Africa Calling

Africa Calling launched in September 2014 at Southbank Centre’s Africa Utopia festival with a showcase in the main foyer of the Royal Festival Hall alongside workshops and a pop-up shop. The showcase then toured to Design Junction for London Design Festival with a debate session and workshop run by designers Heath Nash and Yinka Ilori.

The 2014 showcase was curated by Kathy Shenoy (Shake the Dust) & Liezel Strauss (Subject Matter Art), and highlighted the work of new and established designers from Africa and the Diaspora, who are challenging ‘Africa Aesthetics’ and exploring new collaborations and cross-cultural connections.  2014’s event focused on designers, artists & collaborations from the southern tip & the UK including Heath Nash (South Africa,) Clinton Friedman (South Africa) and  2 specially commissioned collaborations between Yinka Ilori (UK) & Laduma Ngxokolo (South Africa) and Shake the Dust & Gone Rural (UK/Swaziland.)