Neil Fraser
30 August 2002
I am going to get around to Inner City Regeneration Projects - 3 but not today!
Again! This past week has been a critical one for JHBARTCITY so let me give you an update. First an apology – our server, computer brain or whatever you call it, went mad a couple of days ago and decided to re-send the previous Citichat as well as number 22. I think it would have sent the past five years editions if we hadn’t beaten it to submission first. Sorry about that!
Tuesday evening was the joint launch of our JHBARTCITY project and the Cell C ‘Art in the City’ project. Joint launch because Cell C actually sponsored the first 15 of our JHBARTCITY artworks.
They, together with the artwork sponsored by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) and the JHBARTCITY logo sponsored by the manufacturing and erection companies, Omnigraphics and Logrig Signs were all up by lunchtime that Tuesday after much, much, frenetic activity to meet the deadline. Our other 14 works will start going up this week.
The essential difference between JHBARTCITY and Art for the City is that the latter obviously has a commercial slant. In the words of Mr Talaat Laham the Chairman and CEO of Cell C: "When Cell C commissioned over 40 artists to produce artworks that reflected their personal interpretation of Johannesburg’s Inner City, we had no idea what to expect. We deliberately kept the brief as open-ended as possible in order to encourage a broad creative response.
"In terms of branding, the only criteria was that the artists should include a C shape somewhere in the work, and that it should be signed ‘For the City’. Other than that, they were free to interpret the brief in any way they wished. We are delighted by the results. The works are as diverse as the people who call this great city their home."
We started working on the project late in 2001 and only became aware of the Cell C project, which started much later, by the middle of 2002. With the same ‘base’ – contemporary South African Art – it seemed to make sense to leverage both our projects off each other. Cell C’s sponsorship of 15 of our works was only concluded in the past few weeks.
Our works are very distinctive in their presentation as they are generally set in a black border with the name of the work, artists’ and sponsors’ names and the JHBARTCITY and the new ‘joburg’ logo of the City Council. Ours also follow a specific JHBARTCITY route whilst Cell C’s are scattered all over the city.
Another physical difference is that in many cases Cell C’s artworks are ‘wrapped’ around buildings whilst we have one work on one face. But the combined effect will be quite stunning as the two projects will together be exhibiting at least 100 giant artworks.
The combined launch which was provided by Cell C was a real blast and was held in the Electric Workshop in Newtown (what a GREAT space). Original works from both projects were exhibited, great music and great fun was had by all.
At the end of his welcome, Mr Talaat Laham made the following personal observation: "I was born in Lebanon and spent much of my working life in Beirut and later in Saudi Arabia. I have seen first-hand the effect that urban revitalisation and renewal can have on the morale and the psyche of a city and its people.
Efforts to revive and rebuild a city are never wasted and the knock-on effects in terms of development and job creation are tremendous. For this reason, this campaign has a very personal significance and I hope that other companies will be encouraged to follow suit and invest in the revitalisation of what is one of the greatest cities on the African continent." YES, YES, YES!!!!!
In my few words I suggested that cities are all about ‘space’ and ‘place’ and ‘people’ and ‘pizzazz’ and ‘pizzazz’ is all about creativity. In his book ‘Cities in Civilisation’ the author says "Creativity is no longer an incidental miracle that happens occasionally in exceptionally favoured cities; in a globalised economy where no place can rest on its laurels for long, it is now a central part of the business of being a successful city."
Wednesday morning the JHBARTCITY works which had been on display the night before at the launch had to be taken down and rushed to the Fort where they were re-erected for the official opening of the exhibition of these works later that afternoon.
This was a quiet affair without the razzmatazz of the previous night and the focus was on the art and artists. Later a bus took all those who were interested on the JHBARTCITY route to view the works that had been erected.
However we also used the opportunity of the opening of the exhibition to announce the eight prize winners as identified by our selection panel. They were Abrie Fourie- “Love Rockets”; O Masekoameng, P Sikhosana, J Phailane, M Dlamini and J Phume of Artist Proof Studio – “Xenophobia”; Carine Zaayman – “Flesh Colour: Invisible Whiteness”; Arlene Amerler-Raviv and Dale Yudelman – “Joburg Man”; John Fleetwood in association with John Makua “Strangeness 4”; Mbongeni Richman Buthelezi - Untitled; Pitso Chinzima “Di(s)section Joubert Park”; and Sandy Esau “Dancers”.
They, together with the other 12 works are on exhibition at the Fort until the end of September. A great opportunity to see them at the same time as the Three Women Exhibition in the Women’s Gaol next door and then do the Rampart Walk at the Fort (both covered in last week’s Citichat).
After that why not have a look at the JHBARTCITY artworks already erected and look out for the Cell C works as you go.
So, for the locals - we have one work* in the Fort entrance-courtyard, then as you come out of the Fort entrance, look left and you will see another* on the wall of the ‘Florence’, go west down Kotze, left into Joubert, around the Metro Centre, up Loveday and past the Civic Theatre turning left into Hoofd, first left into Biccard and first right into Ameshoff.
We are negotiating a wall in Ameshoff but it is not up yet, sorry! At the end of Ameshoff, left into Bertha (which is the continuation of Jan Smuts). As you get to the left bend onto the Queen Elizabeth Bridge there is a Cell C building completely wrapped on your right.
Just after the bend is another* of ours on your right on a billboard. At the end of the bridge the road does a half left and you’ll find yourself in Simmonds with one of our works* on your left opposite the MetroMall.
Turn right down Jeppe and you’ll see another work* facing you on the side of the Turbine Hall, with another* at right angles to it and as you pass Bezuidenhout there is yet another* on the third side of Turbine Hall and to your left two more** on the front of the Electric Workshop.
If you stay on Jeppe heading west, under the highway you will eventually end up at the Oriental plaza where there are two works**, turn back up Bree heading east now till you get to Rissik, turn left up Rissik, left into Wolmarans and first left into Harrison.
As you go down Harrison you will see the JHBARTCITY logo on your left* together with another artwork*, keep going down Harrison till you reach Main, left into Main and as you get back to Rissik you will have Gandhi Square ahead of you with one of our works* on the left of the Square facing you.
Turn left into Rissik and on your right there are two more** on the old CNA building. Keep going up Rissik to exit the city if you are going northwards.
Well, we’ll start erecting the others shortly which will slightly change the route and once they are all up, please use the cell C telephone number (084- 190 0278) that is on each of the artworks to vote for your favourite – you can also dial in now as you view each of the works and you’ll get information about the artist and the works.
See you on the JHBARTCITY route.
