One of them describes herself as an all-round artist, while the other is a multimedia artist. Their passion for the creative industry brought them together and led to the launch of a magazine – a creative portfolio featuring specialised skills such as illustration, fine art, graphic design, animation, architecture, photography, poetry and fashion.
Charmaine Ngobeni, the all-round artist, says the quarterly and online Conté Magazine aims to encourage young creatives to collaborate in order to exchange skills and talent. “The content of the magazine is mainly art pieces; the written work we feature is from poets and a few articles we believe add value to the artwork in the magazine,” Ngobeni says.
It was launched at the JoziHub in Johannesburg recently and has just had its opening in Cape Town, coinciding with an exhibition of work by the young talents featured in the first publication.
“The first issue is so close to our hearts. We learnt, we cried, we had so much fun putting it together. We’re proud of the first issue, which is why we are launching it in all the major cities, to expose all creatives to this platform that can help them get their artwork noticed,” says Amanda Sibiya, the multimedia artist.
“The creatives featured in the first issue are talented young South African artists. We have also attracted international artists such as South African artist and designer Phulani Liebenberg, who is doing really well all over the world,” says 22-year-old Sibiya.
Ngobeni, 26, explains that the featured works in the first issue were a mixture of established as well as up-and-coming creatives.
“We had a panel of 10 judges from different creative and non-creative backgrounds.
“Each person was given a chance to express their views on why a certain artist or creative deserved to be a part of the magazine.
“All our selected artists are from around the country,” she says.
Sibiya adds: “It’s very important to have a platform such as Conté magazine because, as a young and upcoming creative, you yearn for exposure and recognition.
“The creative industry has made it almost impossible to break into the industry. Having such a platform expands the opportunity for young creatives to be great.”
Ngobeni says the most challenging part in starting the magazine was gaining the trust of investors.
The next issue’s theme, Africa, was chosen through a social media campaign. “We wanted our followers to be the ones deciding…
“The response so far is great and the art pieces look amazing.
“It is too early to say who we will feature, as the submission deadline is July 10,” says Sibiya.
The magazine’s close-knit team is based in Johannesburg and includes three full-time people and freelancers.
What sets the magazine apart from those already on the market is that it was started by creatives for creatives, says Ngobeni.
“We truly want to change the way creatives are perceived in society. Everything you see around you is a form of art, but artists are given zero recognition; they are the least paid, and most artists, if lucky, only ever get recognition when they’re old or dead.”
Having lived in New York City for four years, Ngobeni says she is inspired by that city’s creative landscape and energy.
“The love NYC has for creativity is so overwhelming, and what I found interesting was how it reminded me of parts of Johannesburg and Cape Town, put together,” she says.
“Art is a very old craft and highly respected by a lot of creative individuals and those who just appreciate it.
“Having art still be a big part of our lives helps to remind us where we all come from and where we are going.
“It keeps us in touch with our humanity and reminds us how to use our physical senses,” Ngobeni says.
“We would love to see Conté become an empire. We want Conté to almost feel like a home for creatives and keep them all motivated to keep on creating, as the world still needs to see amazing artwork created.”
Explaining the close bond between fashion and art, Sibiya says: “There is an amazing relationship between fashion and art, because fashion is also considered art, as you apply the creative side of your brain.
“You find art in the very fabric fashion designers use; the conception of a garment comes from a fashion illustration, which is sometimes painted with watercolour paints, which most artists use as a form of art. You cannot separate the two, as they coexist,” she says.
* Visit www.contecreatives.com for links to the magazine’s social media accounts. The website is still under construction.