Young Talent Profile: Avela Lindiwe Swana
“I approach life with the question, how can I make myself useful?
Then opportunity opens itself up.”
These are the selfless words of a young creative and future architectural pioneer known as Avela Lindiwe Swana; a driving force who believes in the power of initiative.
Tell us more about yourself. What interests and inspires you?
“I’m very passionate about art and creativity overall, as a way of thinking and operating. Music has been a huge guide and spiritual anchor in my life, as well as literature. I’m heavily inspired by creatives before me. To better understand this world, I try to do the same in my own work.”
What motivated you to pursue your current studies/qualification after high school?
“Creativity is just the way my brain is wired. I was never interested in going into science or engineering. I knew I wanted to keep doing what I love but channel it into a professional career. I chose architecture because I think it combines both my passion for creativity with social upliftment. It is important to centre your life around how you can improve yourself, your community, and perhaps even beyond international borders.”
What challenges have you faced in searching for internships or work opportunities?
“Many firms have downsized due to COVID and the economic strains facing our country. I have been able to get a few interviews, which is more than I expected; however, work has not come to fruition from these interviews.”
If you could meet two architects you aspire to learn from, who would they be and why?
“Kate Otten is a significant South African architect I’d love to meet. Her work is extensive, always appropriate to the context yet pushing the boundaries of what is new.Tadao Ando is another architect that I find understands the same psychological needs of architecture as Kate. He never went to architecture school, and that is telling; that when you are a vessel of creativity, your ideas cannot be stopped.”
How can architecture positively uplift disadvantaged communities?
“Architecture is not about the big company with a huge budget; it starts with the rondavel and cattle crawl. I don’t think architecture alone is what is needed to uplift disadvantaged communities. If given the platform and resources, then maybe architects could create good interventions, but before that, these resources and knowledge systems need to be existing within the people first. There should be a show of intent and interest by the people. If one sees that education is being taken seriously, then it becomes easier to emote and conceptualize a school for those people. The value system has to first exist, though. Architecture without values has no meaning.”
What advice would you give young girls who might not be interested in studying further?
“I would tell young girls that education is not about choice. It is about freedom to think your own thoughts, to be critical of your society, to question what has held you back. It is also about access. Without education, your world remains small, and you have no idea where you could even end up.”
How can the youth battle rising unemployment?
“In my own capacity, I hustle in various ways with the skills I’ve developed, even in these few years of life. I approach life with the question, ‘How can I make myself useful?’ and opportunity opens itself up.
I’ve worked as an editor for newsletters and journals/magazines. Also, I’ve been an assistant in gallery exhibitions and hosted my own exhibitions. I am currently working with SAYE, an NPC, to create a new building model. These are all varied, and some might say inconsistent, but you have to find a gap, no matter how small, to fit yourself. In my youth I also ran my own painting business, commissioning pieces for people.”
"When you are a vessel of creativity, your ideas cannot be stopped”.
Tell us more about the concept behind your blog and the name Aelisnova.
“I have been blogging since I was about thirteen. It went under a different name and was mainly a personal platform, just to put my adolescent thoughts somewhere safe. The initial change to Aelisnova,was not for my professional brand but rather just for Instagram. At the time, aliases were popular, and the word alias inspired me to be different. I played around with it and some letters of my own name. I added “nova” as an ode to being a star, or more so in a galaxy of other things. I decided to formalize this name and make it my brand name around the time I turned 18. I am hoping to be able to grow it into my business one day.”
Your writing is very nuanced and well-crafted. What or who are some of your early influences?
“I think I’ve always loved to write, a passion that was partly inspired by my dad, who has always been deeply poetic with his words. He used to write a lot for the government and other important people. I grew to love how articulate he was, and I wanted to be like him. In high school this expanded for me when I met new teachers who were really passionate about language. I took Latin, French, and IsiZulu on top of English because of this curiosity. I made the most out of class assignments, and I would also show my teachers other things I had written for advice, etc.”
What does success look like to you?
“Success means being able to afford my dream life, education for my children, and access to people and opportunities that are not restricted. Success means accomplishing many projects and ideas, not letting them die out of doubt or lack of resources. Success is living in a society that cares about me as much as I care about it, and that mutually beneficial relationship exists in all spaces of my life.”
May this story inspire other young people to stay curious, be open-minded, contribute, and always strive for excellence in every venture they pursue. SAYE wishes you all a positive and prosperous New Year. May 2025 be the year you all thrive.
Check out her blog below:
https://aelisnova.wordpress.com/2024/07/28/a-teenage-renaissance-south-africa-the-next-stages/