The Bad Touch ... David Bellamy, Simone & Douglas J Shaw

Artist, scientist, designer and environmentalist, David Bellamy is inspired by almost everything in the natural world... “and by ferocity, kindness, generosity, ambition, valour”.

Design meets Biodiversity

Rooted in the disciplines of science and art, his work reflects deeply held philosophical perspectives on humanity’s place in nature, ie a biocentrism that extends value to all living things and the environment in which they flourish.

“Our basecloths are either 100% Libeco Belgian linen or 55% linen, because linen has lower pesticide and water consumption impacts, as well as being very hard-wearing, with a long life. Linen is also renowned for the fact that it is biodegradable and does not produce landfill waste or sea plastic. “Our inks are made locally by Dala, and are low-toxicity, water soluble inks, reducing pollution and enhancing safety.

“The subject matter of the designs point to current South African issues, whilst participating in global conversations. The design ethos involves generating a “new African language”, which doesn't rely on appropriation of the work of other and older cultures, and stereotypes.

“If one thinks through as many dimensions of visuality, meaning, content, and production, anything can be made to participate in the restoration and repair of the biosphere, as well as intervening in the designing of human thinking and perception, probably the principal and most urgent zone of “design activism and intervention”. – David Bellamy, August 2016

The bbellamy&bbellamy shop in Main Road, Muizenberg houses an extensive curated collection of imported fabrics, hand-picked by David over decades, and is a treasure trove for local decorators, fabric lovers and tourists.

 Health and Home

Simone Prinsloo, a single mom with two children got diagnosed with breast cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. She lost her job and struggled to pay her house bond but tried holding on to her house in this difficult time. The Banksters and auctioneers then moved in and illegally sold her house with no regard to the Constitution or procedures required by Law. 

This brave woman tells her story on the iStart2 Show. We asked an Advocate of the Supreme Court, Douglas J Shaw,  to join us in Studio to give his opinion on the case. We have all seen the little heartless bot that will be running our lives at banks in future. It is time to bring back the humans?

 "No matter what you go through in life, 

you can make a difference"
- Simone Prinsloo on the iStart2 Show

To listen to the show, click play below:

Something to think about:

Make a difference out there this week :-)
 

Sustainability Conversations ... Pesticides, Banks, Bots & the Auctioneer

Destiny is a journey.... And sometimes I get scared.... But mostly I get excited, inspired and taken aback when people with passion conspire and choose to make different outcomes come true.... These small acts of courage and belief give meaning and greatness to this paradoxical thing we call life...

On the iStart2 Show this week we focus on two stories:

Simone's story about bots:

(Definition of Bots: the larvae of the botfly, which is an internal parasite of animals. It lives typically in the stomach, finally passing through the host's dung and pupating on the ground).

Simone got cancer and lost her job. The bank (bots) moved in and sold her property on an auction. "Simone, the victim, struggling with cancer was subjected to numerous illegalities in the selling of her property, says Douglas J Shaw, an Advocate of the Supreme Court. "For a number of reasons the bank acted illegally:

- Firstly, an appeal for leave to Appeal was pending;
- Should the Appeal have been in some way defective, then the bank's remedy would be an exception or Rule 30;
- Secondly, the notice of sale in execution was only served three days before the auction and not 30 days as the rues provide:
- Thirdly, the property was auctioned twice despite the first buyer not agreeing thereto;
- The first auction was defective in that the wrong figure was given for municipal rates;
- The second auction was also for a lower amount than the first bidder;
-  This is without going into the unconstitutionality of the process itself"

Tune in on Thursday at 17h30 and hear a brave woman tell her story.

David's story about pesticide:  

(Definition of Pesticide: a substance used for destroying insects or other organisms harmful to cultivated plants or to animals).

Artist, scientist, designer and environmentalist, David Bellamy is inspired by almost everything in the natural world .. "and by ferocity, kindness, generosity, ambition, valour."

David's textile designs and oil paintings refer to the natural world, out of which we evolved and upon which we depend. “We should be making everything last for as long as possible, every object should have nine lives, so we should always live with old and new things,” he opines.

Rooted in the disciplines of science and art, his work reflects deeply held philosophical perspectives on humanity’s place in nature, ie a biocentrism that extends value to all living things and the environment in which they flourish.

Before he was an artist he was a war resistor, leaving South Africa for the UK in 1983. As a conscientious objector, he worked for the Committee on South African War Resistance (COSAWR) in London, later serving part-time in the public housing sector, while he completed a BA Honours degree at Central St Martins School of Art.

In 2001 he returned to South Africa, setting up the Cape Francolin Art Hotel in Riebeeck Kasteel. However after only three years running the hotel, he became ill as a consequence of pesticide drift exposure from the vineyards.

He campaigned against this issue and appeared on Carte Blanche, in Noseweek and in the Cape Times. This activism attracted harassment from the local farmers and a series of court cases flowed. David was partially represented by Angela Andrews of the Legal Resources Centre, UCT.

This drew her attention to the fact that chronic pesticide drift poisoning is ubiquitous and she turned her attention to getting regulations around agricultural remedies updated. Agricultural remedies are a euphemism for pesticides. Pesticide spraying is regulated by the Department of Agriculture pursuant to the Fertilizer, Farm Feeds and Agricultural Remeddies Act, 1947 (Act No. 36 of 1947)

Design meets Biodiversity
Litigation costs prompted David to start marketing a range of what he calls "the cushions of the revolution" via his design house, bbellamy & bbellamy. Starting off as a means of funding legal costs, the company now markets these inhouse textiles as a way to address issues of biodiversity, focussing, too on water conservation and opposition to fracking, which requires urgent attention, believes Bellamy.

Keitu Gwangwa & Pierre du Toit host the iStart2 Show on Thursdays at 17h30. Radio Today broadcasts on 1485 MW (AM) in greater Johannesburg and countrywide on ‪#‎DStv‬ audio channel 869. 

 

Radio Today also streams globally on www.1485.org.za. 

Something to think about ...
"I am the people, I am not the pig. You got to make a distinction. And the people are going to have to attack the pigs. The people are going to have to stand up against the pigs"

- Fred Hampton