USING THE EXAMPLE OF ‘PATOIS’ OR ‘PIDGIN’ AS A METAPHORICAL GUIDE FOR EXPLORING ARTISTIC OUTPUT. CONVERSATION AND LANGUAGE IS FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR COMMUNICATION AND INFORMS THE BASE OF OUR EXPRESSIONS.
LE TINGS IS AN ONGOING COMMENTARY, A PLAYFUL AND VISUAL CELEBRATION OF AFRICA AND IT’S DIASPORA CULTURES THROUGH THE LENS OF STREET MARKETS AND THEIR RAW SENSIBILITIES. A PLACE OF DISCOVERY AND VIBRANT ‘DISCORDANCE’ THAT ALLOWS EVERYDAY STORIES TO BE TOLD, ORAL AND VISUAL EPHEMERA TO BE VALUED AND REPURPOSED.
UP-CYCLING CULTURE
EACH LE TINGS PROJECT BEGINS WITH A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE EFFECT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE FROM THE CREATIVE EXCHANGE WITHIN THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. HOW TO EXPAND, AMPLIFY AND ULTIMATELY IMPROVE A SITUATION THROUGH THE DIALECT OF THE LE TINGS LENS. REVALUING AND REPURPOSING AURAL TRADITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN AND UTILISING THE TEXTURES AND EPHEMERA OF OUR SURROUNDINGS, TO CREATE NEW STORIES THAT ULTIMATELY ALLOW US TO FUTURE PROOF AND SUSTAIN CULTURAL VALUE.
SOURCING THE TING
WE SOURCE OUR PRE-USED RICE BAGS IN WEST AFRICA, IT STARTS WITH AN INTUITIVE DIALOGUE WITH THE BRILLIANT GUYS AT AFRODISTRICTPA IN ACCRA. AFRODISTRICT HAVE THEIR OWN FULLY RESPONSIBLE RECYCLING BUSINESS WHERE THEY SCOUR THE LANDFILL AND COLLECT THE GARMENTS THAT WE IN THE WEST DUMP ON WEST AFRICAN SHORES AND REPURPOSE THESE ITEMS INTO DIFFERENT CREATIONS.
FACTORY TINGS
RICE BAGS ARRIVE IN LONDON AND WE GIVE THEM A SECOND CLEAN AND PREP THEM READY FOR THE CUTTING PROCESS. EACH BAG IS UNIQUE AND HAS ITS OWN IDENTITY AND CHARACTERISTICS. EVEN WHEN COMBINING THE SAME BAG DESIGNS, THE OUTCOME IS ALWAYS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. IT IS A RAW TAPESTRY THAT HAS ITS OWN AGENCY EACH TIME, GRAPHICS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO US, AS THE COMBINATIONS OF BAGS AND THE DIFFERENT WORDS ARE WHAT MAKE EACH REPURPOSED BAG SPECIAL.
