by lue. is a visionary design agency co-founded by three diverse African women creatives. They are a London, UK and Johannesburg, SA based agency collaborating with global and local brands to create experiences that push culture forward by celebrating heritage and the impact it has on art, fashion, hospitality, development and technology.

Welcome to curated by lue. which is a playlist series celebrating the intersection of music and culture. This time we have curated a sonic experience with the Investec Cape Town Art Fair in mind. As artists and patrons collectively reflect on the 11th edition of the Fair, by lue. invites you to explore the boundless potential of art and music through an intentionally crafted playlist. The playlist titled ‘cpt by lue.’ has been curated through the lens of the Fair’s theme of ‘Unbound’, and linked to artworks they felt spoke to the theme.

“Our playlist is more than just a collection of songs—it’s a reflection of our culture, values, and identity.” -Ayan Said. By listening to cpt by lue., you’re not just experiencing music; you’re participating in a dialogue that transcends boundaries and redefines creativity, filling you in on what you missed should you have not been in the mother city.

Their process proved prosperous. It helped them stumble upon artists such as Carl-Edouard Keïta (showing with Galerie Ceclie Fakhoury), who is reclaiming cubism (a famous Malian sculpting technique favoured by Picasso) as a painting and drawing technique to celebrate the life of Malik Ambar and the ‘inspirational power of Black diasporic experiences when they are considered and told in their nuance and complexity’. They were also inspired by Romeo Mivekannin’s work that reclaims black representation, taking it away from the Western gaze.

But there was another Unbound occurrence they experienced from a heritage perspective: not every artwork spoke to Black identity from the lens of overcoming struggle. This emphasised that artists, especially emerging Black and Brown artists, don’t have to travel far back in time to create for the present. This, they believe, is a new heritage at play in the Fair and the African art scene at large. “There is an evolution in the curatorial vision, where the storytelling progressively matches our discussions of ourselves today, in our full expression, beyond just the parts of our narratives that are tied to an oppressive history”. – Pumla Maswanganyi

Access the playlist here. It was reviewed by curatorial genius Nkhensani Mkhari and here’s what he had to say:

“Music is syntax for the soul, unfurling a gestural vocabulary transcribed from motion and breath. The cpt by lue. playlist simmers a soliloquy in sound, a smouldering forest fire, melancholic but not without its own fierce beauty. This echo chamber is a homecoming, a place where the soul finds respite and reverberation.”

Featured image credit: Roméo Mivekannin, and his gallery is Galerie Eric DuPont in Paris.