The Star E-dition

Rich Mnisi to host first solo exhibition of collectable furniture

RICH Mnisi is expanding his brand as he ventures into furniture design.

The award-winning designer has partnered with Southern Guild Gallery to host his first solo exhibition of collectable furniture, titled Nyoka.

In this collection of rugs, chandeliers and other objects, Mnisi plays around with shapes and fluidity, using different materials including bronze, wool, resin and glass.

The exhibition will also feature pieces from the Rich Mnisi trans-seasonal 2021 collection Ku Huhama.

Nyoka draws inspiration from Mnisi’s family history and African mythology and plays with the duality of fear and beauty epitomised by the image of a snake, which gives the show its title in Xitsonga. To better explain Nyoka, Mnisi said it started with a dream his mother had. “My mother dreamt of a snake on her back … frightening and fluid, dangerous and beautiful. My journey started here and led me to Congo’s Bushongo mythology and its creator god, Bumba, the first ancestor. He vomited up the sun, Earth, moon and stars, and then the rest of the natural world from that acidic pain and discomfort,” he said.

Nyoka looks at the beauty that comes from darkness. “To live is to embrace this duality. To accept that joy and tragedy, light and darkness, dreams and nightmares are connected, orbiting and defining each other,” Mnisi explained.

To promote craft and South African handwork, he partnered with several artisan groups including Monkey Biz Cape Town, a non-profit organisation empowering women bead-by-bead, Coral and Hive, a brand that focuses on handwoven rugs, and Bronze Age, a multifunctional art foundry and studio bridging the gap between art and design. The Joburg designer also released a Pride capsule collection to honour the LGBTQIA+ community, saying “10% of profits from our Pride Collection will go towards Africa’s first formal haven that provides short-term accommodation to the LGBTQIA+ minority groups during times of crisis, The Pride Shelter Trust Fundraiser created by Keep The Energy”.

The exhibition runs from September 23 until November 11.

Lifestyle

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2021-07-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-07-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thestar.pressreader.com/article/281921661072409

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