Cape Town-based architect and artist Renée Rossouw's bold graphics aim to represent “the new South African aesthetic”. Similar shapes of the same graphic language will be seen on a ceramic range to debut at the Design Indaba 2014: First Editions. These will be the first ceramics Rossouw has sold in South Africa.
She tells us about the new Liquorice range:
I designed the Liquorice range after a three-month investigation into African self-decoration and colours, with the intention to create bold graphics which could represent the new South African aesthetic. I used a variety of steps to create a bigger artwork, including vision boards, collages with scrap paper and painting. Each pattern is actually inspired by or a small part of this bigger piece – which is usually how I work.
The shapes and colours reminded me of my favourite candy, which is where the title name came from.
The/A new South African aesthetic is a term I use to describe designing for an African future, in which I attempt to make work that is inspired by and for South Africa: bold colours, graphic shapes and growing cities – my attempt is to create a visual identity in my work that is a hybrid of all our cultures.
