Meet: Langa
3D design student Langa talks to us about bringing together his interests in 3D design and sculpture and the importance of making by hand on his undergraduate course at UAL.
Video picks: Cyrus Kabiru- C-Stunners
- Written byTeleica Kirkland
- Published date 25 September 2018
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Bridging the gap between art and fashion is Cyrus Kabiru who has been making wearable art out of the trash and discarded detritus he finds in Nairobi, Kenya where he resides. The use of waste materials in his work is very future-focused and speaks to the futuristic dystopian premonitions that have been shown in films like Blade Runner and District 9.
Cyrus Kabiru and the C-Stunners
Video: Ed Cross, courtesy of SMAC Gallery.
As a sculptor, his wearable art is seen as attributing to an Afrofuturism aesthetic which he aligns with the revitalising and renewal of waste he calls “giving trash a second chance”. Cyrus collects, reuses and recycles electronic and household waste items to develop the eyewear that he calls ‘C-Stunners’; wearable facial sculptures worn over the eyes as if they were glasses. These sculptures inadvertently become accessories, each having their own story of their inception.
Using his Kenyan heritage and background, Cyrus imbues each item with a narrative that holds a deep resonance with the social and political climate of Kenya and Africa as a whole. This attributes great cultural and environmental significance to his work which has seen his C-Stunners being used in fashion editorials, catwalk shows and advertising campaigns, and they can fetch anything up to $1000 or more. The recycled nature, the development of his style and the inclusion of his uniquely Kenyan influence are what attributes his C-Stunners to an Afrofuturism aesthetic.
Find out more about the work CIAD do surrounding the African diaspora:
Explore CIAD website: ciad.org.uk
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