Making magic out of strips of paper - Collage workshop at August House

Posted on 9 December 202430 November 2024

Open Studios – August House – Jibril Linhoum, collage artist

It’s insane how much the talent there is in this city. August House a collaborative studio space in a repurposed 1940’s factory building, has been part of Open Studios for the past couple of years. It is home to some 50 artists who share workspaces in this 6-storey building. One of these artistis who has a studio there, is Jibril Linjoum.

Jibril Linjoum

I was blown away by Jibril’s collages when I visited August House back in 2022- their detail, skill, energy and vibrant colour is extraodinary. Jibril is Cameroonion and it was here, in Bamenda, that he first started making collages. In 2006, at the age of 17, he won third prize for Best National Creative Artist in Collage, in a competiton sponsored by the Delta Tobacco Cooperation Cameroon. Moving to South Africa to further his education, he obtained a diploma in graphic design at Johannesburg City College in 2009, and a BA in Visual Arts and Education at the Johannesburg City College in 2019. He is now working full time making his remarkable collages with a whole range of materials. See his work on Instagram @jibrilbycollage

A photo I took of Jibril and his collaged work in 2022 in his shared studio space during an Open Studios event at August House. Initiated by the **Meta Foundation,** Open Studios is a 2 day event, inviting people to visit a range of artists in their studios in buildings across the inner city. Not only can visitors meet the artists and discuss their works, but there are walkabouts and linked programmes on offer.

Why are shoes, dark glasses and handbags such popular fashion items? My theory is that it’s because you never ‘get too fat’ for them and you don’t have to face those devastatingly distorting dressing cubicle mirrors.

Collage workshop

So earlier this year, with Jibril’s images in mind and thinking (very naively) that maybe collage was an easier way to make visual images than drawing and painting, I leapt at the opportunity to join a “Learn to Collage” workshop with Jibril.

At the outset Jibril introduced us to the materials we needed. some basic principles and then demonstrated (below) a possible working procedure

With a few effortless brushstrokes Jibril drew a figure and started constructing the background, glueing his strips of paper

And then the “art-studio-envy” begins

Look at these fabulous little critters by Happy Karabo Nkuna. A man of many talents: actor, director, voice over artist, visual artist, teacher and a writer, Karabo completed a National Diploma and B-Tech in Drama & Film (majoring in Directing and Script Writing) at Tshwane University of Technology. Most of the photos in this post (like this one) were taken by Ogorogile Nong who trained at the Market Photo Workshop and is now an intern at August house with the Meta Foundation. His Instagram handle is father_alchemist.

Sizwe Eksteen (Facebook Sizwe Eksteen) has his studio space at Transwerk in Braamfontein, another studio collective. He graduated from **Imbali** in 2018 and uses embroidery in his artwork. Check his instagram @@isizwecreations for his artwork, handbags and the clothing patterns he designs.

I kept sneaking a surreptious look at my neighbour Karabo’s work – fabulous big bold flower design – ending up with ‘shades of grey” and striking reds accenting the flower.s Karabo left a business path (completing a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Business Administration) at Wits Business School in 2023 to pursue making art full time. You can find him on Instagram @phago_ .

I made a rather pathetic sketch of an orange mug. After paging through the magazine Jibril provided, the easy part continued – finding different shades and tones of oranges, browns, yellows, and tearing into them strips. If only I could have done that all afternoon …. for THEN the humbling part began. Trying to capture highlights and shadows, volume and depth, concave and convex surfaces, handle joining the mug, texture and reflections, vertical mug sitting on horizontal desk and all with a sense of style …..aaaaghhhh! …. Respek.

Fiver in the foreground making her sketch of Telkom tower seen through the studio window. Khaya Njabulo Malinga stands behind. He is currently studying Advanced Photography Programme at the Market Photo Workshop (MPW). I’ve included an image of his at the end of the post.

And as if all these wonderful creations were not enough to dampen a left-brained gal’s MoJo … look at Fiver’s work. Come wander-time around the studio to stoke the “studio-envy” – look at this little mistress-piece she was in the middle of making. Although she only joined August House earlier this year, Fiver **has** been an artist for a long time, experimenting with a range of media from video to drawing.

And here Jibril holds up Fiver’s work against the view through the window. Forgive the quality of the photograph but to get the Telkom tower in, I had to zoom in hugely.

Hanging in the space where we were working was this evocative work by Khaya Njabulo Malinga *Lustito* I 2021 Ilford Galerie Paper 1/5

Further workshops

We all agreed that collaging was something we wanted to continue, so asked Jibril for further workshops. Unfortunately the next date which was set I couldn’t make but despite not having finished the first task (the orange mug) for sure I will be there for any meetings next year. A great afternoon of wonderful people and a fun time playing creatively. Thank you Jibril and all who attended the workshop.