Out of Africa: Tribal expression on show in Basel

‘We have a distinctive voice, being from South Africa,’ gallery owner Trevyn McGowan tells LS:N Global. ‘We like to select designers who interpret things in a different way – focusing on connections to the earth, organic animal forms and our socioeconomic history.’

One of the pieces on show was the Kassena Server by Johannesburg-based husband and wife design team Dokter and Misses, which evokes a modern Memphis-style aesthetic. The pair were inspired by the Kassena village tradition of men building mud huts, which their wives then paint in bright abstract patterns. The couple produced a contemporary take on this tradition with a solid beech cabinet with hand-painted primitive ochre patterns. 

This vibrant decoration is reminiscent of the patterns and graphics in our Mix Mash design direction, which explores graphic tribal references and emotive artistic patterns. 

For more on the themes explored at Design Miami/ Basel 2013, look out for our forthcoming review in our Shows section.