About
It was about 1991, I was strolling through a market on the outskirts of rural Johannesburg, South Africa, I stumbled upon some sculptures made of burnt clay, the artist was sitting on the ground in the dirt with his work. He had burnt the clay with an open fire, however, the expressive and yet simple shapes and lines in his work took my breath away. It reminded me of a combination of the works of art by Henry Moore and Francis Bacon. I wanted to purchase one of his clay effigies that I found particularly striking. I asked the price, “R250.00” he said looking up at me, expecting me to haggle him down. To his surprise I paid him the money he asked and told him I thought he was a genius and walked away. To this day I regret not taking a note of his name and contact details, I often think about him and what became of him.
Antoinette Haselhorst
C-A-K-E (Contemporary Art Keen Enthusiast) is a London-based contemporary art magazine and curatorial platform built on in-depth, interview-led editorial.
Founded in 2018, C-A-K-E is dedicated primarily to long-form conversations with contemporary artists. Each interview explores artistic philosophy, psychology and process, accompanied by portrait photography and a distinctive visual identity. To date 110 artists from around the world have been featured, forming a growing international archive of contemporary practice.
C-A-K-E takes an independent, forward-thinking approach. Visually confident, witty and culturally engaged, the platform seeks out artists who challenge conventions and step outside predictable narratives. While rooted in contemporary art, C-A-K-E exists at the intersection of art, fashion, film and design, reflecting the way creative disciplines influence one another. Its readership includes artists, collectors, interior designers, fashion designers, filmmakers and progressive cultural thinkers.
More than a magazine, C-A-K-E operates at the intersection of editorial and curatorial practice. Selected exhibitions, art fair participation and the presentation of available works extend the editorial dialogue into physical space. The platform empowers artists by presenting their voices in depth, while connecting their work with audiences aspiring to collect, collaborate and engage with contemporary culture.
C-A-K-E aims to be both a critical voice and a cultural connector, introducing artists of note, championing diversity across established and emerging practices, and fostering a community built on curiosity, dialogue and bold visual thinking.
Founder
C-A-K-E was founded by photographer and author Antoinette Haselhorst, whose background spans editorial journalism, art direction, and portrait and fashion photography across New York and London.
Born in South Africa, she grew up immersed in art before moving to Germany at sixteen, later graduating from Art College in Hamburg. She began her career at Welt am Sonntag (Axel Springer SE), before moving to New York to study at the School of Visual Arts and working as an Art Director in advertising — including at SSC&B Lintas and Fortune magazine (Time inc). Back in London, she attended D&AD and continued developing a practice rooted in concept-driven work and creative collaboration.
In the early 1990s she turned to editorial fashion and portrait photography, exhibiting in London at Proud Galleries and Halcyon Gallery. She is also the author of two books: Motherhood, sponsored by De Beers, and Reflections on Nelson Mandela: Icon of Peace.
With a belief that meaningful cultural projects take time to build, Antoinette founded C-A-K-E – Contemporary Art Keen Enthusiast.
C-A-K-E magazine first printed limited edition Summer 2023.
Please see the review by Fresh art Fair below:
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Thank you for your support and do reach out to find out more.
Antoinette Haselhorst
Antoinette Haselhorst