Functional Art enhances the Littlegig Festival experience!
Littlegig, the world’s only all-inclusive 24-hour festival, returns to Wiesenhof Farm in Cape Town for the second time, from 28-29 January 2017 with a progressive line-up of highly coveted experiences spanning international music, food tastings, fashion, fine art and design. Littlegig is the first festival of its kind to include access to carefully handpicked events, food, drinks and accommodation in the ticket price.
This year’s event will once again inspire lovers of art and design by showcasing new bespoke pieces created by upcoming furniture designer Xandre Kriel, a sculptural installation by fine artist Rowan Smith, and a live painting performance by rising star, Atang Tshikare. These highlights are featured alongside a glittering array of custom-designed installations staggered throughout the festival landscape. Some wildly popular elements from the inaugural Littlegig event will return to contribute to the spirit of the 2017 event. Together, stimulating installations and themed zones by leading stylists will make for a heady visual and sensory feast.
The art and design elements running throughout Littlegig are there not for design’s sake alone, but have been carefully chosen to enhance the overall experience. The Gin Bar installation designed by leading local designer Porky Hefer for the first Littlegig festival will yet again be a festival highlight. As will the elegant pair of giant floating swans that was created by architect and artist duo, Sean and Justine Mahoney, and installed in the waters of the on-site lake.
This year, the swans will be kept company by a giant iceberg that lights up at night. Its artist creator Smith is represented by Whatiftheworld Gallery and has been hailed as one of the country’s brightest young talents by prominent art publication, Art Africa. Smith has exhibited internationally and his work is held in major art collections.
Contemporary furniture designer, Kriel, who is represented by the Guild Gallery, has designed a series of ‘trading posts’ from which invited chefs will serve their tasting dishes at Saturday’s Chef-and-Farmer Tasting that features one international “wonder” chef and three local stars. Kriel’s contemporary spin is a far cry from the food vendor stalls made from pallets that you’ll see in markets… For Littlegig, Kriel has developed a sleek, stackable set of galvanised steel bars that have been powder-coated in different colours. A fitting setting for chef-led dishes…
Acclaimed local artist, Tshikare, will do a live 6-meter painting installation in his signature graphic style on the Basketball Court Night Dancefloor, raised on scaffolding behind electronic headliner Seth Schwarz. Schwarz, who hails from Germany, will perform a three-hour live DJ and violin set.
In addition, Littlegig has used leading stylists to conceptualise ideas for the different areas that the festival spans: Tasha Tyler returns to the Food Forest and will also execute a Congolese Jungle feel at the Tropical Bass Bar on the island; Ilana Swanepoel will transform the Hair and Make-Up Champagne Salon into a forest boudoir; and Lucia Brain will design the seating pods tucked away in the forest as well as the secret After-Party experience.
And then, there’s the unique way in which all of these delights will be communicated to festivalgoers. “Signage at a festival presents a conundrum” according to Littlegig founder, Georgia Black, because “one wants guests to wander freely without being ‘messaged’, but at the same time, guests don’t want to miss out on the festival’s highlights. To solve this, we have worked with design team, Hoick, who will be designing a series of oversized sculptures to be worn by a small crew of actors!”
So, a giant nose will parade around the festival carrying a sign to notify guests that the Chef-and-Farmer Tasting is happening; an outsize ear will announce a headline music act; an eye will announce the opening of the festival fashion concept store…
Finally, yet another of the art and design highlights for Littlegig 2017 is the DJ Art Car. A Land Rover Defender has been converted into a mobile stage for headline DJ, Culoe de Song’s sunset set on the island. The car will then move to a secret location for the After-Party, which starts on Sunday at 01h00. Guests who are still up for it will walk for 5 minutes to a different venue hidden within the forest.
It’s all in keeping with Littlegig’s design philosophy of functional art that enhances the festival experience…
For more info on Littlegig, visit www.littlegig.co.za.
Event info
Event: Littlegig 24h Festival 2017
Date: 28-29 January 2017
Venue: Wiesenhof farm, Stellenbosch
Ticket price (includes all food, drinks and accommodation): R2 500 for a camping ticket, from R3 150 to R4 500 for a glamping ticket and R1 950 for a daytrip ticket (accommodation not included). No under-18s allowed.
Book: Via Quicket www.quicket.co.za
Website: www.littlegig.co.za
