True to its vision of “placing African treasure on the gallery of humanity,” AmAfrikan has unveiled a new collection of striking art and luxury brands.

AmAfrikan is an online retail space started by brothers Lerato and Tumisho Masha, which works with artists and entrepreneurs, offering a virtual market place for selected African art and designer products ranging from fashion, accessories, crafts to furniture and homeware.

New artists on the AmAfrikan store are Nico Phooko; Sabelo Mkhaliphi; Neo Mahlangu: Themba Mashinini, aka vonMash and Koketso Sedumedi. Brands include IFreecan Timepiece; Black Box Design Studios and BrothrJon.

Phooko is a veteran artist whose work captures the tensions of the musician and artist in him trying to find expression. Spontaneous and spiritual, it echoes sounds and life in vivid and abstract imagery.

Mkhaliphi works with black women and girls as his muse and agenda. Using realism, with smooth textures and vibrant colours, he creates portraits of black women and girls in bold accessories to symbolize their beauty and the cultural significance and heritage of African jewellery. With his work he highlights the plight of his subjects and advocates for their justice.

Focussing on illustrations, graphic design and art direction, 2017 Cassirer Welz Award finalist, Mahlangu is an emerging contemporary young artist, who straddles the lines between socially aware fine art that inspires conversation or provokes introspection; and graphic design that is urban-cool, conscious of its time and commemorative.

Mashinini who goes by the artist name, vonMash, creates digital art that is radical and innovative. Through the use of new media, he brings together African aesthetics, political and social issues and psychedelic colours and textures to communicate his views.

Through her KetsoKoi Creations, interior decorator, Sedumedi works with the purity of the earth and unveils its inherent beauty through her innovative and elegant interior art pieces that boasts organic materials like dried skins of calabashes; naturally shed wood; porcupine quills and various seeds.

On the lifestyle front, Black Box Design Studios comprises of the astute design duo, Jamie Kotze and Johan Coetzee from Cape Town who create high end furniture with an African twist.

BrothrJon, founded in Maboneng by Thabo Ngobeni, is about stylish and functional accessories that enhance and complement the style of the everyday gentleman with inspired designs and South African made items that include bags, belts and shoe laces.

Philosophically extending on African cultural idiosyncrasies, IFreecan Timepiece boasts traditionally made watches that are handcrafted using an ancient art inspired by nature and Africa – specializing in hand stitched leather and bamboo designs, infused in contemporary idioms.

AmAfrikan is intent on cultivating an appreciation for fine African art and luxury brands that brim with Africa’s heritage and edge, and showcasing that to a global market.

Follow the conversation on social media with the hashtag #AmAfrikan

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