When things feel apocalyptic, it can be hard to look to the future, but Design Indaba encourages us to do just that. And not just look towards it but embrace the potential and imagine how it could, and when it will, be better. It’s been 25 years since Ravi Naidoo founded what is now regarded as the world’s most innovative design festival and what makes the Cape Town event so special is that it has real world outcomes. Things discussed and hypothesised at Design Indaba go on to become glorious realities.

So it was apt that on this Jubilee year it was announced that Naidoo is to be made Minster in the newly created Department of Audacious Projects, which is set to run for the next three years and is aimed at "bringing to life the most insane and outlandish ideas to grow tourism". Conference attendees were invited to submit ideas over the three days to receive a cash prize. Out of over 300 applicants, it was Farayi Kambarami’s concept of a non-denominational place of worship based on the spiritual foundations of Ubuntu that won – a balm of an idea in these divisive times. Now Naidoo is looking to bring it to pass in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site.

Meanwhile through its Clout programme, Nando’s announced the Ravi Naidoo Residency for Emerging Creatives. Each year one member of the class of 50 Emerging Creatives who present their work at Design Indaba will be selected for the residency. This year, it was Mmamotsatsi Masike’s furniture, which takes its cues from weaponry, that won over the panel of judges and will now be supported to travel in order to live, learn and work in a new environment.

London-based designer Paul Cocksedge also unveiled a new project for Cape Town. His fully sustainable bridge, made from Eucalyptus wood, will be built across the Liesbeek River, in collaboration with the festival.

Unsurprisingly in these troubling times, many of this year’s line-up of expert speakers advocated for change, reflecting Naidoo’s personal commitment “to advancing social progress through design activism.” Opening the conference was South African musician Sho Madjozi, who uses her music to spread her pride in being Tsonga. In addition to treating the audience to some of her hits, including ‘John Cena,’ she gave a myth-busting lecture on the history and future of the xibelani. “People always say, ‘Sho Madjozi is so humble [because she wears the xibelani]’, but actually I’m flexing on you pretty hard right now,” she said.

Another homegrown performance came from conceptual art trio Dear Ribane whose mind-bending, trippy show spread their message of afrofuturism. On a similar tip, the indomitable Zimbabwean director Sunu Gonera debuted the spectacular trailer for his first African feature film, Riding With Sugar. Speaking of his love for the continent he said, “One thing I have found in Africa is that it has always been the dumping ground, but I think that’s what makes us unique. You see people take that stuff and turn it into something. What we do well is create beauty from ashes. Sorrow turns to song and despair inspires dance.”

A perfect example of that came from dancer and choreographer Nhlanhla Mahlangu, who treated the audience to a powerful excerpt from his performance piece Chant - a work which attempts to process some of the personal horrors of apartheid.

Nairobi stylist and curator Sunny Dolat, showed some of the work of the Nest Collective, who use art, fashion and film to challenge conservative values in Kenya. He went on to unveil his forthcoming textiles through a touching ritual performance. This polymath also spoke of how, for him, there is nothing shallow about fashion and presenting yourself well. It is spiritual because “to be in the presence of beauty is to be in the presence of god.”

From activism through soft power to more direct messages, graphic artist Patrick Thomas took to the stage. The Liverpool-born, Berlin-based artist’s book of protest stencils sold out on its release in 2011. But it’s his recent project with graphic designer Jonathan Auch, an online platform called Open Collab, which demonstrates not only the importance of working collaboratively on a global scale but is a masterclass in how that work can be done remotely and in real-time. The duo rolled the programme out across in universities in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg – compiling the work into what is effectively a design map of South Africa. Since returning home, the duo has collaborated with locked down artists and designers across Italy.

New Delhi-based communication designer Ananya Khaitan spoke about his work, which deals with India’s social scourges including child abuse. Working with policy makers and social justice organisations, he fights against the knee-jerk reaction calling for the “death penalty for the perpetrator” by demonstrating how that makes victims less likely to come forward, thereby perpetuating the problem. He presented his findings in a bold and easy to digest pamphlet. Receiving a standing ovation, this inspiring young designer highlighted the need for “thoughtful and considered design communication decisions” during a public health crisis.

Fashion designer Bas Timmer gave one of the most moving talks of the conference. Driven by the death of a friend’s father, who had been made homeless, Timmer invented the Sheltersuit – a super cosy coat which transforms into sleeping bag. On stage he announced the development of a new product – the Shelterbag – created to help deal with Cape Town’s rough sleeping issue. Over the course of the conference, over 1,000 Shelterbags were sold – with money pledged from Design Indaba sponsors Woolworths and Mercedes-Benz - as well as those bought by attendees to be distributed among the city’s homeless. As the designer put it, “Great design can make the world a little warmer.”

The role of the artist is more important than ever and it certainly feels like everything would be a whole lot better if Ibrahim Mahama was in charge. The Ghanaian multi-disciplinary artist shared stories of the creation of his monumental colonialist-confronting sculptures an installations, which are reliant on collaboration. Mahama’s work is all the more impressive because it enriches, in a very real sense, his local community, with the artist currently working on a multi-purpose public space that can best be described as a modern-day colosseum.

Fellow Ghanaian Selassie Atadika is also putting her country on the map with her innovative ‘New African Cuisine’. The chef makes use of indigenous grains and climate friendly ingredients to celebrate the power of communal eating. “I started to realise we are losing our culinary culture,” she said. “In 2018 we spent U$1.1 billion on the importation of rice. What would it look like if we put that money into infrastructure to produce better rice and other crops to balance the soil? And that same figure is what’s required to fix the electricity problem in the whole continent. So food has power, what we eat and what we grow has an impact.”

Yosuke Ushigome of Tokyo-founded global design agency Takram demonstrated how data can be used to change lives. He unveiled a programme which shows the environmental impact of your decisions as and when you make them. Seeing the rising water levels in the auditorium certainly made some of use opt for the vegetarian option that evening. While one of the most hotly anticipated presentations was that by political campaigners Led by Donkeys, whose guerrilla tactics held British politicians to account over Brexit.

Elsewhere, Zimbabwean Natsai Audrey Chieza impressed by talking about her company Faber Futures, which sits at the intersection of design and biotechnology. She makes use of bacteria, fungi and algae to develop new, sustainable and crucially, very beautiful textiles which have the capability to upend the fashion industry.

Finally, Austrian duo Honey and Bunny used their Dadaist performance to point out the absurdity of our rules around dining. Food etiquette was a metaphor for our unthinking acceptance of the status quo in design. They implored us to innovate design, and therefore the world: “We could change everything as designers – we could rebrand beauty, redesign objects, rules and conventions. We could change everything if we wanted to.” If there’s anywhere that it feels like that could happen, it’s Design Indaba.

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Published on 24/03/2020