Based in Botswana, Mabeo Studio explores the intersection of craft, design and culture, collaborating with artisans to create contemporary works that draw on local materials, cultural heritage and a deep respect for craftsmanship.
Curated by Artistic Director Es Devlin, this year's theme for Homo Faber, An Island of Light, examines the interplay between light, materials and creativity, placing the work of craft artists from around the world at the heart of the experience. In keeping with Homo Faber's focus on the maker, their materials, tools and processes, Parata will weave live in the A Rooted Ascent room alongside presenting Diware, a new sculptural work created with Mabeo Studio.
A member of the Ngamiland Basket Weavers, from the north-western region of Botswana, Parata will present basket-weaving techniques using locally gathered materials drawing on skills and practices passed through generations. Parata learnt her skills from her mother and grandmother, and continues to experiment with different approaches to technique, pattern and colour.
Her work is guided by her personal connection to the Okavango River, the movement of its seasons and the materials it yields. Through Parata's work, the project recognises both an individual practitioner and the wider community and traditions of making of which she is part.
Alongside a live weaving presentation at Homo Faber, Parata and Mabeo Studio have created a new sculptural work called Diware, that brings together natural materials from Botswana including woven palm leaves, naturally gathered porcupine quills, carved wood and semi-precious stones.
The work is founded on Manyevora, a traditional Mbukushu attire associated with Diware, a historic healing ceremony that today is more commonly represented through dance. The Manyevora is the most prominent element in the Diware sculpture, comprised of foraged materials from nature. The natural and crafted materials have been brought together deliberately, each retaining its own character. This combination of elements reflects an interest in convergence, between maker and material, individual and community, people and place.
Through Homo Faber, De Beers explores the craft skills and organic materials that originated from the same landscape as natural diamonds. Parata's presentation follows South African artist Abongile Sidzumo's participation in August. De Beers' wider collaboration with Mabeo Studio will continue at Frieze Masters in London this October, where the studio is working with basket weavers from this collective, as well as potters and wood carvers from across Botswana on a new commission for Voyage Through the Diamond Realm, Chapter Two.
Lynn Serfaty, General Manager – Natural Diamonds, De Beers, says: "Shakunona Parata's work at Homo Faber reflects the skill, dedication and heritage that shape the relationship between natural materials and craft. We are pleased to support her collaboration with Beullah Serema and Peter Mabeo of Mabeo Studio as part of this year's Homo Faber."
Shakunona Parata, says: "My life and that of the river are connected. The flood plains of the Okavango river guides my activities and rituals. My basket weaving practice is an extension of nature, of the river through the materials it yields, the movement of the seasons and my hands, seeing through my eyes with conscientiousness of all that is around me and within me, through my work."
Mabeo Studio, says: "Homo Faber presents an opportunity to consider relationship. While it is helpful to recognise the highly valued and respected individual maker, in our studio, we also see it as worthwhile to be aware of how any practice is but a small expression of a whole. To see the indivisible wholeness of life and living, intangibly in approach and physically with how natural materials are related with, across cultures, through simple and dedicated craft acts."
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About De Beers Group
Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world's leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world's largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group's strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers London and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology services. De Beers Group is committed to 'Building Forever,' a holistic and integrated approach to sustainability that underpins our efforts to create meaningful impact for the people and places where our diamonds are discovered. Building Forever focuses on three key areas where, through collaborations and partnerships around the globe, we have an enhanced ability to drive positive impact; Livelihoods, Climate and Nature. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
About Homo Faber
Homo Faber Biennial is an international celebration of contemporary craftsmanship in Venice, curated by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship. The flagship project of Homo Faber, a cultural movement centred on creative artisans worldwide, it brings together the work of hundreds of master artisans, rising stars and designers in the magnificent setting of Fondazione Giorgio Cini. Homofaber.com.
About Mabeo Studio
Mabeo Studio is a collective instigated in Botswana. Mentally, it is not geo politically constrained. Operating between the various fields of art, design, architecture, and associated means of communication; each field is applied in its own right yet, with a sense of nonspecific, broad curiosity, consideration and observation. Disciplines and classification are only used as a particular mode of implementation in and through time as actual life continues.
With art and design at times being viewed through topical issues and thought patterns of the day, ideas around aestheticism and fresh directions are all either as significant or as insignificant as the physical materials being manipulated and, as significant or insignificant as the psychology of all involved.
The studio interest is to engage in ways that subtly go beyond structured norms and to question the widespread preoccupation with visual sensuality and the unfounded appearance of originality and responsibility. Ongoing initiatives to attract attention are not a priority, other than to increase the probability of meeting collaborators who are conscientious and curious about simpler and more natural approaches.
Perceiving resonance and discord between international art or design influences from the past and present, within the valued natural environment, old cultures and clear attitudes surrounding the studio locale; a craft rooted approach, combined with basic industrial methods that can be contaminated with technology on the rare occasion is adopted.
A universal, free and accommodating approach that is premised on the ability to observe and to relate humanely is practiced. Looking beyond and through industry experience into a non-constrained sense, all materials, including the sustainable use of thought as actual material, are engaged with.
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