To get lost is to learn the way. – African Proverb

In their latest exhibition, Cape Town based arts collective Art of Brother takes us into ‘Future Africa’ where technology has had a major impact on the continent.

Through juxtaposing the strong cultural and socio-political significance of various found objects, and shifting between mediums and processes, Art of Brother create memories; a cultural heritage and lineage from a future society. Their new body of work deals with loneliness, separation anxiety and the determent of technology and social media on our developing African society.

Titled Progress Preserved, this exhibition takes the viewer into a conceptual museum space that signifies the idea of what losing our culture may mean. This museum is a place of comfort. It is a safe space where you can find yourself again, and what is displayed in front of you should reflect all those questions you always had about belonging and connecting with your ancestors.

The Progress Preserved museum, however, serves not only as a reminder of our past but also as a reminder of where we are at present and possibly heading to.

Art of Brother is a collective comprising of Karabo Makenna (b. 1985) and Cobus Engelbrecht (b. 1985) that employs multi-disciplinary ways of working. Art of Brother creates interactive design and art through the ritual of story-telling. They describe their work as “crossing paths with the past and the present, bringing light to the unnamed space in between”.

Photographer: Neil Burton
Designer: Deeva Merwe (Merwe Mode)
Stylist / Producer: Melanie Rossline
Art Direction: Karabo Makenna & Cobus Engelbrecht
Female Model: Purity Zinhle Mkhize
Male model: Kwen Akomaye
Baby Model: Anouk Birch
Make up artist: Siddeeqa Martin