Episode 73

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Published on:

20th May 2022

Episode 73 Siza Nkosi and Wesley Pepper

This is Siza and I's first #Episode together

Introducing a new co-host… A conversation between Wesley Pepper and Siza Nkosi about her upcoming poetry collection, the green house session, and the processes behind her cover design by mr Pepper

Transcript

See ya. So first and foremost like we have to plant plastic are coming to negativity to we spoke about his journey through Mormonism through being a moment and pan Africanism and poetry, poetry so us if you remember he was having his own book and we got to that my brother will keep you up to speed with all of that. So this is our new format and you see as you can tell it in sounds but different and welcome season posted.

Yay. Hi everybody. Finally, the family. Pleased to be here. Thank you.

Yeah, thanks you come through. I was thinking on the way down here. It took me 73 episodes for somebody to realize that the podcast is cool. So 72 Yeah, it only took me like almost a year. So today's today's episode, to bring utterances into our mouth to the art essay experience. We will talk about published soon to be published program is that the right word app coming up and coming up and coming.

Have a few colleagues saying what happened? What happened?

Can you believe that? Okay, so we today we're gonna we're gonna be unpacking the processes behind the book. Starting off with myself. I did the cover for the books and CDs I will shoot directly questions to me regarding the processes and the whole idea behind the cover of the book. And then she'll be talking about some of the processes behind the writing and revealing some of the two. So this is all part of a much bigger project around around the publication and yeah, so welcome.

Thank you so much. Yeah, and I think we can get started No, the show enemy. Yeah, I'm excited to UCF shoots. Okay.

Okay, so I wanted to do the cover. Yeah, let me let me let me start with like this. So in doing the cover, I use the same process. I do everything. And I think we can actually speak about that because I've been working with and earlier this year, I was working with an American lady, based on a weekend the East Coast. On the west coast of America and they processes are a lot different. So it was actually quite Yeah, I would actually. Yeah, how you can find a way.

Yeah, it's interesting because also to me, I was interested in your visual perspective of the porns themselves in the quality of processes. Remember, you're always talking about it, you know, and I noticed that, you know, the podcast also touches the holodeck especially, which is very interesting to me as a teacher as well like you know, as a teacher, and there's also like, criticism that that happens in that process, you know? So yeah, that's why I asked you to do the cover, actually, to also collaborate the art forms. Alright. I was interested in finding out how a visual artist to see the poetry or is being moved by the poems and what the responses will look like. And yeah, that's, yeah, that's always been a thing.

So on this podcast, we'll be talking to artists from all over the world about their processes, since the art locked down, and so I want to come in with my processes in putting the pre and post COVID We're driving in a peak overworld it has to change so firstly, just on now, okay, as the US who had that idea in mind what I was always interested in working with a publisher coming from the commercial element first. What I've always noticed from being a publisher is, is how the obvious was this visual art music and another publisher can work it we've got the same audience. And we basically saying the same thing. So it's just different mediums. So as as a kind of, I'm always excited to be involved in like some of these multimedia projects that are that idea. So as I'm gonna come in sort of a multimedia because I was was the other deaf world as well. So coming in from that, our perspective, I want to sort of add to the, the supporting users just as a generic term because readers in your case, as leaders are the young consumers. Okay. Yeah. I'd like to add to the consumers experience, and I'm well aware of we live in a visual society, and people's perceptions and all definitely control what they see first. So if you sort of create that, that world is in order to put them into this visual world, then they have certain expectations, and then it's the job of a writer to I guess add to that, so that's why I was interested in

because it's interesting you say that because, for me, it's about access. Yeah. Access to, you know, because we are moved by the traffickers. And it's also just like law. Yeah. I am very big on that on all of us making it so that we can all be comfortable. You know what, let me do this.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, to come in there that that whole experience of, of artists working collectively is definitely the future probably missing. And I think that that's why that's why I've always wanted to be involved in projects like that. And I think it's also important to talk about that it's just the smartest just me used to be in a coma. There's a there's definitely a strategy behind behind the

process within Africa. I mean, we haven't touched on the poetry aids because you know, these paintings like the one behind me also, it's that to look at and he also read the manuscript, and this is some of the interpretations but due to another poses that we'll get into, like the whole publishing of this book has had its own journey. You know, so she did those portraits and the ones on the side in the middle of this, but, you know, he needs to read the poems and add four options for cover. And because the whole thing with the cover story, like it's a big thing. Yeah, so we'll get into that. Another time. But yeah, that's why the cover was important to give feedback, also access to feedback, and just creating extra access in a different audience to for both both ways for the artist.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was gonna pick up on what you're saying exes. And how are you saying the sort of the expectation of the so so so, in South Africa, if if anybody knows that the food industry, the food industry, in terms of numbers, in terms of sales a month turnover revenue, so my guess is actually quite tiny. And the visual art is a lot different visual art. Sectors turnover is actually in something quite substantial. Even though we got so serious, I broke into Africa so I've always felt that these industries work too much in, in, in isolation, and that's why that's why I feel that there's so and

for me, that's our market.

thing is that I'm coming in with a different audience and exposed to the book so it is sort of like we we want to we want to we want to get them we want to get them we know they we want to get them. Yeah, so that's the Yeah,

in talking about that. Why? Don't we get into the phone? Oh, okay.

Oh, there we go.

All right. Um, so I know we're just talking about this phone, which are we okay, native things, you know, which maybe helped you?

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Let's do that. Let's do that.

ings and the magic plates. In:

I looked at the magic man falling off his chair with a box of beautiful nice. Older men have been gathering here to Tao via pain your chances of winning the pain meet and look like gold. It was display that shows broken guitar skills playing eventually I walked out with all these in my soul.

Yeah

it's a case by me. Yeah, so I'm from so later by the way. And yeah, it's located in the castle called eBay. And this is these are all stories on eBay honestly. And with

so like you were saying, Okay, let me just let me just take a step back. Just to give our listeners

some perspective. So I would see that read the poem. And my interpretations are gonna speak about me, not just not just this boat, but the entire ontology. So what I would do is, is in working with a with a local ghostwriter is new to the writer. Because I've always found that the writers personality and comes through to the their personality and you know, each artist comes from a place and in each project, album and whatever. fee which is which is a narrative which is which is consistent to all the poetry music, for works of art and and it is used in consistency with and so when I meet with the artist, I like to get an understanding of all of that and, and then I tried to imagine myself in the artists, creative space, and how I would interpret it is each each metaphors metaphors are very interesting to me, and I guess that's, I guess that's where my mouth is because it started because I was locked away, putting two words together and creates me an image and the image sometimes come back into the world to the other so my brain would, I would visualize something that the right is doing and knowing from where they coming from. That puts things like so for example, if it's just a type of person that will be rich versus poor, but setting color, etc. So that's the how I eventually analyze it and like through the through the through the, I mean through the through the foam that you put that you just read. So we from a summer I'm a bit older, but I the same time. You know, I was so that that growing up in the late 90s. You know, there was this whole expectation around Africa. Have you read in the newspapers and you're naive to what's happened to the TV. So you have these like being like, our own that also ignorant because it's so harsh of a word, but you like all those expectations. And as you grow up your patients, it's what what's at the end of it so I sort of see that and you talked about setting you mentioned it earlier on. So into the actual space and to actually physically be in this place where the the the writer as conceptualized was, is that definitely actually definitely and I didn't get to the color brown me but I liked sort of identical light, sort of very light for welcoming brown because Brown was an interesting color, brown in color. And if you know the kind of primary, secondary and tertiary neutrals, which is black and white. Yeah, technically. That's because I always think that it's politics we I mean, it's black and white. Anyway, so Brown is a hybrid color and brown you can be from any color put together in any, any any. As soon as you have. I think it's more than three colors together. Eventually it becomes a variation of brown. And there's there's some colors that can be a very deep dark brown. We so social frown as a as a sort of see to me as the most political of all colors.

Interesting. I mean, I'm a Californian, and I'm going to write about the kind of poem any kind of because I mean, even in my, you know, digital or, you know, writing length I got, like tempted but yeah, and I mean, I think also by doing that, Wes, would you say because it's important to me. It's like what spirituality means for me like the image. Do you think I carry that? The car? Like you say he's ugly?

Yeah, yeah. I definitely picked up. We had a we had a card two weeks ago, but he was saying what the element people. Okay, so I haven't read 100% Of all the forms and I definitely didn't read them in sequence of minds raised my brain operates like that. I know that I understand the United States. To process something because use it as a very strong narrative. But given that the students will need to and what's happened in my personal life, it's really hard. Yeah, so that was that I've picked up like the story of our, our our girl growing up and what she was seeing and how she's up because because there's because it's come to pass. And Rubble, there's a there's a GCC metaphors, there's this one to use about. You are about to go out and you're using the Vaseline material British oil. So I thought that rain up ice. There was a bit I think this was Yeah, it wasn't the 90s wells used to do that. And then what? Yeah, and you pick it up. And as a guy you look for that so so i could i i related to space and and I saw I see what was both growing up and becoming movies at Nvidia because there's no way you can read stories is actually incredibly political.

It's very funny.

I think it's, it's so it's so loud, but so subtle. And I think I think that's the beauty behind No,

to my uncle who went to exile:

was in Washington, DC and he died he was killed by the police that time. So it is very political, very real for me. I mean, I lost our

example because of mental illness that came with you saw even at home was like opposites. Like it's a very big person. You know, in the ANC is very political is a very big story. And you picked it up I have a few things.

Yeah, that's what I that's I enjoy about, about both in college and even that. As a writer in South Africa, the game is am I seeing other items outside the country or not? It's just that I think people are just our arguments is that they pour their heart and it is so it's so personal. And I know that there's a there's a theme I definitely have it. So I'm very conscious of what I'm what I'm putting on paper and most points where I'm saying most and I try not to give too much away was giving a lot of weight because I think as I've read so much so in your writing about that type of space. I think he's actually I don't think as artists we give each other enough detail about how that is because if you look at it in context, most people don't hide whatever they went through their whole lives. You know, we find a way I'm not just stepping into like sharing the commercial side to make money over

money okay, but also like for for other reasons and for healing. You know, like I gave you that background because the points for me, writing is trying to get the apple screws back home, because we can think right? So when I write the form, I really believe that I'm reaching out to me and we can do everything. And it's up to me see the people in Hawaii who can read this over here respondents even self representation, you know, feeling like maybe wasn't so overloaded. Remember the

time when I'm updating him about things, you know? Like I'm keeping you alive, I'm doing the right thing and I saw the power of the word story so he's gonna be somewhere in Louisiana Tech's there and screwing things over.

That's what we asked you a question. What were your main influences behind so people you saw Socrates music writing immediately?

No question. I listened to your witness. Model and listening to him right now. Sure, sorry. I just as just went, Hey. Yeah, but let me sorry, I don't know what happened there.

Because I've been

here yeah. So yeah, I pulled a lot from that but also engagement and stories of other people like affected in the ordinary things like in the in the Ministry for myself about houses and stuff about people and so far like, I think these little poetry so yeah, you know, football in my in my stories

of the week, I mean, they're I enjoyed that. I enjoy seeing a silent movie, so I've been in autumn so it took a long time, but I've never I have a personal experience of the space. Lifting wasn't somebody and what I've always noticed the Bible writers from that space is and I could go somewhere to get the audience. They really they really celebrate this space and they really you know, a lot of a lot of lot of artists are working properly. This is another example. They would write about so I think such a way is Yeah, but it is yes. But the point I was just saying is this, our bigger power will be ours, but differently versus somebody for example, in this place as well. Example, and your stories. So one type was the last one. My last point is that I enjoy the game people because you can see the character, the person and sort of in the city pretty cool as a visual artist. I think that's that's one of like a visual artist

using it for years and years. And and I use this process as a lot as very much assignments. I use a lot of text walking, and I like taking words and breaking them down into I like that

because I think they did a beautiful and if I was coming from yours, which is specific person in mind, and I'll put that textile into like how it was distorts reality. So I just I just I just built the metaphors if there's no time.

That means a lot to me. Yeah, because no representation is alive. Like it why these characters are they so that hopefully when you pick it up, you can see yourself and you know that this is your story too. Yeah. I've also people filling out like I was always has been for everybody's making money from our story. Let people think, funny stories about us. Let's move on into embarrassing stories and hurtful startups. I mean, that's not all we are. And it's an industry taking a lot of money. That's why like, you know, I thought this thing it's also the language the language users live.

About, because you're writing in two or three.

Yeah, it's how it's been. Like in graphics. I like we pick up every language basically, even though I'm not flew into all of them. But I can even call it service conversation, most of them. So that's how we that's what I wanted to play. I didn't say anything, but I was relying on images and you pick that up. But yeah, just critics praising it. As an effective, like, authentic speaks right now. I think it's very important that we

didn't work on that axis of our staff was based being in a fight but also just the media. So this is also another way. So I think it actually experienced people not the Oculus people can tap into this over many years. And see what that is the only spot that I can process because I like to we like to take this process but first listeners so you know that we also see my son. Also go in our sessions, which is a it's an advanced place, what's called House of Caesar. And you can even spacing basically, everywhere we go into where we have these garden mostly and most places by considering imagining reimagine as was what what was

great and you know, we can we have new graduates acquaintance but you just mean you know, just promoting the African baby? Yeah, we'll do like fantasy movies like, you can come to town. When with yoga. While we listen to music, have conversations. It's a very like relaxed sort of.

Yeah, the so. Yes. So the person or the audience in action, they can consume the art in a medium, which is approachable and they can digest it and they can sort of experience not just the artwork, that the person making the walk as well which is mean South Africa is usually just have people in the argument industry often and then either like they don't really Yeah, you may have another day. So why I'm bringing up is to be talking about money always goes back to work or the process behind it. So the next the next thing is, how are people going to consume where they elevate to what media we bring up? With being promoting it to their media mediums.

I just want to start by saying you know, it will be published papers. Oh yeah. So just quit. It will be I think, will confirm that as time goes on. I still like the process of the code. So yeah, but Facebook, I'll check on my mobile phones and they will give you guys a bead on how to order the book How to get it and how to join our sessions because it will be very importantly an online session. So you know, we can do an in house, kitchen or living room.

Yeah, man. I want to add on to that one. So we are recording this episode did a scene on my trip to Korea and in South Africa, there's such a lot going on. I've and I want to look into a point Yeah, I was watching something I was calling the sport in the UK after upsells and down which is you know, fish and chips in the staple food, junk food in the UK in decimal, and many franchises there. So I was I was following a story of how this this whole scope of work now we have this works equals people's lifestyles moving so he was changing in a first world country in such a radical way like that in the first world country. We continent are definitely feeling and so the point the point behind that is is that art is always seen as a product that you only consume when times are going well when it's a product of something that you buy at a celebration and I find that God is more needed in these dire like it today. So the point there is is that what we've been trying to do also on my side 360 Africa is my artwork accessible to the consumer. So on this platform, we'll be talking about more very creative ways on where our listeners and viewers in some cases can get hold of the book as to what mediums because we are very open to this digital medium and we definitely think we spoke a little bit about the healing side of the book. And I think that's more needed now. Politics,

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About the Podcast

Wesley Pepper's Art Lexica
This is a show where we talk art and art processes. It's typically an interview format, where we talk to different artists about their journey.

About your host

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Candice Nolan

I'm an indie podcast producer from Johannesburg, South Africa