I am drawn to the African aesthetic,
whether in architecture,
contemporary art and craft,
interior design,
or fashion.
I am stirred by the colours,
the organic textures, shapes and patterns,
the earthiness
and the African Make-Do perspective.
"Africa is great at improvisation, at making
something astonishing from
whatever is at hand.
It does not need expensive materials.
Africa has a genius for recycling.
It has taught me to discard nothing
as I can find a use for it later.
"African Make-Do" is the name
I have given this aesthetic." - Andrew Verster, Artist
"It's the startling use of colour that
we get so right. You see fearless
combinations because there are no rules,
even though we do have cultural traditions.
Sometimes the beauty of African colour can make
you uncomfortable - and yet stimulated."
- Karen Roos, Editor, Elle Decoration South Africa
"It inspires with its colors.
The tones may be subtle,
as if bleached
by the intense heat, or the colours
supersaturated like an explosion
of wild flowers in twilight.
The real beauty is how these colours go together...."
- Quotations from the book Africanismo
Kuba Shoulder Bag. See more bags using African textiles here.
Kuba textiles add an exciting element to interior design. I particularly like the muted Kuba (Tcaka) upholstery and the shoowa cushion above.