se Vrou
Rudi de Wet – The Flying Dutchman
Pearly Yon – The Great Thirst
Radio – How the Hole Was Made in the Assvoegelberg
Katlego Phatlane – How the Animals Chose a King
Marlize Eckard – The Tug of War
Rayaan Cassiem – Hare’s Harelip
Nicolas Rix – Van Hunks
Meike van der Merwe – King Lion’s Presents
Shaun Swainland – The Rain Queen
Sibusiso Fanti – Lion’s Wife
Adam Hill – How the Birds Chose a King
