November 4, 2004
By Anish Abraham
A 115-METRE mural reflecting the cultural diversity that is Sandton - minibus taxis, the stock exchange, shoppers, informal traders - is one of many projects aimed at turning Sandton Central into Johannesburg's newest art node.
The mural, painted through the night by a team of artists, stretches from the Balalaika Hotel to the building housing Dennys Reitz Attorneys along Maude Street. A sand verge with indigenous plants and rock art will be added for extra effect.
The Maude Street wall was painted at night
It is the first phase of a much larger plan - the creation of a major art node - by Sandton Central, an initiative to improve the business district set up by local businesses and managed by Kagiso Urban Management.
Sandton Central has drawn up an Urban Art Programme and has hired The Trinity Session, an independent contemporary art production team, to help capture the essence of Sandton through art.
Local artists, predominantly from Alexandra, have been consulted to create a distinctive African feel.
Brand manager for Sandton Central Cara Reilly says they have decided to move away from conventional forms of signage and advertising campaigns and look to creating brand awareness in a way that enhances the urban environment. "Instead of just using signage and putting up banners, we have decided to make the environment more people-friendly."
Reilly says that by "adopting an artistic approach to (the area's) planning strategy" Sandton Central is aiming to become a "must-see public art node".
She points to the Maude Street mural as an example.
The creation of the artwork became an event, with teams of artists taking turns to try and complete the painting within 24 hours - from 6pm on Thursday, 28 October to 6pm on Friday, 29 October.
Buskers entertained the onlookers and traders sold refreshments.
Maud Street, says Reilly, has one of the highest volumes of pedestrian traffic in Sandton and Sandton Central decided to turn it into an art-walk.
"Maude Street is the spine of Sandton Central. It links the hotels, business and shopping facilities on the east of Sandton Central to those on the west," says Reilly, adding that it is also used by people attending functions at the Sandton Convention Centre. "It is a very pedestrian-friendly stretch of road."
The next project is the renovation of the water fountain on the corner of West Street and Rivonia Road. The plan is to have an operational fountain along one of Sandton's busiest routes.
Besides getting the fountain working again, the upgrade initiative wants to incorporate modern lighting, furniture, rocks, pathways and landscaping around the water feature.
The fountain will be formally reopened on Thursday, 25 November, during a daylong event featuring artists and performers.
Referring to the mural and the fountain, Trinity Session director Stephen Hobbs says: "We view this, the first stage of the public art intervention, as an opportunity for the communities of Sandton Central to re-identify with the spaces around them."
Both sites, he adds, form part of a direct marketing strategy, "pulling together the public and private sectors in a collaboration towards visual urban transformation".
Sandton Central will follow up the fountain launch with various Christmas programmes on 28 November, and 5 and 12 December.
The projects will be maintained by Sandton Central's cleaning staff and patrolled by the improvement district's guards.
Businesses in the area, says Reilly, are excited about the project and it is hoped the two current projects are just the "tip of the iceberg".
Sandton Central also hopes to build artistically sculpted and decorated stalls for traders, making them more attractive. "We need to change the local and tourist mindset about informal traders and realise the positive diversity they bring to our environment," says Reilly.
"This will not happen if the stalls are unkempt or unhygienic, hence our desire to create striking stalls, implement hygiene standards and encourage their full use," she adds.
Region 3 is working closely with Sandton Central to realise this project, while Johannesburg City Parks is responsible for cleaning up of the sites, as well as the landscaping of embankments and beds along the pavement edges.
Sandton Central sees its creative urban planning as a way to connect the Sandton business district with the rest of Johannesburg, according to Reilly.
For more information contact Sandton Central on 011 784 2528.
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