Some of Charmane Mbambo’s exhibit work that formed part of the prestigious Design Indaba.
Digital Arts Honours student Ms Charmane Mbambo recently presented her creative production as part of the prestigious Design Indaba Festival, held at the KZNSA Gallery. She was part of the annual Emerging Creatives programme, an initiative by Design Indaba and the Department of Arts and Culture promoting upcoming South African design talent.
‘I feel very honoured to be part of the Emerging Creatives programme which is an extension of the Design Indaba Festival. It is hard to believe that I received a spot. Only 60 creatives were chosen nationwide with 10 creatives exhibiting in Durban. It feels amazing to have my work considered on par with that of top artists from all over South Africa,’ she said.
Mbambo’s exhibit was two-fold, the first project was a motion comic (voicing included) which told the story of a world where alternate sources of energy have been found and how those in charge are abusing their power of authority and the people. ‘It is a project which represents what is happening in the world while combining all my interests such as steampunk, cyberpunk, manga, comics and animation,’ she said.
The second project involved a self-portrait in which Mbambo specifically looked at 2D animation with some 3D elements and a traditional medium, thus showing different sides of herself using different media.
During the Festival, Mbambo met with various individuals in the creative industry, gleaning advice while also viewing new creative talent from fellow exhibitors. ‘Advice from industry professionals is always something I appreciate since the creative industry is constantly evolving. It’s not only learning about technical skill in creating your work, sometimes the business element is needed as well to take the work a step further and introduce it to not only family and friends but other individuals as well.’
She believes that Art festivals such as Design Indaba are important not only in showcasing South African talent but also in helping young artists with industry advice. ‘It’s important for students to understand how the industry works. Studying something and working in the field especially within a creative career can be two completely different things. Sometimes students fail to realise this, leading to unnecessary frustration while striving to be at the top of their game due to tough competition.’