NESPRESSO PARTNERS WITH BABA TJEKO FOR ITS FIRST ARTIST COLLABORATION IN SA
Nespresso South Africa has announced an exciting collaboration with local artist, Baba Tjeko, for its new World Explorations coffee range. Introducing Cape Town Envivo Lungo, the partnership is a major move forward for the world leader in portioned coffee, which has paid tribute to South Africa by including our Mother City in the line-up of Nespresso World Explorations Lungo coffees. The Nespresso World Explorations collection invites coffee lovers to discover the world’s diverse coffee tastes and traditions. Building on the popular Lungo collection, the range showcases coffees inspired by cities around the world, including Stockholm, Shanghai, Tokyo, Vienna, Buenos Aires and our very own, Cape Town.
For Cape Town Envivo Lungo, Nespresso wanted to encapsulate the city’s boldness, vibrancy and colour. As such, the brand partnered with local artist, Baba Tjeko, to bring the soul of this coffee-loving city to life. Tjeko, who regards coffee making and coffee drinking as an art form, says, “With World Explorations, Nespresso is celebrating coffee culture in different cities. In the context of Cape Town, it is really a vibrant, colourful city with exciting jazz culture. I took these elements, along with iconic land marks like Table Mountain and the Ferris wheel, the symbolism of a coffee cup, as well as Nespresso’s Cape Town Envivo Lungo packaging design, and integrated them into my visual language called Ditema, to come up with a design that reflects the beautiful energy of the Mother City through African designs, ideas and perspectives.”
Tjeko, a multi-disciplinary visual artist best known for his Ditema paintings and drawings, was first introduced to colour in preschool. “I remember being fascinated by colour, and it ignited my mind and imagination,” he shares. Ditema is a form of Basotho mural art composed of decorative geometric patterns usually featuring objects from the natural world like farming fields, plants, or animals. Ditema’s use of colour also aligns with that of Ubuntu and traditional African styles, but due to urbanisation, is now a dying art form. “Ditema gave me an artistic voice and identity and through the collaboration with Nespresso World Explorations, I am able to fully embrace and encapsulate its beauty and tradition, and introduce the art to a new generation. Nespresso is rooted in how coffee is sourced by protecting traditions and how it is produced and enjoyed throughout the years. In the same way, I aim to keep the memory and history of Ditema alive.” he concludes.
Tjeko’s artwork is featured in the Nespresso boutique windows at the V&A Waterfront and Canal Walk, in some kiosks across the country. See more on Nespresso’s Facebook and lnstagram pages, and follow the #NespressoWorldExplorations, #NespressoZA and #CapeTownEnvivoLungo conversation. Nespresso’s World Explorations Cape Town Envivo Lungo blends Indian Arabica and Robusta to deliver an intense and full-bodied Lungo with a punchy, bitter note and woodsy aroma. Unfold the coffee’s smooth roasted notes with a splash of milk to enjoy it like a local. The Nespresso World Explorations coffee range, with capsules made from 80% recycled aluminium, is available at www.za.buynespresso.com and at Nespresso boutiques. And remember, Nespresso’s aluminium capsules are infinitely recyclable, so enjoy your coffee responsibly.