Design Indaba’s Emerging Creatives Class of 2022

His work is often autobiographical and unconventional and speaks to Queerness and the Queer aesthetic. Some of Luke’s more notable projects contain strong themes of environmentalism – a narrative which has historically excluded Queer perspectives. 

Luke has worked in collaboration with Greenpeace Africa for the last three years. Between 2019 and 2021 Greenpeace Africa invited him to create and perform artworks for their Protect-the Oceans campaigns. 

Mona-Lisa Mthethwa describes herself as inquisitive, determined and creative.

As an architecture graduate from Near East University, Mona-Lisa Mthethwa describes herself as inquisitive, determined and creative. She has worked with Peter Bond & Associates, Six Plus One and the Ubuntu Design Group. 

She believes that the field of architecture can be used as a tool to bring about sustainable change, cultural identity and diversity in the lives of communities. She is a passionate learner and seeks to grow through her interactions with others. 

Riyaadhs Yaad is a streetwear fashion house, focusing on inclusivity, culture, sustainability and tailoring.

Riyaadh Ismail is the founder and creative director at Riyaadhs Yaad. Riyaadhs Yaad is a streetwear fashion house, focusing on inclusivity, culture, sustainability and tailoring.

Riyaadh is also a freelance stylist, costume designer and creative director. It is vitally important to him to be involved in every single aspect of his passion for timeless garments and art.

Noxolo graduated from the University of Johannesburg with a degree in architecture

Noxolo Thando Masuku was dubbed with three birth names that form a beautiful sentence, meaning Peace, Love for Days/at Night. She was born on 17 February 1996 in Springs, Gauteng, but grew up in the small yet booming city of Nelspruit (now known as Mbombela) in Mpumalanga. 

She graduated from the University of Johannesburg with a degree in architecture. Currently, she is exploring a different sphere of the design world and has embarked on a journey to obtain a degree in Visual Multimedia Arts from the University of South Africa. 

Leila Walter is a Cape Town-based Weaver and Artist

Leila Walter is a Cape Town-based Weaver and Artist. Her creative journey has wound through many artistic media, guided always by curiosity for materials and the underlying structures of creative production. 

She graduated from the UCT Michaelis School of Fine Arts in 2014 with a BA in Fine Art. She produced a diverse body of work that included a wide array of materials and processes. 

Following graduation, her professional practice shifted to film, where she gained a deep understanding of the power of art as a narrative tool in the fields of both advertising and independent filmmaking. 

Buhle Nkalashe was born in 1994. This Cape Town-based independent artist has been practicing since 2011. He is a painter who incorporates mixed media like oil paint, acrylic paint, and oil pastels into his work.