(Thursday 16:30 – 19:30 | Register for free)

I Love You I Hate You explores the love-hate relationship that many people have with Johannesburg. It is a story told in two parts.

The first part is told through pictures. T-shirts have always been the core product of Love Jozi, and each t-shirt range emerged from a specific context. The visuals are from the 15-year-old Love Jozi image archive, tracing the city’s narrative through design.

The second part is told in words. It features essays by 34 writers, each commissioned to describe a complicated relationship with a city that is as much full of dread, as it is of hope and exhilaration. Each contributor was assigned a t-shirt range or slogan to inspire their thoughts. The result is a collection grappling with a complex place that evokes competing emotions.

The book is designed by Love Jozi’s creator, Bradley Kirshenbaum, and edited by Laurice Taitz-Buntman, founder of Johannesburg In Your Pocket.

About the talk

Before the book’s release, Bradley created a 40-minute overview of I Love You I Hate You. It includes the personal inspiration behind Love Jozi and how he translated his observations about the city into t-shirt artwork. It was first presented at the 2018 National Arts Festival in Makhanda and then at the book’s series of launches in October 2019. Bradley has also spoken at TBWA/Africa’s Annual Conference, Creative Mornings, The Bioscope, Grid Worldwide, The Rand Club, and other private events.

In celebration of I Love You I Hate You’s 5-year anniversary, this fast-paced, funny, heartfelt, and inspiring story will be presented again at Design Week South Africa on 10 October 2024.

About the hosts

Love Jozi draws on Johannesburg as its creative inspiration. Founded in 2005 with a simple graphic of the Joburg skyline on a t-shirt, the brand’s offering has expanded to a wide range of products, including apparel, bags, maps, posters, wallpapers, homeware, and other quirky keepsakes.

Johannesburg in Your Pocket is a city guide that has grown into a media, marketing and events company with a focus on connecting people with the city. Advocates for a welcoming city, each week they profile the unique cultural mix that defines one of Africa’s most diverse cities, putting a spotlight on the people who power Joburg with their ingenuity, creativity and passion. 

Both brands have a focus on city-making projects and have an ongoing collaboration that has seen them create maps, collaborate with city districts and corporates, and take on a variety of urban projects aimed at enhancing people’s experience of Joburg. 

@lovejozi @johannesburginyourpocket