DumaTau Design series: Curiosity Boxes created by Gina Waldman

It could be argued that until this third iteration of DumaTau, its Purpose story has never been articulated quite as creatively. In Part 2 of our ‘DumaTau Design’ blog series, we will be revealing a few more of the items that have been curated for the much-anticipated rebuild of this extraordinary camp set deep within the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve in Botswana.

Our first post shared exciting details about design artist Gina Waldman’s collaboration with Washington Muzondo, and the symbolic use of snare wire to create the camp’s elephant and wild dog sculptures. Read all about it here.

Commissioned by Lead Designer, Caline Williams-Wynn from Artichoke, Gina’s next DumaTau project under discussion is her use of the elements required to create ‘Curiosity Boxes’, or box-framed collages for DumaTau’s guest rooms. Each unit has two boxes, one about elephants and the other about wild dogs. Measuring some 1. 8m x 1. 3m in size, the large sealed boxes will be hung together in each room, the aim being to resemble a field officer’s or an explorer’s research.

Each box contains interesting facts and observational sketches of the two mammal species that the DumaTau Purpose is focused on in the Linyanti area. A fabric map of Botswana has been used in the elephant boxes, with the migration corridors that elephants use marked by a series of pins connected with black thread. In addition to a number of other interesting little items, a captivating water lily has been created from wire and added to the elephant boxes. Lily plants are very relevant in the Linyanti area as a variety of them grow in the channels.

The wild dog items have been placed onto a paper map of Botswana, offering interesting variations in texture. These include local woven basket fragments, old letters, envelopes and a magnifying glass. All of the items in the boxes are also accompanied by easily digestible chunks of information in the form of field notes.

‘Although the artwork is visually appealing it was important for it to tell DumaTau’s Purpose story, and essentially help guests understand why preserving the Linyanti is so important for species such as migrating elephants, and the wild dogs that use it as a dispersal hub’, says Mary-Anne van der Byl, Wilderness  Graphic Designer, and artistic consultant on the project. Being a collaborative effort, Mary-Anne forms part of the team of experts who have come together to produce these important concepts.

Beautiful yet thought-provoking, the artwork will provide guests with creative options for learning about the area, whether through a sculpture, a curiosity box or any of the other elements that have been curated.

Do make sure not to miss our next ‘DumaTau Design’ update… watch this space!