From furry digital paintings of classic artworks and local contemporary art to house plants made from paper, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 354.

1. Murat Yıldırım’s Furry Digital Paintings

Turkish artist Murat Yıldırım recreates famous works of art, from Edvard Munch’s The Scream to Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, giving the pieces a tactile, furry appearance. He recreates the paintings digitally, altering their appearance to look as though they’re made from flowing hair.

Image credit: Murat Yıldırım via designboom.com.

2. PAPERSYNTHESIS

PAPERSYNTHESIS is a paper floral studio established by Singapore-based paper artist Mabel Low. She was inspired to craft plants and flowers from paper after she found herself struggling to keep her houseplants alive.

Image credit: papersynthesis.com

3. Video: Factory Visit: Muuto’s The Dots

In this video, designer ‎Lars Tornøe explains the process behind the creation of his renowned coat hooks for Muuto, known as The Dots. Designed to work as a collection, in different colours and sizes, The Dots are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. The Dots are available locally through Créma.

Video courtesy of Créma

4. Portraits by Driekie van Wyk

Intrigued by the mysteriousness of facial expressions, Cape Town-based contemporary artist Driekie Van Wyk paints striking, colourful portraits using a combination of bold strokes and a pallet knife. Follow @driekieartist on Instagram to see more of her work.

Images courtesy of Driekie van Wyk and Saatchi Gallery

5. KAMERS Blaauwklippen

KAMERS/MAKERS is running their first show of 2020 at Blaauwklippen in Stellenbosch, showcasing 150 local makers and artisans. There will be strict COVID protocols in place. Here are the details:

• The show starts on Friday 23 October 2020 and runs for an extended 10-day period – this is in order to spread the daily crowds out over a longer period.
• Trading hours: Sunday – Thursday from 9am – 3pm; Friday and Saturday from 9am – 6pm
• A cashless system will be in operation.
• Tickets must please be bought online in order to allow the KAMERS team to monitor daily attendance in advance. You will be able to purchase tickets at the gate, but if the show is very busy, online tickets get priority so you may need to wait a few minutes for people to leave before being allowed in.
• Reduced ticket prices: R60 online; R80 at the gate. This includes a KAMERS/Makers shopper bag, plus a Consol water bottle.
• COVID Protocols – no mask, no entry. There will be sanitisers at the main entrance. Numbers in certain marquees will be controlled to ensure adequate distancing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGWz997g7zZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Images and video courtesy of KAMERS

Browse more articles like VISI Picks of the Week Series – Week 354 on picks of the week 139.

The post VISI Picks of the Week Series – Week 354 appeared first on Visi.

Faced with no longer being able to hold its popular artisan market, KAMERS/Makers has had to adapt to the current conditions, opening new pop-up retail spaces filled with locally made goods.

Faced with the choice to either close its doors and negatively impact hundreds of SME artisans or to innovate and reimagine its platform entirely, the KAMERS/Makers team has chosen to open a series of KAMERS/Makers SPACEs across the country.

The first KAMERS/Makers SPACE, launched in Stellenbosch on 22 June and running until 29 August, stocks products created by 70+ Makers, with new products and Makers featured every second week. The second KAMERS/Makers SPACE will open on Monday 27 July next to Exclusive Books at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town and a Johannesburg SPACE is in the final planning stages.

The SPACEs are COVID-19 screened and certified and offer a cashless system with a single central pay-point, while the KAMERS/Makers online store allows buyers to order any of the 9000+ products 24/7 for collection or delivery.

Keep an eye on @kamersvol on Facebook and Instagram to see when and where the next SPACE will pop up. To shop online, visit shop.kamersvol.com.

The post KAMERS/Makers SPACEs appeared first on Visi.

From a local online market and a new Converse sneaker collab with Japanese designer Takahiro Miyashita to reusable coffee cups and a new lighting design from local studio willowlamp, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 324.

1. KAMERS Goes Online

KAMERS will be taking its Cape Town market online this year, allowing you to shop for local products and designs from home. The online market will be running from 26 – 29 March 2020.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B94PI1lA7qB/

Images and styling: Charl du Preez and Nicky Myburgh / @kamersvol on Instagram

2. Converse X TAKAHIROMIYASHITATheSoloist. CX Disrupt

Converse has teamed up with Japanese designer Takahiro Miyashita on a new sneaker, which fuses the designer’s love for Americana and rock. The limited-edition sneaker is made with a state-of-the-art foam phylon midsole and a new stretch canvas designed to move with your foot. The CX Disrupt is available online at converse.co.za and via Shelflife.

Images courtesy of Converse

3. Wanderland Reusable Coffee Cups

Wanderland and Ecoffee Cup have collaborated on a range of four reusable cups featuring patterns created by three South African artists, namely Nicole Levenberg (Aureum), Faatimah Mohamed-Luke and Zinhle Zulu (Zhi Zulu).

Faatimah Mohamed-Luke

Nicole Levenberg (Aureum)

Zinhle Zulu (Zhi Zulu)

Nicole Levenberg (Aureum)

Images courtesy of Wanderland

4. Radial from willowlamp

Local lighting design studio willowlamp has launched the Radial chandelier, a design that stems from the brand’s Lineal light, while simultaneously drawing on the natural world. ‘The Radial refers to the eternal, cyclic ring of life,” says founder and creative director Adam Hoets.

Images courtesy of willowlamp

5. Block & Chisel’s Joburg Showroom

Furniture stalwarts Block & Chisel have opened a showroom in Joburg’s Parkwood. The space offers an engaging shopping experience in an airy barn-like setting, with decor experts ready to assist with home furnishing needs.

Images courtesy of Block & Chisel

Find more like VISI Picks of the week series – week 324 here.

The post VISI Picks of the Week Series – Week 324 appeared first on Visi.

SA’s original artisan ‘up’-market is back with two autumn shows.

KAMERS/Makers was blessed with a record-breaking 2018 – new Makers (more than 30% of the Makers at each show were new to the artisan community), new venues, new cities… and more than 50 000 visitors.

We can be proud that, firstly, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship are thriving in South Africa; and secondly, that so many consumers appreciate the value and magic that a truly unique, locally made artisan product can offer.

This has informed the theme for 2019: Celebrating The Artisan Way.

KAMERS/Makers is giving its largest ever number of new artisan entrepreneurs a boost in 2019, with a much-requested second Johannesburg show. KAMERS/Makers Spring will happen over Spring Week (end August/beginning September).

But first, the show will kick off the year in the heart of Cape Town on Kloof Street, at Jan van Riebeeck High School before returning to Joburg at St David’s Marist Inanda in Sandton.

Your ticket to celebrating the most innovative in homeware, fashion, decor, jewellery, beauty, food, wine and more also includes a limited-edition KAMERS/Makers shopper bag, Consol glass water bottle and a new magazine.

KAMERS/Makers Cape Town runs from 9am – 5pm between 16 and 19 March at Jan van Riebeeck High School, Kloof Street, while KAMERS/Makers Joburg runs from 9am – 5pm between 26 April and 1 May at St David’s Marist Inanda, Sandton.

Tickets cost R60 via plankton.mobi and R90 at the entrance, which includes a limited-edition KAMERS/Makers shopper bag, Consol glass water bottle and magazine. Multi-entry tickets cost R120. Group discounts: Buy three, get one free. Students and pensioners pay R60 and those under the age of 18 enter for free.

For more information, visit kamers.co.za. Shop online at shop.kamersvol.com and follow KAMERS/Makers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date.

The post KAMERS/Makers Autumn 2019 appeared first on Visi.

Designer Shelley Lee has reimagined the tote bag, and it’s a beauty.

The fashion accessory brand Verse is the brainchild of Shelley Lee, a Design Indaba 2018 Emerging Creative. She makes leather bags using patterns cut straight from the hides, which she sources from local tanneries – first scrutinising every hide’s texture, weight and colour. Her process involves saddle-stitching hand-punched holes with blunt needles.

“The Haiku tote from my new collection is a response to having observed people’s concerns around keeping their belongings safe,” she says. “By not being precious about the traditional tote shape, I found that by simply tucking the corners, the bag is made secure.”

The brand name pays homage to Shelley’s openness to adaptation and the versatility of her creations. To add a unique signature, each bag is embossed with a poem or a piece of prose.

Shelley will have a stand at KAMERS/Makers in Stellenbosch and Pretoria this summer.

For more information and to shop online, visit versethelabel.com.

The post Local Label: Verse appeared first on Visi.

The annual KAMERS/Makers market experience, themed the Year Of The Open Hand, will take place from 28 February – 4 March 2018 at St Joseph’s Marist College in Rondebosch, Cape Town.

This year’s event will allow local design enthusiasts to shop items from more than 110 makers, from wine barrel furniture and handmade jewellery to wooden, porcelain and ceramic serving ware and hand-spun scarves.

Gourmet food forms an integral part of the festival, so expect an array of fresh and interesting dishes.

The event’s non-profit initiative Mzansi Makers kicked off last year with five successfully running projects, with another six scheduled and funded for this year.

Tickets are on sale now for R60 via plankton.mobi, otherwise tickets will cost R90 at the entrance. Students and pensioners pay R60, while those under 18 enter for free. Your ticket comes with a limited edition KAMERS/Makers shopper bag and magazine.

For more information, visit kamersvol.com.  

The post Get Ready For KAMERS 2018 In Cape Town appeared first on Visi.

KAMERS/Makers, South Africa’s biggest pop-up retail market, continues to put local talent on the map.

The first pop-up gift market in 2003, then called Kamers vol Geskenke, saw just 40 makers set up in a few kamers of a Stellenbosch house and drew 800 visitors. Today, KAMERS/Makers features more than 600 exhibitors across its four national events, and drew a record-breaking crowd of 12 000 to the Joburg event earlier this year. KAMERS/Makers has helped many artisans to launch their products into the retail market.

The latest initiative, Mzansi Makers, seeks to support and up-skill fledgling creative entrepreneurs. The NGO sources, mentors and showcases talented makers from previously disadvantaged communities, and trains them to make items such as macramé plant hangers and mosaics under the Mzansi Makers label in the hope that they will establish themselves independently.

Five new Mzansi projects will be showcased at the next instalment at Southdowns College in Irene, Pretoria. On 4 December KAMERS/Makers will host a special opening night in aid of the MAD Leadership Foundation from 4pm until 8pm (tickets cost R150), while the market itself will run from 5 – 10 December from 9am until 5pm daily.

Tickets cost R60 on plankton.mobi with available group discounts and R80 at the entrance, which includes a limited edition KAMERS/Makers shopper bag and magazine. Multiple entry tickets available at R120. Students and pensioners pay R60 and those under 18 enter for free.

Browse a selection of products online at shop.kamersvol.com. For more information about the event, visit kamersvol.com.

The post It’s Time For KAMERS/Makers In Pretoria appeared first on Visi.

Here’s a round-up of some of the cool things you can expect to see at SA’s biggest pop-up retail, art and craft event, happening in Johannesburg this weekend.

Started in 2003 as Kamers Vol Geskenke in a house in Stellenbosch, the event has created a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase, sell and engage customers with their work. This year, the Autumn edition of KAMERS/Makers kicks off in Johannesburg from 26 – 30 April at Saint John’s College in Houghton.

In need of some ideas and don’t know where to start? Here are but a few of the talented creatives that will be showcasing their work this year.

• Archibold Solid Woods, Mark Buchanan and Suly Kuhn’s simple, minimalist table collection.

• Artesense – Yvette Mommsen’s handmade macrame products.

• The classic Shauna Neill handmade jewellery A/W collection.

• Quality distilled spirits from Pienaar and Son.

• The stylish and simple jewellery range, Iloni, by designer Madri van Zyl.

Daily tickets cost R60 via plankton.mobi or R80 at the entrance. Multiple entry tickets are available at R120. Student and pensioner tickets cost R60 and under 18’s get in free. Tickets include a KAMERS/Makers shopper bag and magazine. Remember that the event is cashless, for your safety and convenience.

The post What To Look Forward To At KAMERS/Makers appeared first on Visi.

Looking for something cute for your little one? From toys to decor, we’ve rounded up a selection of adorable things you can shop online.

1. Toucan Overnighter R449, Country Road

2. House Shelf R299, H&M

3. Balloon Mobile R280, Flenstend at Collerette

4. Finn Fox R320, Cawi Kids & Co. at Prestwich Collection

5. Bus Coat Hanger R299, DJECO at Collerette

6. Kitty Art (A4) R229, Homie

7. Fox Plushie R140, Squiggle and Squeak

8. Hello Bokkie Wall Decal R300, Hello Dolly Designs

9. Sukie Single Quilt Cover R1 099, Country Road

10. Childhood Felt Storage Basket R699, Childwood at Kids Living

11. Lila & Pupi Nightlight R908, DJECO at Clever Little Monkey

12. “Parsley” Cat Night Light R1 350, Nest

13. Soft Sheep Toy R85, KAMERS

14. Owl Study Lamp R179.99, Mr P Home

The post 14 Cute Things For Kids appeared first on Visi.

More than 100 creatives and foodies have been handpicked for their exceptional craftsmanship to make your KAMERS Cape Town experience unforgettable.

 In this, its 13th year, KAMERS has introduced a number of new initiatives designed to promote entrepreneurship and offer young crafters a supportive platform from which to launch their retail operations. A programme for young entrepreneurs called Incub8, launched in association with ABSA, will see about a dozen hand-picked crafters (under the age of 28 and who’ve been in business for a year or less) given the opportunity to trade at KAMERS large-scale pop-up spaces across the country. They will also be mentored by experts to help them to grow their businesses.

Expect live music from Amy Ayanda, Lucy Kruger, Robin Auld, Odwa Bongo and Paige Mac.

Kamers Cape Town will be held at the castle of Good Hope from the 1^st to the 5^th of June. Tickets cost R50 at plankton.mobi, R70 at the entrance and R100 for a five-day pass, all of which include a KAMERS shopper bag and magazine. Entry is R50 for students and pensioners (including gift bag) with free entry for under 18’s (not including shopping bag and magazine). The event runs from 9am until 5pm (Wednesday to Saturday) and from 9am until 3pm on Sunday.

If you want to come only for the music, food and wine on Friday, tickets will be available for R30 from 16:00-19:00 at the entrance.

The post KAMERS Cape Town: What To Expect appeared first on Visi.