The third AFROdisiac event happened on November 25, 2000
at the SPARK Gallery in Norwood, Johannesburg. It included four visual artists and seven performance artists.This exhibition also included video art and an after party.

Perfomance artists Jaqi and Termain act out one of Marc's short stories called "The Unspeakable Beauty of Celsius."	South African rappers doing a set.
	Drag artist, Maya does a dance that mixes traditional Zulu dancing with contemporary western.
	Curator, Isabelle Rorke enjoys the vibe

Marc's artwork

Cool Runnings	Untitled	Dreaming of Venda
acrylic on glass Johannesburg, 2000	acrylic on glass Johannesgurg, 2000	acrylic on glass Johannesburg, 2000
Nsiki's Dream		The Prayer
collage and oil pastels Johannesburg, 2000		ink on metal Johannesburg, 2000
	Below is an article for Outright magazine that proceeded the Afrodisiac Exhibition.

The creative brain behind AFROdisiac, an ongoing arts project that hosts exhibitions in Jo'burg's less-than-trendy areas, Marc's collected manner belies his passion for difference-making art. Afrodisiac's primary function is to provide a platform for visual and performance artists to display their talents. "Maaan, there's so much shit out there," the American accent undiluted even after four years spent in the glittering armpit that is Egoli. Born and bred in New York, Boone, priding himself in being a free spirit, relocated to Holland. "I luuurrrved it there, but I wanted to see some people of colour, you know. Also, I've got a serious interest in Buddhism, so I thought I'd go over to Sri Lanka. Anyway, I got involved with this South African guy while I was over there and he was like, 'Maaan, if you want colour you gotta go to South Africa.' And I was like: 'But there ain't no Buddhists...where're the Buddhists?"

Marc fortunately projects very little of that All American 'I'm da shit' type attitude. Instead he speaks of things like his "non-New Age spirituality" and a need for "personalisation of selves in an age of technology." This sensitivity is what shines through in his artwork.
As one critic commented: "The feel is tender, deeply spiritual...with an emphasis on our emotions, within the context of a homo-erotic African garden of Eden."

It has, however, been far from idyllic for the 32 year old. The success of the first Aphrodisiac 'experience', which featured Boone's artwork plus a host of-guest performances by poets, rappers and drummers, did - and could - not guarantee the success of the secoond. The latter, held in an admittedly dodgy warehouse in Bertram's, failed even though the amount of contributing artists increased at least threefold. Is there a novelty aspect to Aphrodisiac?
"Nooo, I don't think so...A lot of people were afraid to come downtown, you know. They were like: 'Oh my car will get broken into or stolen which is understandable. This is Jo'burg, after all?'

Plans have now been set afoot to shift the location to a slightly more upmarket venue. In the distance there's the faint cry of the tie-dyed brigade stabbing angry dagga-stained fists in the air: 'Sell-out. Sell-out,' they scream. Boone's laugh drowns out the irritation. "I gotta pay bills, maaan. I ain't trying to sell out...l'm trying to sell. Period. My partners weren't impressed with the last Aphrodisiac 'cos the art never sold...They felt there was too much performance art - and you can't sell performance art, you know."

Continuing on an art vs. the dollar soliloquy, he ends with:"For me the creative challenge lies in finding ways in which to create as well as make money. For example, I'm starting to put my images out on postcards. People who bought some of these images were a bit unhappy with this at first...they wanted to own the image, which is understandable. But now I can get these images out to people who would ordinarily not get to see them?' Marc has also contributed his 'Adam and Steve' comic strip to Gay SA. I ask him of his impressions of South African queer media. After taking a slow sip on the coffee he's been nursing for the past half hour, he speaks as though contemplating every word:
"Because South Africa is so small, the media has to bow down to that old money-spinner, advertising, it's hard for media to be totally in control of its destiny. Also, our queer scene is still racially divided and our media will therefore reflect that kind of thing...So, if there's too much black content for the white faggots to deal with they will, whether it's a conscious thing or not, employ 'scare tactics' - like not buying that particular issue. This will get the big honchos thinking, 'Oh, maybe we should reduce that kinda shit', you know what I'm saying? This is where money becomes a bad thing."

I challenge him on the issue of racial division: is Afrodisiac not a black-only initiative? "O.K. I've been to exhibitions that were mostly white attended. It is Afrodisiac's intention to change that satus quo. There isn't really a big culture among black folk of attending visual art exhibitions. Afrodisiac aims to get rid of the rather sad fact that most visual and conceptual art doesn't really relate to the masses.We're trying to create a balance between commercial fine art and philosophical conceptual art. We're aiming at a policy of all-inclusiveness. Maaan, a black-only vibe is so one directional. That's not where we wanna be. At all."

The ease with which words flow off Boone's tongue is at once both charming and fierce. The 'NooYawk' City drawl conjures up an image of rude-boys in oversized jeans sitting in smoky cafes listening to smooth-as-honey vocals rhythmically spoken by some sexy-ass diva on the tiniest of stages. Easy to make that connotation as Boone himself is a rapper. "A coupla white guys came to the last Afro and heard my rap...They liked it and asked me to lay down one of my pieces for an upcoming CD, called Big Beats or something like that. I went into the studio and laid down a few lines this week.That was really exciting for me."

I ask him to deliver a piece. Hesitant at first, he orders another coffee from the bored waiter, and starts:"You holler/As I swallow! Now it's your turn to follow...! Then I holler/As you swallow..." He looks up with naughty eyes, "And I can't tell y'all what follows..."
This one might have been a bit reserved, but Boone's rap performances are charged. If you've seen one of his performances before you'll have noticed how entire groups of people shut-the-fuck-up to listen - and hear - what he has to say. Far from frivolouus, his stories of sexual love are at once sincere, inspiring...and hardcore. Not too unlike the man who speaks them.

Boone speaks of how in modern times and in this city in which we sit today, there seems a lack of inspiring folk out there; how only a few people actively try and change the status quo. With dedication such as this to the 'cause' he's so fervently adopted, a success story seems guaranteed. We probably won't have to "tell y'alI what follows." Well, we will anyway.
Marc Boone can be contacted on 083 3 12 8464. The next Afrodisiac will be held at Spark! 10 Louis Street cnr Pine Road. Friday 24 November @ 7pm. Cover: RIO. Special thanks to G.