Lit.Culture bookstore and Breezeblock Café in Brixton team up to make culture alive in Johannesburg
(In)Layers – A Solo Exhibition by Slovo Mamphaga in collaboration with Lit culture opened on November 9, 2025, at Breezeblock, 29 Chiswick St, Brixton, Johannesburg, and is running till December 6, 2025.
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
When I arrived at Breezeblock Café in Brixton on Saturday, 8 November for a cultural experience event that featured live jazz bands, an exhibition of art works and DJs spinning African adult contemporary music, the place was building up with guests arriving.
I was immediately immersed into cool music tunes that the DJs were playing, that is after exchanging pleasantries with acquaintances, and there are always familiar faces at such places. It could be because places where culture is shared are far and few in between these days, especially after the closure of such cool places as Roving Bantu Kitchen in Brixton that used to be run by cultural innovator Sifiso Ntuli, a place that coincidentally was based in Brixton. Not to talk about other cultural enriching events such as the Politburo Sessions co-created and run by Ntuli and Sbu “The General” Nxumalo. Such evens were places of good cultural vibes, where the cultured met, exchanged notes and had a good time.
However encouragingly Lit.Culture bookstore, which is housed in the Breezeblock Café, is definitely filling the gap, and once again those who love culture and a relaxed atmosphere while either watching a live music performance or being entertained by a DJ, seem to have fallen in love with Breezeblock in Brixton. The good thing about the place is that it also houses Lit.Culture book store, which is steadily distinguishing itself as the place to get hold of that rare book that you have been looking for and been struggling to get hold of at mainstream bookstores. Writer Kulani Nkuna and his team, are actually doing a good job of curating really rare books for a discerning reader in the bookstore. In fact, Lit.Culture is not a huge book store, but it is ambitious in its curation of good books. Really good books. One may even add that it is punching above its weight. You need to go there and see for yourself what I am talking about.
And their formula of hosting events is perfect for those who love culture, as you will get to listen to cool music by DJs, or watch a live show as you browse through their titles.
On Saturday, the atmosphere was quite chilled, and those that attended the event seemed to be enjoying themselves as they listened to the DJs, danced to the sound, as well as viewing an exhibition of really quality artworks by multidisciplinary artist Slovo Mamphaga, whose solo show opened and is currently running till December 6, 2025.
It is a pity though that I had to leave for another engagement, and did not have the opportunity to watch the live acts that were billed to perform. Those billed include Flames Shilowa, Rob Tha Banka, Mamello Pule, Lunga Mkila, Manjik Mak, Snazzo,Jod and Maxewell Baloyi. However, I am sure that those who stayed around and so were those who arrived after I had left must have had a good time too. And so a big one to lit.Culture and Breezeblock Café when it comes to promoting culture in Johannesburg. Next time you are around Johannesburg, please check them out. They might just be hosting an event that may just make your time in Johannesburg worthwhile.
The good thing though for those who may have missed the event is that they can now visit the Slovo’s exhibition, which is running till next month. Slovo is one of the visual artists whose works are really cool. In fact, he is one of Johannesburg’s underrated visual minds.
In (In)Layers – Slovo Mamphaga reveals the complexity of his artistic processes and how his works emerge through design, experimentation and visual exploration. Drawing from his multimedia background, his practice is process-driven, balancing spontaneity with structure and control with freedom.
Through imaginary surrealism, he constructs vivid terrains of color, texture, form that question perception and approach. Each layer of paint or pattern becomes a site of investigation where meaning is discovered rather than declared. Fragmented, dreamlike figures show the tension between chaos and design, tradition and transformation.
(In)Layers invites viewers to look beneath the surface and experience how the artist’s inquiry turns material into thought and thought into matter. It is a meditation on creating, questioning and becoming through the revealing act of layering.
.(In)Layers – A Solo Exhibition by Slovo Mamphaga in collaboration with Lit culture is on at Breezeblock, 29 Chiswick St, Brixton, Johannesburg, 2019 till December 6, 2025.