The Colour of Home
Zwelethu Mthethwa
A kaleidoscope of culture rooted in a landscape that has a life of its own keeps internationally renowned visual artist Zwelethu Mthethwa coming back to the bright lights of Cape Town, a city that has a ‘new way of being African’
When did you first come to Cape Town?
In 1981 when I came from Durban to study at the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town.
Can you remember your first impressions?
I’ve got vivid memories of my first day in Cape Town – it was a culture shock! I arrived in St George’s Street in the middle of the city on a Saturday. My reference point was Durban city centre, which was always packed with people on a Saturday. Cape Town was the opposite, it was really quiet and almost everyone who was around was white. It was also an era where accommodation was problematic because of the Group Areas Act. I wasn’t allowed to stay on campus and I remember catching a taxi to Oranjezicht where I was going to stay with one of my professors. So my first impression of Cape Town was one of displacement.
How has Cape Town changed since you moved here?
I think of the markets that have evolved and grown – Greenmarket Square, Table Mountain market, Green Point market – they’re all based on the West African open-air market concept, which is a nucleus of community and culture. It’s amazing how Cape Town city has transformed to accommodate these markets. I see that as a major aspect of how life has evolved here. In the early morning and late afternoon it’s fascinating to watch the market goods disappear on trolleys into the surrounding buildings. This is stuff that has migrated to Cape Town from the rest of Africa. There is poetry and romance in that.
What keeps you here?
Cape Town’s dynamic cultures really appeal to me. I did my postgraduate studies in the States and I’ve been offered professorships in other countries so I could live elsewhere, but I choose to be in Cape Town. It’s so diverse with many pockets of communities and that’s very intriguing to me. The coloured community with its English, Afrikaans, Indonesian and Muslim associations, the Xhosa people – from both the Western and Eastern Cape – and those with a Sotho lineage. Zulus that came to Cape Town long ago still call it home, and then there is also a large German community as well as French and Italian. There’s a social dynamism here that holds different economies and histories. The contrasts and levels of diversity mean Cape Town’s inhabitants can cross paths or never meet. It’s fascinating.
Does Cape Town influence you as an artist?
Since democracy in 1994, the city has made its greatest impact on me as a visual artist. In a way, Cape Town has acquired a new way of being African. Africanism is about layers – visual, audible layers – and sometimes layers can’t be defined or put into categories. I love to hear different sounds in the streets: African dialects and European languages. And the colours! I especially love the West African robes.
Your studio is in the heart of Cape Town. Tell us more.
My studio overlooks Church Street, which is very energetic and active. Whenever I step out of my studio I bump into someone I know. In fact, the people who work in Church Street make up an awkward family. There is African Image on the corner. It’s a very colourful shop filled with arts and crafts from all over Africa, which inspire me in my work. Harry, the owner, has reference books on artefacts from Africa, which I like to look through. I often have breakfast at their cafe next door, or across the way at Cafe Mozart.
What do you do on the weekends?
I don’t really have a Friday or a Monday. I’ve worked for myself for the last eight years and my time is my own. I take long drives when I feel like it – I find them very enriching. Every way one drives the land reveals itself in different ways. For me, Cape Town is not just about the city but those places that are a short drive away… Franschhoek, Paarl, Fish Hoek, Muizenberg, Cape Point, Hermanus … to me, all these points are about Cape Town. It’s very special that we have two oceans. We’re dealing with two currents and that’s often overlooked. There is a lot of spirituality inherent in the area that we don’t understand. I also love to walk on Table Mountain. When I’m up there I realise there is more to Cape Town than we see. I can feel the city is a live beast. I hear the sounds and smell the different scents – there’s a lot of energy.
Tell us about your lifestyle here in Cape Town
I live on Devil’s Peak and I’m a bachelor – so I go out a lot. There are some of the best restaurants in the world here. I practically live at Caveau on Heritage Square, which is a place that’s all about people who love food. The owners John and Brendan really understand wine too and there’s always something in their collection that hits the spot. Mario, the owner of Mario’s African Restaurant in Rose Street, is very passionate about food and it’s evident in the great dishes he creates. The restaurant itself is also wonderful – they have great live music and patrons can dance after dinner. The sushi at Willoughby’s at the Waterfront is excellent.
You travel often, what do you love about coming back?
Returning at night, coming in on an aeroplane or driving along De Waal Drive and looking down at the city lights. Lights do it for me – they show fascinating connectivity. Where there are lights there are people, so it’s not just about artificial energy, but also about ‘people energy’.
SOUND
Jazz at Asoka Son of Dharma
TRADITION
Driving along the road below Lion’s Head or Table Mountain when it’s raining
SEASON
Spring
DRINK
Bubbly
COCKTAIL
Mojitos at Havana Cafe on Long Street
FRIDAY EVENING
Metropole Hotel
WINTER FOOD
Curry at Maharaja on Long Street
Zwelethu Mthethwa is represented by Everard Read Cape Town. Visit www.everard-read-capetown.co.za.