Make Shifty speaks to Lethokuhle Msimang on Minimalism in Africa
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What does minimalism mean to you?
On the surface minimalism appears to be about maintaining a simple life, uncluttered, by adhering to the bare essentials. The growing response to this approach to life seems to contrast popular cultures' increased concern with consumerism. But I think these contrary attitudes taking place at once often result in the consumption of products with a clean aesthetic, giving the appearance of simplicity along with a veiled assumption of wealth. However upon reexamination of the idea behind minimalism, its adherence to the bare “essentials” is crucial to the understanding of what the philosophy is really about.
How do you suppose minimalism ought to be understood? And how did it come about?
I think the term minimalism emerged in the late 1950’s when visual artists such as Donald Judd and Frank Stella began to exhibit designs using simple forms to produce harmonious work. This visual aesthetic surfaced in response to the abstract and performative art of the previous generation which was beginning to be scrutinized for its pretension. But the heart of the movement maintained its central purpose, which was to remove all the artifice and clutter which surrounded art and design and to focus on the instrument itself, its functionality, its essential-ness.
Do you believe that the minimalist approach serves a purpose in one's home or is it merely ornamental?
Well it ought to, but the emphasis on design can breed a kind of snobbery. It can become rather ornamental, where, as I mentioned before, you have an over-consumption of products with a bland asthetic. You have what appears simple, but is in fact costly. You also have what is ultimately Euro-centric. I’m speaking from the perspective of what a “typically” minimalist design is assumed to be - Wooden floors, concrete walls, stone tablets, etc. Materials which are affordable in the Western Hemisphere (considering, for example, the abundance of trees) but extremely impractical elsewhere. But that also brings to attention another idea surrounding minimalism, aside from the deep consideration of one's personal needs. It is also to do away with frivolous things to make room for or better afford something of greater value.
How then, do you think minimalism as a concept could become more inclusive?
Over the years minimalism as a concept has grown to represent the intentional promotion of the things we “need” and the removal of everything that distracts us from it. Its aesthetic is often based on Western and/or oriental design and it is often targeted to or by such audiences. But the idea has made its way to Africans, and as a consequence its functionality and purpose has become a cultural concern. If we really are to consider minimalism as the promotion of our basic needs, the argument needs to be made for what those needs are, and what becomes abundantly clear is that our “needs” are not always the same. But more importantly, true simplicity does not necessarily correspond to a clean aesthetic.
You mention how this concept has made its way to certain regions in Africa. What do you think African minimalism looks like?
If you have grown up in an African family, you are probably familiar with the careful unwrapping of Christmas presents to save the wrapper for the following year, or the empty tin of biscuits which has now become a container for sugar or needles and threads. You have likely kept all your shoe boxes, for documents and diaries, for socks and underwear, or perhaps just in case.
“Just in case” is the attitude behind our accumulation. But there is something to be said of the culture of saving. It speaks to an alternative approach to minimizing. Aside from the fact that we are minimizing costs, we are also reusing and re-purposing items. Instead of getting rid of waste to make room for the things we need, we are transforming our waste to meet our needs. But in the same breath, it is also our uncertainty regarding the future which has us hold on to items we no longer need in the event that we might need them. Poverty creates a culture of consumption. But beyond that, the memory of strife causes us to hold onto things, “just in case.”
As someone who is from a Zimbabwean and South African background. Can you relate to this way of living in any form?
I think to do that I would first need to address how minimalism is advertised. We see ‘influencers’ doing away with lotions and additional hair products, we see the promotion of multipurpose goods suitable to those who might not be concerned with their elbow’s ashing in the winter. This is of course a generalization, and likely a gross misunderstanding of the needs of “the other”. But that is precisely the point, we don’t know what the “other” needs. I know what I need and can assume those needs don’t differ very much from other Africans. I also know that when I minimize the result might not necessarily be what is generally perceived to be minimal. My living room may not have concrete walls and stone tables with transparent chairs. Simplicity ought to be conceived within its context. Now adding to account my bi-nationality, I would look at the garden for instance. if I were to be minimal in consideration of its upkeep, I would likely plant succulents and bougainvilleas. Plants which are acclimatized and low maintenance for the semi desert of South Africa. Alternatively someone in Zimbabwe might not need to be so minimal in their agricultural consideration.
With the emergence of bold African prints, neon face paint and Afro-futurism. Is there a place for African contemporary art in spaces that encourage the ideal that "Less Is More"? If so, how?
That’s an interesting question. Because then you begin to see minimalism as a kind of cultural assassination. But when we think about African traditional and contemporary art, colorful or rudimentary and detailed. Would you consider this minimal? In comparison to Frank Stella’s black paintings or Donald Judd’s sharp and clean designs, probably not. But when you consider the reusing of newspaper as canvas or the carving of wood to form a ceremonial mask, which would you say speaks to the fundamental idea of minimalism, which demonstrates the “basic necessity” to create and the disregard for obstacles which don’t aid that function.
Nyinamugasha & Lethokuhle
It is from this premise that Nyinamugasha and I formalized the concept of (-a)minimal. And yes, I’m aware it looks like an algebraic equation or perhaps even the word Animal. But those immediate assumptions speak to the heart of what our platform is about. Think of yourself as an animal, think about your basic needs, how an arctic monkey might subsist quite differently to one in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Draw yourself a simple equation. What we aim to promote is African Minimalism. The kind of minimalism that takes our basic needs into consideration. We want to look into artists, explore crafts, technologies, innovations, clothing, literature, etc. as well as correspond with initiatives such as; Make Shifty, to promote creative solutions to optimizing living spaces.