06 Mar Southern African Mythology and Folklore in Over 40 Illustrated Posters for Paper Planes

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.”

 

www.alexandersband.com
www.designindaba.com

 

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