Meet Lynn Daphne “Nobuhle” Rudolph | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lynn Daphne “Nobuhle” Rudolph and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lynn Daphne “Nobuhle”, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think of risk as something that is necessary in life.
There is no life worth living if there is no risk. If there is no fear that where you are going is an unknown path.

In my life, I have always taken risks, because I have always had questions regarding the traditional practices or learned courses. My curiosity has been the risk in my life that I have dared to follow.
My curiosity has always led me down a path that from an outsiders perspective to my own, has seemed like a very risky move.

I try to find my own path through my own ways of knowing and being, which look very different to that of someone else’s.
I ave taken the risk to walk in my own oath, even when it meant that the safer choice, the more stable choice would provide me with a life of comfort. I do not wish to know comfort that is someone else’s. That is my risk in life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My journey has been a beautiful one from the beginning. The beauty which is not without rejection, oppression, hurt and forms of manipulation from institutions and spaces which could never hold the magnitude of my work. I am a classically trained, multi-award winning musician, with a master’s degree in performance and still I find myself negotiating my worth in the arts industry. From a very young age, I knew that I would not follow the traditional path of a classical musician, however in my pursuit for an “alternative” career path, I had found that all industries and institutions are unable to correctly guide and hold artists as we enquire and uncover what is the reality and utopia of this world.

I find that being an artist in today’s world, where we are being rendered useless by convenience such as easy entertainment, we are having to find the reason for our existence on our own. I am most proud of myself when I recognise that I am not being valued in a specific field or context, and can immediately remove myself. I have learnt to not bear any anger or animosity towards parties or individuals when alignment is not possible, rather to continue on my own journey of curiosity. Because my success has ultimately been as a result of my own doing and the support of a very tight-knit community, I have been able to sustain myself as an artist and musician. I am now the very proud leader and founder of a band Sonic Lens as well as an art collective that works in communities where we work with children to create short films and teach them skills of film and music making. I create music with my band that people often struggle to define in terms of a genre, because improvisation is at the core of what we do. I create from a deep place of care, which I was not afforded growing up, because of my classical studies, so when I create now, I create from a place of freedom which allows me and also requires me to create through various mediums, including film, music, sound instillation and lighting.

I also create through these mediums with the help of my art collective which consists of a writer, farmer, 2 producers and DJ’s. Through the connection of various mediums, I am able to tap into these forms, without needing to channel one form which allows me to express fully as an artist.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh I loooooove Johannesburg!

As someone who is born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, “Jozi” (Johannesburg) as we know it, has been a city I’ve always dreamed of living in. I was raised on TV shows around the cosmopolitan city, which always showcased the most glamorous African people living in a utopia of black excellence and existence. My favourite café is Breezeblock in Brixton, Johannesburg where I host my performances with Sonic Lens. This place is a perfect space for a cup of tea, a plate of pasta and a friendly face from one of the staff members. Whenever I visit the café, I am always greeted with hugs from the staff and I guarantee that would be the energy for anyone visiting.

Another space I would take my bestie to would be Emmarentia Gardens. Johannesburg is often seen as the “concrete jungle” but many forget that it is also the largest man-made urban forest in the world. Emmarentia is most beautiful just after sunrise when the dewdrops are still fresh and the mist lay still over the water.

For exceptional food, I must give a proper shoutout to Fordsburg which can provide anything from Tikka-chicken, Persian tea, Turkish delights and Kolfi. The blend of cultures in this area never ceases to amaze me, which is why I will always bring my nearest for a curry and lassi in Fordsburg.

My favourite space has to be my home, which I use to host many artists, record music, make visuals, etc. With my collective and larger community, I host dinners at my house which offers a much needed community space for us as creatives. It’s my joy to have people share in community in my home and I hope I am able to continue in this tradition.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents. They have been my biggest supporters and holders of my talent. From the moment I showed real interest in an instrument, my parents invested their time and energy to nurture my talent from the age of 4. From there, with the very limited resources and knowledge they had of music and art, they made sure to ensure my success by supporting tuition and music schools, arts residencies, masterclasses abroad, and so much more.

They both continue to provide a space for me to grow as an individual, which allows me to create art that is felt from a place of deep resonance within myself. This art which is then created by me, is felt among the greater community, which I am then able to pour into my parents. It’s all a cycle of love!

Instagram: https://Daphne.zar

Soundcloud: Sonic Lens

Facebook: Lynn Daphne Rudolph

Youtube: @lynn.daphne.rudolph

Image Credits
Photographers:

Ryan Swart
Brian Engel
Luke Rudman
Malaika Evans