Die Antwoord as artists
The often overlooked side of Die Antwoord
Let’s consider the non-music side of Die Antwoord. The electronic music that they make isn’t necessarily everyone’s favourite. (Even though they do have legitimate history in that regard.) Instead I’m going to take a look at the artistic collaborations they have done over the years.
The Zef side music video, one of their first, was directed by Sean Metelerkamp. He also did a photo shoot with all three band members that was used as early promotional material. Metlerkamp won the Guggenheim Museum’s 2010 top 25 YouTube video awards for Zef side. Die Antwoord disputes Metelerkamp’s role as director for the Zef side videos, and has since distanced themselves from him.
The photographer Roger Ballen has helped design the set for their music video Enter The Ninja directed by Rob Malpage. You will see his work at around 1:34, the high contrast black & white background. He also co-directed the I Fink you freaky music video (which won some international awards). If you even turn the sound off, and approach the video as a short art film, you will see Ballen’s distinct dark imagery in almost every frame. Ballen recently also had an exhibition in Cape Town with some of his photos from the music video set. Credit was also given to Ballen at the end of the Max Normal.TV video Total Fuckup.
Bitter Comix’s creator Anton Kannemeyer, an artist that actually teaches the subject at Stellenbosch University, has described Die Antwoord as what his work would sound like if it were a band. His art is also very South African and skirts the repugnant. Kannemeyer speaks about his first Die Antwoord experience, and his inspiration for the lithographs (first images on this page). As he says at 2:08 “They really like to take the rug out from people, to confront people”. I think that is everyone’s first impression. Die Antwoord used his work Black Gynaecologist as inspiration of the Fatty Boom Boom music video scene where a cockroach is removed from Lady Gaga. In 2011 Kannemeyer had an exhibition in New York with some Die Antwoord pieces.
In 2011 Die Antwoord released a 25 min short film Umshini Wam directed by Harmony Korine of Kids fame. It is very much an arty film. Longs shots that don’t really progress the story etc. It did première at SXSW, which might be worth something. At a similar time Yolandi rejected David Fincher (Director of Seven, Fight Club, The Social network) on an offer to star as the the leading lady in the American version of the film Girl with a Dragon Tattoo. She said that Die Antwoord “is her life”. At least that is what the rumours suggested. A 2011 interview with Fincher suggested that he never actually met her, but used her image as inspiration of the female character. Yolandi did mention that her agent was in contact with Fincher for her to do the role, but she wanted to rather focus her energy on the music. (In the same interview she mentions that Ninja was offered the lead role for Elysium which he almost took, but eventually declined.)
In a teaser video for the Ten$ion album a character that resembles Jane Alexander’s The Butcher Boys was featured. The video was later taken down for copyright infringement.
Alexander Wang is just a fashion designer, but I want to mention the short ad that they did for him in 2012. I found it to be visually stunning. Each sequence is timed to perfection with the music. Wang also designed the Voodoo witch dress in the Pitbull Terrier video, and the hair costumes in Fatty Boom Boom.
The last video that I am going to present is not a collaboration, but just a making of video of their video Fatty Boom Boom. It will highlight some subtleties that most people will probably miss when just watching the video. (Full NSFW video.)
If I have whet your appetite for more Die Antwoord, then I suggest you go an look at the Baby’s on fire video. I am of the opinion it is a good observational commentary on poor white families living in Goodwood. Another video with a similar feel, is Cookie Thumper about Yolandi’s relationship with a Cape Flats gangster.
Obviously we can’t all like the same things, and if you still dislike Die Antwoord, then I won’t stop you. I hope this has at least given you some insight into their work.