3. The Multidisciplinary Artist: Tony Gum
Tony Gum, Black Coca-Cola
In the words of writer Toni Morrison, “All good art is political.” And in the case of the work of Cape Town-based illustrator, YouTuber and conceptual artist Tony Gum (pronounced “Goom”), Morrison’s words are brought to life. In a series of images titled Black Coca-Cola featuring the young artist, Gum poses alongside Coca-Cola bottles and the brand’s logos as a critique of the whitewashing of the beverage company’s advertising. “Figured Coca-Cola needed a black woman in their presence,” Gum remarks on her website, which shows off a large oeuvre for someone who graduated high school in 2013. Beneath an image of Gum in red and white with a Coca-Cola tray on her head, she writes, “A woman derived from the 60's, as well as an African woman (which explains why the crate is on my head) merged into one to create an image of Black Coca-Cola lady. An image relatable to every Mom, Pink and Larry.” Chatting to the artist over the phone, she adds that after her gap year in 2014, she plans on studying and will continue doing work with the more fashion orientated Local Collective.
