As his star rises ever higher, we ask boundary-breaking artist Serge Alain Nitegeka about letting go of expectations, embracing the process, and celebrating the duality of making.
The late cultural theorist Stuart Hall described racial identities as ‘floating signifiers’. ‘Not,’ he wrote, ‘because of what they contain in their essence, but in the shifting relationships they establish with other concepts.’ When I first went to see Serge Alain Nitegeka’s work in Grahamstown in 2011, this idea seemed to ring true, and to resonate with his work. Rather than an attempt by an artist to paint a singular, essentialised immigrant reality, Nitegeka’s art practice seems to reflect a finely tuned balance between telling his own true story and leaving just enough open space for interpretation and a personal connection.
Born in 1983 in Burundi, Nitegeka was forced to leave his home country because of political unrest. Passing through several East African nations en route, he finally settled in Johannesburg, where he has lived, worked and thrived since 2003. And while his experience has not been easy, his story should never elicit the sort of ‘Oh shame…’ response that immigrant stories are so often met with. Instead of engineering all his artistry and talent around this one, long journey to South Africa,
Denne historien er fra January/February 2019-utgaven av House and Leisure.
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Denne historien er fra January/February 2019-utgaven av House and Leisure.
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At The Breakfast Table With Jonty Rhodes And Family
Recently renovated, the historic Cape Town home of Jonty and Melanie Rhodes is an adaptable base for an active, clean-eating clan of six
LUNCH IN THE GARDEN with siblings Bronwyn and Jonathan Cane
Alfresco gatherings are the order of the day at this updated century-old semi – the home of a design-centric sister and brother in Brixton, Joburg
IN THE KITCHEN with Karen Dudley and family
For Karen Dudley, food informs the family dynamic and her home is as multilayered and as delicious a delight as her colourful personality and cooking style
THE TRADITIONAL KITCHEN
The perfect piece to pull together a country-style kitchen is a beautiful wooden table that will age with time and hold its place in the memories made around it.
IN THE FRAME
'The history of architecture is the history of the struggle for light.’
DRINKS AT THE TABLE with David Cope and Donné Bullivant
A dream kitchen renovation meant wine lovers Dave Cope and Donné Bullivant could finally settle down in their wondrously moody City Bowl apartment
THE MODULAR KITCHEN
DECOR TIP Modular elements like these USM Haller systems are a great way to create interesting, non-permanent storage that can be customised to your needs.
SUPPER IN THE BARN with the Thatenhorst family
Munich-based interior designer Stephanie Thatenhorst transformed the barn at her parents’ farm in Bavaria into an eclectic family retreat
BREAKING BREAD
The pendulum has swung back for this nutritious, crusty staple of flour, yeast, water and time – the much-beloved artisanal loaf
SNACKS ON THE TERRACE with sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis
The traditional Cycladic home of dynamic sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis on the island of Serifos is a reminder of what it means to be a part of a close-knit family
