Victorian Theatre Programme

(Above) A Victorian theatre programme (cover) for 'Sweet Nancy' at the Royalty Theatre
"every evening at 9 o'clock punctually",  gate-folded DL printed on card.
(click image to enlarge)

(Above) Inside Spread
(click image to enlarge)

(Above) Detail: El-Ancor dinner claret advertisement

(Above) Detail: Aspinall's Enamel advertisment

(Above) Detail: Dr Duncan's advertisment

And just in case, you were wondering what mouilla soap is, 

the following comes from "The Nursing Record & Hospital World", Oct 6, 1897

(courtesy of rcnarchive.rcn.org.uk/data/.../page295-volume19-09thoctober1897.pdf)

Aah, symmetry.

Above: a Japanese bowl. Wooden base, bamboo lattice.


Rhythm.
Pattern.
Geometry.
More space than matter...

Some objects elegantly access the essence of what we call beautiful.

Voortrekker Kitsch

Found in my archives, I originally spotted this item at a local market. The border, main lettering and outlines are a glittery silver - like crushed tinfoil just below the glass. It may well be a glass painting actually, created by painting in reverse directly on the back of the glass.

The building featured is the Voortrekker Monument, a solid (and stolid) symbol of the Great Trek undertaken by early white 'Afrikaner' settlers. The flags are those of the early Afrikaner republics. The wording "Op die pad van SA ~ die bou van 'n nasie" means "On the road of South Africa ~ the building of a nation".

For non-South Africans, this is culturally like Confederate imagery. I have a few pieces of Trek kitsch in my home and was tempted to buy this one because its so distinct, exemplary in a way. Laden with nationalist symbols, its cultural and visual weight seemed just too heavy though. I guess that's cultural baggage.

Even without any explanation of language, culture, origins, I believe you would have a clear sense of the kind of message this imagery conveys. Flags, a monument, flaming torches. This is what nationalism thrives on, be it Soviet, American, Chinese or South African.

Ratatouille End Titles - Retro Design (Ratro design?)

Pixar pays homage to illustration of another era with this retro end credit sequence.

Early 60's Record Cover Designs

above: Los 3 De Santa Cruz, Piel Canela (circa 1960)

Above: (45') The Di Mara Sisters - Cha Cha!! Mambo!! Samba!!

This sleeve design is so basic you can practically feel the designer cutting out the photo and crumpling paper for the background effect... which is probably exactly what he/she did.


Above: (45') O Simeli - Saint Jean de Luz (circa 1960)

These 3 record sleeves are examples of design for 2 & 3 colour printing, which was a cheaper printing solution till very recently.

I haven't heard O Simeli yet to discern any reason for the naive illustration style. Is it sung by children, for example? Or perhaps the artist felt it expressed the simple joy of nature.

The O Simeli cover shows the deliberate use of off-register colour, which became distinctive of much mid-century graphic design, though in this example also naively handled.
Is this an early example of a style not yet clearly defined? (I think so.)
Or rather a loose approximation of something already being done with more assertive style elsewhere? I'm curious to know and the style deserves more and clearer examples so I'll be sure to find and post some.

Off-register colour is a technique I remember fondly since I was a kid (early 1970's), synonymous with cartoons at the drive-in, the Flintstones and Pink Panther, stylised title and credit sequences, all accompanied by grroovy music.
Aah, the drive-in.

Herb Alpert Album Cover Art 1963

Esther at Stax o Wax and I disagree about the merits of this 1963 album cover art - graphic, 2D and striking while surprisingly whimsical with its procession of little figures, I love it.

Japanese License Plates

Curious to know the era of these license plates, I'd love to hear if you have a clue. Each plate is 15cm long (about 6 inches). They'd look right at home in anything by Studio Ghibli.

Old's Cool

Staying with things vehicular, this Chevrolet Apache is still hauling loads in style in Cape Town and beyond.

And following on behind (forgive the pun), this cute caravan, glimpsed in the Tankwa Karoo. I use the word 'cute' in an entirely positive sense. I can easily imagine the owners having great affection for their holiday on wheels. The only thing its lacking is an old Mercedes to lead the way.

Toyota MasterAce Surf

Ah, what a vehicle! The Toyota MasterAce Surf in its natural habitat - on the road.

This 1987 four wheel drive (yes, you heard right, 4WD) was first driven in Nagano, Japan before making its way to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania by way of Dubai. From Tanzania it drove through Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia to reach its possibly final home, South Africa. When it arrived, it was still wearing snow-tyres from Nagano.

Affectionately known as Deepak, in honour of its previous Tanzanian owner, this vehicle features 6 skylights (4 that open) and revolving, foldable interior seats for multiple configurations of lounging, chilling, chatting, touring or sleeping under the stars. What a gem!

The orange and brown side decals are classic and interestingly, the letters 4WD have been designed to mimic the silhouette of the vehicle itself ~ class.
(This is clearer from the opposite side of the vehicle but if you look closer you'll get the idea :-)

And now back to our regular broadcast...

(Gosh, I thought it'd been about 3 weeks since my last post on Bollemakiesie and see its more like 6, so this post is for me to get back in the saddle, instead of under it.)

Along the way, both on this blog and off, the question comes to me: what is Bollemakiesie?
For anyone curious, it literally means something like 'somersault' or 'head over heels'. It suggests joy and exuberance. Most days and certainly every week, I see something around me in Cape Town or from the world at large that makes me go wow, I'm glad that exists, I'm grateful to see that.

Some of the blogs I love contain slews of beautiful images and few to no words. And yet not all the things I respond to and am delighted about exist as images. So I expect there will be more words on Bollemakiesie from time to time. And down the line, I hope more music and sound too.
A picture may be worth a thousand words but for music there are no words.

Bollemakiesie is a uniquely South African expression as far as I know, though likely has a Dutch root. In response to being daunted by the scope and quality of the blogs I enjoy, I wonder: what can I share with you that will be worthwhile and make you want to 'bollemakiesie' too? I suspect it'll reflect more South African and African character. But not exlusively. There's too much wonderful stuff in the world to shut any out on account of its origin.

And beyond that, as this is an exploration, it will reflect a unique set of curiosities and interests. Perhaps they overlap here and there, or a lot, with your own.

Embedded in my psyche, from somewhere, is an appreciation of the charm and worth of old things. Not just for being old. But for being beautifully designed, and made to last. Or hilariously specific to their time, now vivid as oddities and reminders of change. Some beauty is simple, some intricate. Some is decayed and other fresh.

Great new design and art doesn't spring fully formed out of nowhere. No matter how radical, it is shaped and informed by what came before. Or by the inherent nature of things, which goes deep and way back. In a way then, the key is to see the timeless.

Recently, at a little bookseller on St George's Mall I found a slim navy blue book ~ Stray Birds by Rabindranath Tagore ~ printed in 1933, first published in 1917. The cover is used, almost burnished, but undamaged, lettered in gold. It has presence. One edge of all the pages is rough, the pages themselves textured with wide spaced phrases of timeless poetry . This chair, this table, this book, this tree, they are not done. They become more rare by continuing to exist as things disappear.

Very often what is 'new' is being sold or promoted to us. The flipside of this is apparent at any good flea market or second-hand store where amazing things go cheap. Living only in the new can result in everyone looking very similar and living in catalogue home interiors - the peril of the popular. Stretching the scope of your appreciation back a few years or decades expands the kaleidoscope for expressing your individuality. There is mystique in old things that suggests a different movie. Its fun.

I live in an old house, standing here more than a century. The walls are thick and my study window is set back under a porch. I seldom to never need to heat or artificially cool the space. Sun shines in during winter. And in summer, the interior is in deep shade. So when I look to build a house, I will learn from this one.

I'm excited and exhilarated by new architecture and technology but one of the 'greenest' easiest actions I take is to buy less new stuff. Ironically, much that is old is as under-appreciated as it is irreplaceable. My floors are wide planks of honey golden oregon pine.

South African Art - recycled materials

South African artist, Simon Max Bannister has created a series of striking artworks from plastic waste, drawing attention to plastic in the oceans . The moody beasts below are two of my favorites. Explore here for more.




Simon's work will be exhibited at the Two Oceans Aquarium Cape Town from October 2010 to January 2011. Also on the Plastic Max Artworks site are examples of Simon's lightworks, evocative of swirling kelp and underwater depths. Paradoxically, made of a substance foreign to the nature of the sea.

Design: Nick Sherman

(above) Vintage-style flyer design by Nick Sherman (copyright). (Click image to enlarge)

Definitely have a closer look at Nick Sherman's design gallery here. He includes fascinating images of his inspiration, studies, draft designs and style references.

Typeface - great characters, both wooden and human.

This downbeat 'trailer' (6 minutes) explores a vintage art: letterpress printing with movable wooden type. I want to see this movie. I like it already. I want to touch those big letters and see the bright ink come up on the page. Technology is useful but old school rules.



The title sequence/trailer below is also definitely worth a squizz.




Below, inspiring typographic design associated with the film, Typeface.
All proceeds from the sale of the limited edition prints featured below will go towards completion and distribution funds for Typeface.

(above) Typeface Print by David Ichiyama.

(above) Typeface Print by Dennis Ichiyama.
More by Dennis Ichiyama here.

(above) Print by Nick Sherman.
More Nick Sherman.

(above) Print by Stacey Stern.

All the above prints and others are available here.

Radio Gaga

(above) DeWALD American Art Deco Radio, circa 1938. More here.

I couldn't resist sharing this amazing looking radio from Ric and Iza Emmett at Modernism Gallery.

1930's Wallpaper Design

(Above) A French Art Deco colour woodcut of a wallpaper design from the 1930’s by Raoul Dufy (1877-1953), depicting 'sailors with their ladies amid exotic foliage'. Click image for a closer look and here for more.
(Above) 1930's French Art Deco colour woodcut of a wallpaper design by Jules Leleu (1883-1961). Click image to enlarge or here for more 1930's deco at Modernism Gallery.

1930's Poster Design

(Above) 1936-38 "Keep Your Teeth Clean"

The WPA (Works Progress Administration) published this poster between 1936 and 1938 as part of a public health program to promote oral hygiene.

See more and available here.

(Above) 1936-38 "See America"

Designed by Jerome Roth in 1937 for the United States Travel Bureau, promoting travel to Montana. See more here.

Lovers' Luau - Les Paul and Mary Ford (1959)

Despite a patch of damage, there's plenty I love about this record cover: its amber hue, lurid splashes of colour, great textiles & anthropological feel.

For the full luau, visit Esther at Stax o' Wax. I'm listening, swaying & smiling right now.

Julia Anastasopoulos - Cape Town Mural

(above) Detail: Cape Town Civic Centre IRT Station Mural by Julia Anastasopoulos, 2010 (click to enlarge)

Cape Town artist, Julia Anastasopoulos recently completed installation of a massive, finely detailed mural at the Civic Centre Station of the new IRT (Integrated Rapid Transit). If you're near, have a good look. Meanwhile, these images will give you an idea. Its packed with Cape Town character and landmarks, with a sense of innocence, warmth and wonder. Explore and enjoy.

Currently, there are few images of this piece online so I've erred towards more here, including some of my snaps in situ for a sense of scale. The huge whimsical cityscapes extend for many metres inside and outside the station.

I took the opportunity to ask her a few questions about her art.

Bollemakiesie: What’s an artist?

Julia: Someone who gets to use their imagination for a living. Someone inspired and who inspires.

What are you?

I’m a bit of a creative balancing act, but I guess an artist would cover it. I’m very lucky.

What do you tell people you do?

I dread the question and generally mumble something about being either an artist or a designer, in fear of being perceived as pretentious. Isn’t it funny how we do that? Then I kick myself and wish I had said, “I’m an artist!” with a flourish and a twirl, without thinking twice.

How did/do you develop your skills/style?

I’ve been drawing these funny little characters for as long as I can remember. I found some drawings that I drew when I was about 8 and you would recognize them as mine. From there it has just developed in time on its own, I draw on everything, all the time. Hand me that fine liner.

What inspires you?

Beautiful children’s books, people, architecture, Raymond Peynet and Saul Steinberg.

How would you describe your work to someone who’s blind?

Fantastical, intricate, playful line drawings that you can get lost in.

What do you do a lot that you don’t normally mention to people?

I secretly eat those really processed white cheesy bread rolls from Woolies.

What do you recommend as creative juice?

A day at a bookshop or the Milnerton market.

How long did the mural at the station take you?

It took approximately three months from inception to completion. The illustrations took a few weeks, even though they were made on a smaller scale.

How did you approach it?

With much anxiety! But I had a really amazing team who I wouldn’t have managed without. There was a lot of photographic research, mapping and brainstorming. And google earthing, believe it or not. It’s a brilliant reference tool.

(above) Section of Interior Panel

(above) Exterior Panel: Future. (Click to enlarge)

(above) Detail: Bo-Kaap

What was the brief?

To create an artwork for the large double-sided walls under the Civic Centre bridge. The nature of the wall surfaces needed to be taken into consideration as well as the location’s particular history and context. I made four representations of a Cape Town cityscape; “looking forward and looking back in space and time” was my concept.

What ways do you express your creativity

In whatever ways I can, I’m constantly re-arranging furniture, making things out of found objects. I draw little comics and make stop frame flash animations. I am also a performer.

How do people find out about you?

You can contact me at Julia.knolc@gmail.com, or visit www.knolc.withtank.com

Where are you going?

To Paris! At the end of the month. I can’t wait.

What do you want to be doing next year?

I want to develop a range of mural wallpaper, and open up a shop. I also want to complete the children’s story I’ve started. I don’t think it will have any words, only pictures.

What would you love to do that you’ve never done yet?

Ride in a hot air balloon.

Have you got a dream?

I would love to design and build a house.

(For more of Julia's art, see knolc link at right or here.)

Time out

Completing an intensive phase of work & creativity created a great sense of relief and release today. And gratitude at the opportunity to catch up on some sleep! Later, while driving a route I seldom take at a time I usually avoid (rush hour), I saw a township football team training in the patch of space between highways, running up a green slope in multicoloured shirts. Children noodling on an unkempt verge by pastel coloured houses. Men and women walking home with an easy sense of lightness in their pace, not the urgency of morning. And Table Mountain in the rearview mirror. (I have great big scenic side mirrors on my van, its previous owner warned me against getting too distracted by them.) And all under a rosy golden sky... should be the name of a country music artist. Anyway, it affirmed a sense of love for a place that is a privilege and an opportunity to feel.

So if you want to feel something good my suggestions include:
Throw yourself wholeheartedly into accomplishing or completing something, the relief when you are done can be its own reward.
Be open to going somewhere you don't usually go or at a time you don't usually go there, and see what's happening. What are people doing? What do you see?
My observation (not groundbreaking I confess) is that near sunset is a good time to go anywhere. Softening light. Visible change. Glowing colour.
And notice what's around you. We spend a lot of time in our heads, in memory of the past and projection or anticipation of the future. Come back to earth sometimes and soak in the pleasing freedom between.

Media & the frontiers of Evil

You gotta laugh. Well, I did.

A change of flight today saw me hangin' out in Cape Town Airport for a while when this electronic rallying cry popped up on large screens, among fashion ads of footballers in their underwear and robots chasing cars (unrelated I assume).


"The frontiers of Evil"?
Evil with a capital letter, no less.
What are the frontiers of evil? (Sorry, just can't have a sensible conversation with that capital letter in there) ...and what lies beyond them?
Would that be worse than evil? Or more like the land of Evil?
And what do they do there? Would we like it? It almost makes me curious to visit or explore. Become King of the Wild Frontier.

GaBon Voyage

I'm off on a visit to Gabon at short notice which is enough to make me bollemakiesie. Apart from hopefully ogling some rainforest, I'll be keeping an eye out for signage and interesting things to share with you here. I have some lovely pics and words from Julia Anastasopoulos and will post them on my return - i promise :-)

60's / 70's Design - Sounds Wild

(above) 60's / 70's Album Cover, Sounds Wild.
So grrroovy. Hands in the air everybody. Havin' a good time.

(above) From Inside Spread: Zow!


(above) Back Cover.
Everybody jumping. Frolicking. Gotta love it.

Street Art - Faith47 - bread & land

Just saw this new artwork on Albert Rd today and synchronously see it on Faith's great art blog.
Since the City of Cape Town passed a bylaw making graffiti illegal (and making building owners liable), there seems to be more street art then ever. With beautiful and powerful pieces like this punctuating the city, bring it on.

Typography - Music Video - Eggs & Sausage

Eggs and Sausage from Jackie Lay on Vimeo.

Song by Tom Waits. Design, photography and lettering by Jackie Lay.

City signs and slow sounds. So smooth...
Some images below.