057: Writing Artists & Gift Guides

HELLO FRIENDS 🍂

Today marks the last day of Frieze London. For those keen enough, exemplary highlights from the week included legendary works by artists Barkley Hendricks and Esther Mahlangu amongst others. Staying in the artistic realm, last week, we had the privilege of attending a talk between scholar Dr. Kellie Jones and artists Julie Mehretu and Glenn Ligon on the occasion of his new book Glenn Ligon: Distinguishing Piss from Rain: Writings and Interviews (which you may remember we shared back in February).

The notion of visual artists-as-writers is interesting enough, but even more fascinating is to hear two artists discuss their writing process in relation to each other’s work. Add to that, a scintillating performative reading by Helga Davis — what an evening to behold — scroll down to learn more.

As always, please reach us at [email protected] with any tips or questions.

DISPATCH 057 —

This week, we’re exploring Bawe Island thanks to Thebe Magugu, expanding our skincare portfolio, and taking notes for holiday shopping season. Plus: a Cape Town pop-up and Lewis Hamilton for Dior. But first, listening to visual artists who write…

WRITING ARTISTS

In enthusiasm, please see an excerpt from the powerhouse conversation between Glenn Ligon and Julie Mehretu held at The Grand Hall at Cooper Union School of Art.

ON MEDIUM AS LIBERATION

Glenn Ligon: [My] work was so based in literature. Texts like Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison were so key to me. That theme has run through the work since the beginning…through 30 years of production of artworks using texts from various authors and cultural figures. It's been an ongoing theme, but it takes different trajectories depending on what the pieces are. It is a through line.

In some ways, it is my way of getting to abstraction…because very early on, I realized that in some ways, text is a kind of figuration for me. That ‘visibility-invisibility’ was not only about the visibility or disappearance or transformation of a text, but also about the body and its appearance and disappearance.

Julie Mehretu: For me at the beginning, I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew that I wanted to somehow hide in the language at the same time. It was coming from this place of how does one deal with these ideas of representation without actually having to do that.

There being this kind of complexity and contradictions in so many forms of thought, the insistence was on making and trying to make in a way that was responding to the world and myself and my position. It wasn't until later that that form of working within and playing with occlusion and playing with that language of abstraction, that I realized that it could afford this space for liberation fundamentally or this place of free space of invention.

ON CREATING SPACE

Glenn Ligon: David Hammons is a touchstone for me and one of the first things I ever wrote in the book is about David Hammons, thinking about his piece Concerto in Black and Blue, which was an installation here in New York City in 2002. It was a huge gallery in lower Manhattan — completely dark, you walk through it. At the entrance, you were given these little blue flashlights, like things you used to get at the circus. I remember these little flashlights.

You're walking through the space and it's like 30,000 square feet all dark and there's nothing there…except for you walking around with your little blue flashlights. It’s like ‘Oh we went looking for the art, but we were the art.’ David basically created this black space…black and blue space…Concerto in Black and Blue for people to interact in. People kept looking for David Hammons’ pieces, but not realizing that we were David Hammons’ pieces. That kind of register of black space was something I was interested in — what it means to create black space and what its definition might be.

The excerpt has been edited for clarity. Thankfully, you can now watch the rest of this talk on Youtube and buy the book here.

TEASING HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

The holiday shopping season is fast approaching. Consider this a glimpse into color-coordinated considerations before they inevitably sell out. First up, perennial favorite Estelle Colored Glass, whose stemware comes in the prettiest array of pastel shades, makes the perfect addition to any growing collection. In need of a calming and soothing nighttime routine, look no further than Linoto all-natural soap infused with charcoal and patchouli. Only Made builds graceful anticipation for its regular jewelry drops, including this new Wave Cuff launched last month featuring two fluid bands mimicking the flow of ocean waves. Last, but not least, for an informal option, Nicholas Daley begets multitudes, including this t-shirt.

ON OUR RADAR

South African designer Thebe Magugu continues to push the boundaries with his work, now available to shop at SoLA on Bawe Island. (Link)

Fellow South African and 2020 LVMH Prize Finalist Sindiso Khumalo will host a pop-up shop at Merchants on Long in Cape Town starting October 23 through November 2. (Inbox)

Personal care brand MELYON expands its portfolio with a calming and soothing gel cleanser in collaboration with LeyGlow, Figue Sacree, a rich and gentle exfoliating scrub with willow bark, birch, and olive, and Odysee D’Afrique, a new body wash, featuring notes of blackcurrant, vetiver, and iris. (Link)

Lewis Hamilton did a thing with Dior and the capsule collection is now out in stores. Congratulations to the team and one of our fave stylists Eric McNeal for his inimitable influence. (Link)

Save the Date! Lagos Fashion Week will close out a month of back-to-back fashion starting October 23. (Link)