On Saturday stylist and former fashion editor Jackie Burger hosted a fashion event, a conversation, and a feast at the magical property of sculptor Dylan Lewis and his Sculpture Garden.

I got terribly lost trying to find Mulberry Farm, Lewis’ home, and my Google Maps did not help either. Signage to the event was minimalist, and I was fortunate that the Dylan Lewis Studio phone was answered, and that the patient assistant talked me through the directions as I was driving, being the third person to have got lost. We had to park outside the gates of Mulberry Farm, and were reliant on the service of a shuttle bus to get us to the Studio, an unfortunate experience on arrival.

I was welcomed by Jenna McArthur, owner of the PR company handling the event, and shown the way down to the Round Room with a number of smaller sculptures, all in white. I was warned to not get a fright in seeing a ‘live’ model sitting amongst the sculptures, dressed in white.

We were welcomed with Graham Beck MCC, Juicebox Pure Fruit Juices, watermelon coulis, and hibiscus-pickled oysters by Chanelle Schoon of Schoon de Companje. Jackie welcomed the 140 guests, most of whom were good about following the dress code of wearing one’s ‘most magical dress‘ and sneakers. It was nippy at stages, and some of the guests had come in furs, evening wear, and other magic outfits. Jackie told us that we were privileged to experience the special Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden.

Jackie gave us an hour in which to experience the special garden created by Lewis via the ‘Magic Meander‘ and the fashion installations which had been set up in different spots throughout the gardens, with works by Lewis and the magnificent mountains forming a special backdrop to the fashion items, created by top local designers KLûK CGDT, Black Coffee, Marianne Fassler, Suzaan Heyns, Clive Rundle, Vesselina Pentcheva, Superella, and Karen Ter Morshuizen. Jackie invited us to experience the emotion of the Sculpture Garden and its magical setting. The ‘upcycled garments‘ had been paired with adidas sneakers that ‘provokes a sense of fun, fantasy and repurposing’.

We didn’t know how far we were going to walk (hence the sneakers), there being lots of different paths, some leading one to the water lily pond, to a larger dam, a forest space (a welcome pit stop with more MCC and juices), with Lewis sculptures set amongst the greenery and models wearing the designer outfits. What was magical was who one met on the Magic Meander, friends, connections one had to one’s parents friends’ children, and past acquaintances. I was told that some of Lewis’ work is at Kirstenbosch, and it felt that we were in Kirstenbosch on his property.

We regrouped at the Boma after having been offered savory cheese macaroons as well as a ‘Terroir and Peace‘ cocktail. We were privileged to listen to Dylan Lewis, a deep-thinker sharing the dilemma we have between being wild and free-spirited on the one hand, and meeting society’s norms on the other. Lewis took seven years to create
his Sculpture Garden, and next year it will be opened to the public.  Important to him is ‘the wildness within man’s connection to nature and how to connect to one’s inner nature’. He is inspired by nature  which deepens his sense of place and gives him a better sense of who he is. At all sensory levels we are moving away from nature, and the virtual world is cutting us off from nature and from each other, placing us in a ‘shadow‘. He referred to a ‘Disconnection Syndrome‘, nature helping him to connect with this life. Man has tamed the world, with an ecological price to be paid for it. He shared that he was intrigued with animal figures initially, but found it limiting, moving to human figures, especially male ones, reflecting their muscle tone.
Even more challenging for him is to create human/animal sculptures. Profound was his saying that ‘we colonise each other in relationships by trying to change each other‘. We should live with the ‘otherness of the other‘.  Business coach Stanford Payne talked about the trend to uncluttering our lives, in terms of relationships, work, and belongings. ‘The less you have, the easier it is to move forward’, he said.

The Salon Show afternoon ended off with a Salon Feast, which had been prepared by Chanelle Schoon, the tables laden with big rounds of Camembert, edible plates, epi breads, dips, and terrines, followed by a modern-day trifle and poached pears. Protea wines were supplied by Anthonij Rupert Wines, matched with lots of pincushions, other proteas, and branches of figs, all beautifully curated by Alwijn Burger of Blomboy.

We were safely transported back to our vehicles, Sollie of Shuttle Up being a friendly ending to a very special magical afternoon spent with the charming and exceptionally kind Salon58 owner Jackie Burger, whom I had first met at the Nederburg Auction, where she showed us the latest trends in clothing, shoes, and accessories.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whalecottage.com/blog  Tel 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@WhaleCottage  Facebook:  click here