Next to put pen (or brush, haha) to our 15 Questions questionnaire is multi-disciplinary artist and good friend of the business, David Brits. Since graduating from Michaelis Art School in 2010, David’s CV evidences that he’s stayed very busy in the local and global art world, most recently indicated by his contribution to Fede Arthouse and Under Projects’ collaborative group exhibition, Fullhouse, at blank projects this year, as well as his solo show titled Time is a Flat Circle at MOVART Gallery in Lisbon in 2022. David’s work contemplates and commemorates histories related to various aspects of his identity. Possibly most prominent and recognisable in his catalogue are his looping serpentine 3D sculptures that pay homage to his grandfather’s legacy as a preeminent South African snake catcher and expert. David combines this historical reflexivity with experimental uses of modern material technologies to produce imposing sculptures that make you consider the connection between past with present.
Daniel first encountered David’s work at his solo exhibition titled Sketches for the Cathedral of Johannesburg at HAZARD Gallery in October of 2016. His interest led him to do some extra research on David and his previous work. Around the same time, Daniel was keen to produce all-over-print garments for Good Good Good’s upcoming SA Menswear Week runway show in early 2017. Enamoured with the snake motifs and patterns in David’s work, a light went on in Daniel’s head, convincing him to email David and ask whether he’d be interested in collaborating on a textile design. They met the next day, and according to Daniel, their connection was instant. David was not consulted for his side of the story, but something obviously clicked. Their first collaborative collection of textiles, consisting of vibrant winding duotone patterns inspired by David’s snake-whispering roots, featured on the runway in February 2017 alongside T-shirts and caps based on the original posters that advertised his granddad’s snake shows. Their second design commemorated Daniel’s Jewish upbringing by adapting the original snake pattern to depict the braided candles associated with a weekly ceremony called Havdalah. While the patterns made a strong impression during SA Menswear Week, the garments have never been released commercially. David and Daniel are still plotting to put them out one day.
David came across as a comfortingly unassuming guy when I met him for the first time last week, with clear intentions to learn and share. He could have been compensating for swerving Daniel’s request to do our questionnaire for months, but since he’s finally gotten around to it, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. For an artist whose work is intensely considered and explorative, we trust that his recommendations below are equally so.
