Showbiz
Design Indaba, Google Unveil Colours of Africa to Showcase African Creatives
An online initiative known as Colours of Africa has been launched by Design Indaba in partnership with Google Arts & Culture.
The project brings online and showcases 60 specially-curated artworks produced by over 60 unique African creatives chosen by Design Indaba – each invited to contribute a work that captures the ‘colour’ and character of their home country.
Selected by Design Indaba’s founder Ravi Naidoo, the creatives will showcase the best of African craft, product, industrial design, fashion, film, animation, graphic, food, music, jewellery and architecture.
“Africa is known for its bold, unapologetic use of colour. Each country, city and community is identifiable by its unique palette. As Africans, we can tell powerful stories through colour. This project tells a story of a continent through the universally accessible lens,” says Naidoo.
The first artistic undertaking of this scale, the project will allow viewers to discover stories of Africa as told by the African creative community. The artworks will be showcased online where users are invited to spin the kaleidoscope to explore the works in an effort to take users on a journey through Africa, inviting them to view each country through the eyes of a local artist.
“Google has always been acutely aware and in full support of the immense creative melting pot that exists on the continent. Collaborating with Design Indaba on this project allows us to bring this support to fruition. By empowering and amplifying African voices to tell the unique stories of their cultures through their work and creativity, we hope to provide much-needed exposure, cultivate a newfound curiosity, and provide a window into the vast beauty that exists on the continent,” says Nitin Gajria, Managing Director at Google.
The project involves creatives from almost every discipline imaginable, from architecture, illustration, painting and ceramics through to writing, engineering, the performing arts and visual communications. Their creations have been converted into images, videos, texts and illustrations. The multidisciplinary mix of 60 artists includes Algerian photographer Ramzy Bensaadi, fashion designer Bisrat Negassi from Eritrea, filmmaker Archange Kiyindou “Yamakasi” from the Republic of Congo and visual artist Ngadi Smart from Sierra Leone.
To bring the project to life, Design Indaba collaborated with former Design Indaba conference speaker Noel Pretorius and his creative partner, Elin Sjöberg, who collaborated with Google Arts & Culture Lab to create the design concept and interface for the digital exhibition. The exhibition features a kaleidoscopic navigation tool that can be used to explore the art in a randomised way, giving the visitor a unique experience while allowing the art itself to shine.
“Nothing like this exists to date, so we’re very excited to break new ground. This is an important artistic catalogue, the first of its kind to plot the expanse of African artistry on Google Arts & Culture. We salute Google for taking this important step to provide the world with a resource like this – not everyone can afford to travel here or access physical art fairs and museums to view this kind of work,” continues Naidoo.
In addition to the Colours of Africa platform, the initiative will also see the launch of over 4 000 images, videos and 20 carefully curated exhibits from Design Indaba’s extensive archive. Award-winning initiatives like Sheltersuit, Arch for Arch and Emerging Creatives will be profiled extensively for the first time online.
New works by some of the most important creatives working on the continent and abroad will also be displayed. These include Fozia Ismail (featured creative on Serpentine Gallery’s Creative Exchange programme), Mayada Adil El Sayed (represented Sudanese women at the Generation Equality Forum) and Lady Skollie (winner of the 10th FNB art prize).
Design Indaba, which celebrated its 25th year in 2020, draws top thinkers and guests from across the globe. Acknowledged as the world’s best design conference, it continues to be a leader in foregrounding African creativity, making it the logical ‘home’ for this project.
“We look forward to giving viewers a ticket to experiencing a whole new world, one that is outside of their everyday surroundings and creative knowledge. This project answers the vital call for all to notice and embraces African art in all its wonder,” concludes Nitin Gajria at Google.
As part of the project launch, Design Indaba commissioned Nigerian multi-talented creative and accomplished professional artist, Chief Nike Monica Okundaye, to capture the unique spirit of her country in a colour which represents home to her. She created an original painting titled ‘The Female Drummer/Àyánbìnrin’.
Colour: Royal Blue
Country: Nigeria
Artwork Rationale:
The colour blue in Nigerian indigenous cultures is the colour of love. Before a king ascends the throne, he often has to wear royal indigo blue. In Yorùbá, this is called ẹtù. In northern Nigeria, the colour is also used for the chief or the king. Same in eastern Nigeria. In the north, they sometimes even pound the blue into the turban when they marry a new wife. The whole face is sometimes blue to show love to the new bride. During their Durba, they sometimes wear the shining blue colour in the turbans to show love to the people at the festival.
“I used blue for this painting titled ‘The Female Drummer/Àyánbìnrin’ to illustrate both the love you see here between the drummer and her lover and the love desperately needed in the time of the coronavirus lockdown. In Yorùbá societies, the talking drummer is usually at the front of the palace, sending messages to the king through the medium of the drum — messages that the visitor themselves might not understand. The unique thing about this painting, done during the lockdown, is the use of a female drummer instead of the typical male ones seen in traditional Yorùbá art. My work involves female empowerment — I have trained disadvantaged women, widows, and young women for many years on fabric art — so I am always happy to put women at the forefront of my artistic philosophy”, says Nike Okundaye, Founder and Managing Director of Nike Center for Art and Culture.
Showbiz
What to Watch This Week: 5 Movies You Shouldn’t Miss
What happens when a woman who has built her entire identity on control suddenly wakes up with none of it? In Little, Jordan Sanders, a powerful tech mogul known for her strict and unapologetic leadership style, finds herself trapped in the body of her teenage self right before a career-defining moment. Forced to relive life from a completely different perspective, she has to navigate school, friendships, and adulthood pressures all at once, while trying to fix a life that is quickly slipping out of her control. To catch Little, tune in on Movie Room Africa on Tuesday, June 17, at 6:40 AM.
Stories like this are part of what makes this week’s viewing lineup worth tuning into.
Across DStv and GOtv, a fresh mix of titles is currently airing, bringing together drama, romance, comedy, action, and suspense for every kind of viewer. From emotional family conflicts and psychological twists to superhero adventures and light-hearted rom-coms, there’s something new every day for viewers looking to unwind with a good story.
If you’re looking for something fresh to watch, here are the movies you can catch this week.
The Other One
What begins as a desperate attempt to survive soon takes a disturbing turn in this psychological thriller. After being kidnapped, a woman devises an unusual escape plan: gaining her captor’s trust by pretending to care for him. But as the lines between manipulation and genuine emotion begin to blur, both find themselves trapped in a dangerous relationship neither can control.
Showing on Africa Magic Showcase on Tuesday, June 16 at 3:30 PM.
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Being a superhero is no easy task, especially when you’re still trying to survive high school. Peter Parker must balance everyday teenage life with the responsibilities that come with being Spider-Man as he faces off against Adrian Toomes, also known as The Vulture, whose dangerous weapons operation threatens countless lives.
Showing on Movie Room Africa on Friday, June 19 at 8:00 PM.
Shazam!
Life changes in an instant for a troubled teenager when a mysterious wizard grants him extraordinary powers. But while being a superhero sounds exciting, he soon learns that great abilities come with even greater responsibilities. As he struggles to balance his newfound identity, a dangerous enemy emerges, threatening not just him but everyone around him.
Showing on Studio Universal on Saturday, June 20 at 5:00 PM.
Asoebi Mamas
Family tensions take centre stage in this drama about privilege, resentment and responsibility. Ajoke enjoys a lavish lifestyle while paying little attention to the hardworking stepdaughters under her roof. But when long-standing grievances begin to surface, her actions threaten to upend the family’s fragile balance.
Showing on Africa Magic Family on Friday, June 19 at 10:00 AM.
Whether you’re planning a quiet evening indoors or simply looking for something new to watch, these titles offer the perfect excuse to settle in and press play.
To upgrade, subscribe or reconnect, download the MyGOtv App or dial *288#. For catch-up and on-the-go viewing, download the GOtv Stream App and enjoy your favourite shows anytime, anywhere.
Showbiz
MasterChef Nigeria: Loye Gets Burnt by Jollof Challenge
The heat was turned all the way up in the MasterChef Nigeria kitchen as the Top 6 faced another Black Apron Day, where one contestant’s dream would come to a boil.
This week’s challenge was a true Nigerian classic with a competitive twist: the contestants had to create a Jollof Rice Feast inspired by two regions of Nigeria. With jollof rice sitting proudly at the heart of Nigerian food culture, the judges were looking for bold flavours, regional identity, strong execution and, most importantly, a dish where jollof was the star of the plate.
For Loye, however, the challenge did not come together the way he had hoped. He was not fully satisfied with the dish he presented, and the judges shared the same concerns. While there were elements of promise, they felt he did not hero the jollof rice enough in a challenge where the beloved dish needed to take centre stage.
Chef Stone acknowledged Loye’s potential, saying he could build himself into a MasterChef, but on the day, the dish was not enough to keep him in the competition. Chef Eros encouraged him to cook with more heart, reminding him that great food is not only about technique, but also emotion, confidence and connection.
After a tough tasting, Loye’s MasterChef Nigeria journey came to an end.
Also feeling the heat were Isabella and David, who joined Loye in the bottom three.
For Isabella, the challenge was an important opportunity to prove that she belonged in the MasterChef kitchen after last week’s disastrous cake bake. She hoped her jollof rice feast would be the dish to take her out of the danger zone, but the judges felt there were too many flavours competing on the plate.
David also found himself under pressure after failing to complete his dish on time, a costly mistake that landed him among the weakest cooks of the day.
But while some dishes struggled to find their rhythm, Favy had every reason to celebrate. Even with the immunity pin in her possession, she cooked with confidence and delivered the standout plate of the day. Her dish earned high praise from the judges for its great flavours, leaving her visibly emotional and overjoyed. In recognition of her outstanding performance, Favy was rewarded with a one-year supply of Sonia products, as well as an exclusive dining experience for her and her family at Ile Eros.
With Loye now eliminated, the competition has officially reached boiling point. The remaining contestants will need to bring more than just seasoning to survive — they will need heart, hustle and plates packed with purpose.
Produced by Primedia Group, MasterChef Nigeria is supported by a strong coalition of leading Nigerian brands, including headline sponsor Power Oil, alongside Indomie, Dano Milk, Malta Guinness, Sonia Tomato, Kiara Rice, Golden Penny Flour, Golden Penny Sugar, Golden Penny Garri, Golden Penny Semolina, Golden Penny Chocolate Spread, and Golden Penny Wheat.
MasterChef Nigeria continues on Africa Magic, where the search for Nigeria’s next MasterChef gets hotter with every challenge.
The show airs weekly on Sundays at 7 pm on Africa Magic Showcase and Africa Magic Family, with rebroadcasts on Wednesdays at 6 pm on Africa Magic Showcase and Thursdays at 12 pm on Africa Magic Family.
Next week on MasterChef Nigeria, the kitchen gets even hotter as the remaining contestants fight to stay in the competition. With Loye gone and the finale getting closer, there is no room for half-baked ideas, shaky execution or dishes that miss the brief. The pressure is rising, the judges are watching every move, and one wrong plate could send another contestant packing.
Showbiz
Veteran Nigerian Actor Kola Oyewo Dies at 80
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Veteran Nigerian actor, Mr Kola Oyewo, is reported to have breathed his last at the age of 80.
A popular Nollywood actor, Mr Kunle Afod, confirmed the news of the passing of the scholar, dramatist and filmmaker on Friday in a post on his Instagram page.
Before his passing, Mr Afod recently visited the university teacher at his residence, where he made monetary donations to him.
In his post on Friday, he announced the death of the thespian, saying “Tonight, we lost a true legend. Kola Oyewo has taken his final bow.”
“His remarkable talent, timeless performances, and immense contributions to the Nigerian theatre and film industry will never be forgotten. His legacy will continue to inspire generations to come,” he further wrote.
Recall that in an interview with Mr Afod, the deceased disclosed how his battle with prostate enlargement affected his acting career, which spanned over six decades.
Mr Oyewo began his acting career in 1964 with the Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group after he was born on March 27, 1946, in Oba-Ile, Osun State.
During his lifetime, he acted in several movies, including Saworoide, Super Story, Sango, and Koseegbe, amongst others. He also played the role of Odewale in Ola Rotimi’s play, The Gods Are Not to Blame.
In 1996, he became a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University and retired in September 2011 as a senior lecturer. He later moved to Redeemer’s University as the Head of the Department of Dramatic Art. He later worked at Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, as a performing arts lecturer.
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