Mayet studied Art History and French for her undergraduate degree, unsure at first, she took Politics because of an interest in South Africa’s socio-political landscape but then took an art history course relating to images and modernity. This is when Afrah’s curiosity for exploring the world through art was overtly ignited and she found herself doing an Honours degree in Curating at UCT and a Master’s degree at Goldsmith’s in Contemporary Art Theory. She shared, “I love reading and I love history, and I initially didn’t realise that all of that could be explored through art. So once I figured that out, it’s like it just kept going and I realised that everything I was learning about the world in terms of politics or history, which I’m very interested in, I was doing on the back of art.”

“I think that I’m a very visual learner and I think that a lot of people in the world are visual learners. And so it was just this way of understanding the world through a different lens. Things weren’t sticking when I was learning politics and political theory. It only started to stick a bit more recently in my Master’s where I wasn’t reading art readings or exploring art in that way. I was exploring it through politics and philosophy. But at the start, with art, it made it all make sense to me.” 

Afrah’s admiration and respect for the realms of critical discourse, art curating, and the sanctuaries of creativity were woven throughout our conversation. It was apparent that her passion for research was nurtured during her Honours year, where she delved into the practical nuances of curating. What set her experience apart was her ability to traverse boundaries, embracing disciplines that lay ‘outside’ the traditional confines of art while remaining intrinsically tied to its artistry, “It was a very politically charged time and so everything was influenced by that. This is why I got a good understanding of how art fell into politics and history and what that meant for South Africa.”

Following her Honours year, Afrah moved to London. Initially drawn by the alluring intersection of Art and Politics, Mayet soon discerned that the realm of political and philosophical theory, however alluring, did not wholly satiate her appetite for the depths of art theory. Hence her switch to Contemporary Art Theory, where she found her intellectual haven within the Visual Cultures Department. She explained, “In my master’s I realised that a lot of my views in my undergrad and honours were misinformed or not seeing an underlying or hidden dimension…. When I got to Goldsmith’s, we started talking about underlying systems and how most contemporary issues in society are connected to colonial-capitalism.”

Afrah’s dissertation, titled ‘Loss, Hope and Repair: Living Out The Condition of Decoloniality,’ stands as a testament to her educational odyssey and her passion for analysing the intricate interplay between art and the myriad of social challenges that ripple across the globe. She expressed, “My interests in terms of South Africa have always been our history of apartheid, but also on the continent in general, I’ve always been interested in researching slavery and colonialism. My research focused a lot on colonial capitalism, how it’s impacted our contemporary society and how it’s the underpinning factor of our current existence. I think that broadened the way that I thought about art.” Not only could she explore the world through a more creative lens but she was prompted to reimagine the world.

“There was this real focus on possible futures and re-worlding. We were encouraged to think beyond the now and think about alternative ways we can exist together. It was very focused on interdependence and thinking about how we’re all connected, how all of our systems are connected and what might happen if we move forward and mirror nature or borrow from history and groups of people who have existed in this super interdependent way. Instead of this current individualised way of existing that has become naturalised, we can imagine those worlds.”

It was then that I realised the significance of not merely acknowledging the challenges our society confronts, but also the need to collectively find solutions to address these issues – and the place art has in reimagining a more just world. This is why I asked Afrah, “How can art change the world?”

“Art on its own can’t change the world but it is another vehicle to aid change and learn about the world.” She passionately shared how art has consistently been a catalyst for change, drawing from the Roadside Theater during the Civil Rights Movement and the transformative power of culture within the context of the struggle for human rights. This powerful narrative served as a testament to the vital role art plays in fostering social change and awakening collective consciousness. Furthermore, Mayet eloquently conveyed the universal accessibility of art as a tool for self-discovery and understanding one’s place in the world. Art, she explained, serves as a bridge, providing us with an accessible and meaningful way to connect with human existence and the issues that shape our world.

Afrah Mayet is an exceptional individual whose love for ‘pulling the threads’, learning, exploring and capturing moments through creative ways, inspired me to tap into the pockets of joy that life has to offer. Life reveals its breathtaking beauty, and in its every manifestation, art is discovered, whether it’s taking a picture of a sunset, reading poetry or visiting a museum, everything is art. Life itself is a masterpiece, and every facet of it, no matter how small, is a stroke of artistry waiting to be appreciated. Art, as Afrah has illuminated, serves as a profound refuge from the passing pains of existence. It has the power to transport us to alternate universes through the pages of a compelling book or to soothe our spirits with the melodies of a soul-stirring song. Yet, art also possesses a transformative force, capable of instigating change and catalysing movements.

Thank you Afrah for sharing your artistic knowledge and showing that the mosaic of our cities can be appreciated and shared through art. In a world that can always use more art enthusiasts, I hope that this article serves as an inspiration, encouraging you to discover art in every nook and cranny of our world and to promote artivism – the synergy between the arts, culture, and activism.

“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was Dostoevsky and Dickens who taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or whoever had been alive. Only if we face these open wounds in ourselves can we understand them in other people. An artist is a sort of emotional or spiritual historian. His role is to make you realize the doom and glory of knowing who you are and what you are. He has to tell, because nobody else can tell, what it is like to be alive.”

James Baldwin