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Mail & Guardian

Friday

Kamogelo Walaza, a South African curator in Germany turns unfinished works into a meditation on process, care and slow-making

Kamogelo Walaza is making a case for the unfinished

Video

Abdullah Ibrahim, jazz icon, dies at 91

South Africa has lost a musical giant. Pianist and composer Abdullah Ibrahim, the towering figure of Cape Jazz and one of the most…

Based on Sue Nyathi's novel, Netflix's ‘The Polygamist’ turns a familiar story of love, betrayal and power into one of the most talked-about South African dramas of the year

The Polygamist: Familiar themes, powerful performances

The new Netflix series, The Polygamist, based on Sue Nyathi's novel, has become a major talking point. This 22-episode drama features a strong cast led by Gugu Gumede as Joyce…

Non-racial: Market Theatre co-founders Mannie Manim and Barney Simon in 1976. Photo: Gisèle Wulfsohn

Nearly 50 years on, the Market Theatre is still holding up a mirror to South Africa

Three days after the historic Soweto Uprising in 1976, the Market Theatre opened its doors in Johannesburg, becoming a vital space for artistic expression and resistance against…

That terrible day: Rise ‘76: The Story of June 16th at the Market Theatre is at the Mannie Manim Theatre until 28 June. Photos: Supplied

Fifty years on, ‘Rise '76’ asks what we still owe the generation of June 16th

Running at the Market Theatre, 'Rise '76: The Story of June 16th' explores the profound impact of the Soweto Uprising through the lens of playwright Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni.…

The book foregrounds “the experiences, the ideas and the reflections of people who were actual participants in 1976, both leading figures but also young people who, on the morning of June 16th, did not see themselves as political activists,” says the author. Photo: Historical Papers Research Archive, University of the Witwatersrand South Africa.

The uprising they turned into a party: What Youth Day keeps getting wrong

Every June 16th, South Africa celebrates Youth Day with music and speeches, often reposting the iconic image of Hector Pieterson. But historian Noor Nieftagodien argues these…

Evidence of murder: Tsietsi Mashinini’s body showed signs that he had been killed. Photo: Dichaba Mashinini

Tsietsi Mashinini and the questions that refuse to die

This extract delves into the enduring mystery surrounding the death of Tsietsi Mashinini, a prominent leader of the 1976 Soweto uprising. After years in exile grappling with…

Partnership: Pharrell and the champagne house bring the world’s first champagne designed to be served over ice. Photo: Supplied

Gig Guide: Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial by Pharrell Williams launched in SA, Louise Carver releases My Love and Laj Beats tackles men's struggles with new single Sebenza

Discover the latest in South African arts and culture, featuring the launch of Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial by Pharrell Williams, Laj Beats' new single 'Sebenza' tackling men's…

Inside the family drawer were birth certificates, funeral programmes, letters, identity documents and photographs.

What my uncle’s dompas could not tell me

Every year on June 16, South Africa pauses to remember the students who marched through the streets of Soweto in 1976 and challenged an education system designed to limit their…

As living costs rise, art buyers are becoming more cautious, forcing galleries and artists to adapt to a changing market

South Africa's art market is slowing down but collectors aren't walking away

The South African art market is in an interesting place. On the one hand, some of the country's most important art fairs continue to draw large crowds. FNB Art Joburg remains a…

Mandy Johnston’s latest exhibition uses burning steel wool sculptures and ash paintings to explore ritual, transformation and the transitions that shape our lives

Mandy Johnston burns art to rekindle lost traditions

The Joburg-born artist’s latest exhibition uses burning steel wool sculptures and ash paintings to explore ritual, transformation and the transitions that shape our lives

In the Grey feels like the sort of anonymous streaming-era action thriller that would quietly appear on Netflix one Friday afternoon and be forgotten by Monday morning.

Guy Ritchie’s ‘In The Grey’ is all plan and no personality

The legendary director’s latest thriller boasts a strong cast and explosive finale but lacks the colourful characters and charm that defined his best work

Through interviews and behind-the-scenes discussions, Spotlight Theatre Talk explores the people and processes that bring productions to life

Joburg Theatre launches podcast to take audiences behind the curtain

Through interviews and behind-the-scenes discussions, Spotlight Theatre Talk explores the people and processes that bring productions to life

Long-time coming: More than a decade into both their careers, Tellaman and Nasty C are releasing a joint album. Photos: Supplied

Nasty C and Tellaman have terms and conditions

On fame, friendship and a long-overdue joint album, Nasty C and Tellaman are exactly where they want to be

At the centre of it all: Caterina Bollini, whose relationship with food is
deeply intertwined with family, history and community.

More than a restaurant, Tortellino d’Oro is a story about belonging

From fresh handmade pasta and honest Italian cooking to generations of family history, Tortellino d’Oro’s new Oaklands home proves that the best meals are the ones shared

Inspired: Sibo Mhlungu, Aline Media Group founder, wants to create an
experience at the event for people to remember. Photo: Supplied

The Ascots promises a world-class Durban July experience — but is it Worth the Price of Entry?

Other marquees at the Durban July offer premium packages at significantly lower price points. What does The Ascots offer that they don’t?

Outdoor art: Mankebe Seakgoe’s When the Sky Opened Up and Swallowed us Whole (2023), charcoal on canvas.
Photos: Supplied

Outside the white cube, art learns to breathe again

A group exhibition in North West challenged institutional norms, inviting artists and audiences to rethink experimentation, community and artistic freedom

Psychological terror: Michael Johnston and Inde Navarette in Obsession. Photos: Supplied

Could these twenty-something YouTubers be the future of cinema?

A wave of YouTuber-turned box-office-record-breaking horror auteurs have Hollywood nervous and rethinking the filmmaking playbook

Cultural mix: Superstar mixes MetroBeatz RSA’s Tsonga and Xigaza
influences with Lowfeye’s inspired sound. Photo: Supplied

Gig Guide: MetroBeatz RSA drops Superstar, AMURA and ANTHM one-night-only dining experience and Disney On Ice returns to South Africa

Your essential dose of art and culture

Two-time Grammy winner Peabo Bryson, whose voice graced Disney classics and R&B charts for five decades, has died after a stroke

Peabo Bryson, the voice behind Disney’s greatest love songs, dies at 75

Two-time Grammy winner Peabo Bryson, whose voice graced Disney classics and R&B charts for five decades, has died after a stroke