Artists We Love: Faatimah Mohamed-Luke

INTERVIEWED BY Cheri Morris

Cape Town-based designer and artist Faatimah Mohamed-Luke recently created a giant piece of wall art called Tesselat: Rectangular, made from ABS building blocks, for A New Wave exhibition at Southern Guild Gallery in Cape Town.

Faatimah is a multifaceted creator that has had a presence in South African fashion, as well as international exhibitions for the past ten years. She is also behind Make Happy lego art and the co-founder of clothing range adam&eve and recently took a break from fashion to focus on art, interior design and working with new materials. We caught up with her to find out what she’s been up to.

What inspired the move from fashion to focus on art and interior design? And in which ways are they rewarding?

As a fashion designer, I love being able to create beautiful, interesting garments for myself that I could not find in retail outlets. My move into interior design has had a similar path. My husband and I bought a new home with great bones but it needed some serious personality. We are both creatives with a love of colour and playful design and we just couldn’t find anything we loved so we started customising furniture; creating one off pieces that reflected our sensibility. The rewards are slightly different though… With fashion, I create garments that I love and send them out into the world hoping people will like them and buy them, whereas with interiors it feels more exciting, almost intoxicating. I’m creating something new and innovative, which is a lot of fun.

How would you describe your artistic process, developing thought into physical?

My current focus is creating wall art made of plastic building blocks, combining shapes and patterns to form recognisable objects, making the only limitation my imagination and that’s pretty exciting. I am always inspired by the ever-changing realm of pop culture. I start sketching a rough idea to make sure my proportions are appropriate and then the building begins. Sometimes I will take an item apart three or four times until it’s exactly what I have envisioned. Once I’m happy, I’ll take a picture of the piece for reference, dismantle it and glue it together.

Your large scale pieces are intricate and striking. What brought on the use of plastic building blocks?

The idea to use plastic building blocks came about during playtime with my three-year-old daughter. She would ask me to build various items with her blocks and I loved the challenge. The pieces became bigger and more intricate and eventually I began making little patterned succulent pots for my home. Suddenly I had requests to make more for friends and family.

How long did it take you to make Tessellat: Rectangular? Do you have a calculated formula for your work or do you make it up as you go along?

Tessellat: Rectangular was created using 14 208 pieces of plastic building blocks and took an entire month to produce. Tessellation is a highly symmetrical, edge-to-edge tiling method that uses a simple shape to create intricate patterns, usually done with porcelain or ceramic cuttings. This piece hopes to recreate that art form in a modern way. I started the piece with a general plan and references of patterns I wanted to incorporate but the piece grew very organically, building five rows at a time. I really enjoy how intricate the pattern can become using the littlest blocks and experimenting with colour theory.

What advice do you have for young aspiring South African artists, designers and creatives trying to make a career out of their work?

We need to work on our creative confidence, first and foremost. I think most creatives undervalue themselves. They look at the work they create so effortlessly and tell themselves, “anyone can do that”, but the truth is not anyone can. We need to push ourselves to be our best selves and find value in what we do. At that point, get help with anything you are not great at – be it financial-wise or a business plan. There are so many companies and government associations ready and waiting to help creative entrepreneurs. For your growth as a creative it is important to collaborate with fellow creatives, and share knowledge and information – there is always something new to learn.

Could you tell me a little more about Make Happy and where these beautiful little pieces are available?

R399, Superbalist.com

R399, Superbalist.com

I really enjoy making the large intricate pieces that are sold at galleries. I truly believe beauty should be shared and art should be for everyone, and I have therefore created smaller affordable pieces under the Make Happy brand. These pieces add a playful touch to the bedroom, living room, office or nursery. The medium itself creates nostalgia and relevance at the same time and is appreciated by all ages and backgrounds. Each piece is hand-made and numbered, giving each customer an original artwork. Make Happy is currently available from Superbalist.com and will be available in PRESENTspace stores and the Make Happy online store in October 2016.

What’s next for you?

I will be creating more large-scale pieces expanding on the theme of tessellation for gallery exhibitions this year, as well as an amazing collaboration with great South African designers in November. Next year, I would like to focus on international art residencies, as well as other design disciplines. I think the only rule right now is to keep doing things that make me happy.