17/10/2023
Since closing Gallery ZAZA in August 2022, Jono and I have been keeping very busy with our respective mural, writing, and editing jams. But we also realised that we’re happiest when we’re collaborating.
Enter Jackal & Hide, our new business, to house all of our projects under one roof, or bookshelf so to speak. It’s a veritable playground for Jono Hornby Lelo Mncwango, and Jaqui Hiltermann.
Jackal & Hide is a celebration of art and storytelling, and the idea is to make walls talk. Our mutual love of placemaking and creating everyday magic is at the heart of what we do.
We believe:
Public art and storytelling is a way to invigorate and improve public space.
There are alternative and better ways for businesses to advertise– ways that don’t include visual pollution and ways that actually improve the aesthetics of public space.
That public space can be a place of learning, entertainment, and everyday magic.
Everybody should have access to art and storytelling.
We chose the name because it represents our initials "JH", it plays on the idea of the hidden, the jackal is an archetypal African fable character that is known for being tricksy... And obviously, it draws on the classic Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.
While Jackal & Hide doesn’t celebrate the shockingly evil it does celebrate dualities– frontstaging and backstaging. Jackal & Hide shows that there’s more to a mural than meets the eye, and it’s always worth interrogating what’s in front of you.
We were also inspired by Jekyll and Hyde because it is a social commentary on the public and private, and class divisions. At its core, public art is about equality, which is why we want our murals and stories to be as diverse and representative as possible. They must always serve the community of which they are part.
Surprise, magic, and playfulness are often hidden. It’s time to find them.
