Design

If you go looking for something that represents Durban design, you’ll be disappointed. Because no single object can express the multiplicity of perspectives that combine to produce something that is unmistakably but intangibly Durban. And that thing is defined more by the smell of the air and the vibrancy and edginess of the city’s streets than any kind of unifying ethos. But in a country with 11 official languages and only partial literacy, it’s not surprising that, in Durban, visual culture reigns supreme.

Local BEADWORK has evolved substantially in the last decade, particularly as skilled artists from neighbouring countries have filtered into Durban to sell their wares on the city’s streets. No longer restricted to Zulu love letters and keychains, beadworkers such as JACQUES SENGEYA now produce a large variety of beaded objects from animals to table décor to light fittings. 

Born: Congo  Lives: Durban Eats at: the Spar in Avonmore Centre Goes out to: the beach, South Plaza Fleamarket

If you’re a pedestrian or a driver, a quick look at one of the hundreds of beautifully PAINTED BUSES is enough to brighten your day. Filled with humour, irreverence, kitsch and spirituality, many of these buses are painted by NISHAL RAMDHIN. A pioneer of automotive brush art, his mobile art is seen all over Durban.

Born: Newcastle Lives: Phoenix Eats at: Cape Town Fish Market Goes out to: the beachfront

The art of hand-painted SIGNAGE is something that is disappearing in this age of digital reproduction. But it survives in small pockets of Durban, and ironically, has once again become popular with local graphic designers. SLIM does the signage for Johnny’s Chip Inn Ranch whose ‘specials’ boards are cult items and have even made it to the art galleries.

Born: Durban Lives: Cato Manor, Durban Eats at: Bombay to Goa on the beachfront Goes out to: Suncoast or the Pavilion with my family

As the nature of Durban’s streets began to change after 1994, pavement barber shops started popping up everywhere, accompanied by often beautifully painted BARBER SHOP SIGNS. The most recognised exponent of this much loved genre of illustration is BRUNO BIHIZA, a Congolese refugee who has since taken his illustration skills to London.

Browse through a few international design journals and you’ll often come across the name GARTH WALKER. Walker is the visionary behind world class design house ORANGE JUICE DESIGN and the brilliant design magazine I-JUSI which brings the graphic polyphony of Durban’s streets and some of Durban’s finest creative minds into a single space.

Born: Pretoria Lives: Durban Eats at: Spiga D’Oro, Bean Bag, Café 1999, Mo Noodles Goes out to: Blue Zoo in Mitchell Park

RICHARD STRETTON produces high-end, hand-crafted objects as diverse as beds, buildings and breadboards. And while his pared down designs might have more than a little Zen about them, they are forged in an aesthetic and culture of functionality that is essentially African. Stretton’s work includes commissions as well as the objects produced by his company KOOP.

Born: Durban Lives: Morningside Eats at: Manna, Sunrise House of Curries, Spriggs, Garden Shed Goes out to: Bat Centre, Bean Bag Bohemia

The graphic artists at independent design agency DISTURBANCE DESIGN are masters of their craft. With RICHARD HART at the helm, the team produces award-winning, illustration-rich work. Their most memorable output includes their campaigns for the Durban International Film Festival, and Sheet, a legendary Durban fanzine.

Born: Scotland Lives: Morningside Eats: in the brown and orange flowery chair in the lounge, or in the plywood chairs at Manna Goes out to: the little garden out back 

NOBELUNGU NGCOBO is a traditional beadworker, who is gradually making the transition to artist and businesswoman. Ngcobo heads the Gcina Co-operativeswith the support of the Municipality’s Inanda/KwaMashu/Ntuzuma area based management programme. Although her core business is jewellery based on Zulu designs, she has started to produce more pictorially based work.

Born: Cato Manor Live: KwaMashu eats at: anywhere Goes out to: church, movies, festivals 

EGG DESIGNS is an interior and product design company headed by local design geniuses GREG AND ROCHÉ DRY. Egg have designed interiors and furniture for a diverse array of local and international clients well as lighting their gorgeously idiosyncratic fires at design shows in London and New York where they have received universal acclaim.

Roche Born: Evanda, Gauteng Lives: Drummond Eats: at home with friends, Aubergine Goes out to: Neil and Coleen’s house

Greg Born: Jo’burg Lives: Drummond Eats at: my friend Guy’s restaurant Goes out to: I don’t go out!

CLINTON NAIDOO and MARKLYN GOVENDER are masters of the art of  MEHNDI. Using henna ink which marks the skin for about a week, delicate and beautiful patterns are painted on the hands and feet. While mehndi has a special place at Indian weddings, it is often worn more casually as ephemeral jewellery. Marklyn also creates fine art based on the same design principles as mehndi.

Born: Durban Live: Morningside Marklyn eats at: Spiga D’Oro Goes out to: Krakatoa, Vacca Matta.