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Friday, February 28, 2014

Search for resident artists to bring ‘Absolut’ transformation to Jozi CBD!

From the brand that has continuously pushed the boundaries of contemporary culture through creative collaborations with artists such as Andy Warhol, Louise Bourgeois and Damien Hirst, and more recently with Spike Jonze and Swedish House Mafia; comes an inspiring search for up-and-coming, cutting-edge artists that will help define and transform the cultural zeitgeist of Jozi. 


Under the global brand ethos, Transform Today, Absolut South Africa is launching an artist residency programme called "The Residence by ABSOLUT", which will see five multi-disciplinary creatives working both collaboratively and independently to bring about meaningful change to the Jozi CBD.
Transform Today is anchored in the insight that for the Millennial generation, the future is not a given, it's what you create. And Absolut globally is employing the talents of emerging artists to inspire them to create the future — their future and not someone else's version of it. The aim is to ultimately connect with the creative spirit in us all and to inspire artistic transformation around the world. “What we are introducing in South Africa is an artist residency unlike any other – because the participants will be from a variety of creative disciplines. 

We’re accepting entries from street artists to architects, industrial designers to visionary entrepreneurs; who will all apply their collective creative talents to solve real problems and challenges within the CBD,” explains Shirley Mabiletja, Brand Manager for Absolut.

There is no doubt that creativity has the power to affect meaningful change and the Jozi CBD is a perfect example of this. It’s a fascinating story of urban renewal that’s been attracting people back into the city for the past several years, and now The Residence creatives will be able to add their collective voice to its incredible future. “Each generation there are a handful of artists who have left a transformative mark. Our aim through this initiative is to collaborate with five cutting-edge artists to help them do just that,” remarks Mabiletja.

For two weeks in May, the artists will live together in a fully serviced apartment located in the über-trendy and urban Maboneng Precinct, where they will immerse themselves in the environment in order to fully comprehend the challenges at hand. The entire process will be documented, and a blog will host artist profiles with intimate videos that not only introduce the creators but showcase ideas that inspire them, and the goals of their work. This platform will also allow the creatives to interact and engage with the Absolut community who they can draw inspiration from.

“We are excited about what type of ‘Absolut’ transformations this initiative will bring to the Jozi CBD. For us as a brand we love to champion contemporary art and creatives who have daring spirits and a dedication to continuously transform the possibilities of personal expression. It is through creativity and curiosity that we are able to bring about change, and ultimately ‘Transform Today’,” Mabiletja concludes.


So if you approach challenges in your field with unrivalled creativity and if you would like to leave an indelible impact on one of Africa’s most exciting cities and help Transform Today, send your profile and portfolio to absolutblackbox@pernod-ricard.com. Entries close 07 March 2014.

Issued by Capacity Relations - Simphiwe Majola.

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