Yuri Suzuki worked collaboratively with creative technologist Nathan Gates and local artists Bogosi Sekhukuni and Neo Mahlasela to create an installation, soundtrack and video piece entitled ‘Warm Leatherette’. ‘Warm Leatherette’ was originally produced by Daniel Miller, a song that references J.G Ballard’s 1973 novel ‘Crash’ a controversial story of flesh, sexuality and its violent melding with technology.
In the intensive five day collaboration, Suzuki and Gates created instruments from technology readily found in the streets of downtown Johannesburg, bringing together cheap Nokias, televisions, prayer horns made in India and cassettes tapes of Zulu groups sold around the Mai Mai market. The finished works were exhibited in the Kalashnikovv gallery over the A MAZE festival weekend and will also be showing at the British Council’s Blurring the Lines Exhibition in London.
The project was commisioned by onedotzero and is part of SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015 which is partnership between the Department of Arts & Culture, South Africa and the British Council.