July 2, 2002
Lucille Davie
THE first of the art works chosen from the City-backed Jo'burg City Art competition will go up on buildings in the CBD this week.
Twenty works of art were selected from over 140 entries received from around the country, in a competition which aims to "showcase the inner city as the hub and cultural centre of Africa's world-class city" by tying up with regeneration projects and encouraging people back into the city.
The art works have been digitally photographed, scanned and enlarged and will be displayed on a range of buildings.
The original idea was conceived by Wits law student Saul Symanowitz who said that his object was to "bring art to the people", at the same time as "creating a massive project to reflect the culture and soul of Johannesburg".
All the art works will be erected near the regeneration projects around the city, which include the Nelson Mandela Bridge, Mary Fitzgerald and Gandhi Squares, the new Metro Market, the Civic Theatre and Constitution Hill.
Symanowitz was concerned that the regeneration projects were creating a negative perception of the city, and the art works would balance this perception.
He approached Neil Fraser, Executive Director of the Central Johannesburg Partnership, with his idea, and it was immediately accepted.
Says Fraser: "This is an important milestone in the city's urban renewal process that we have been associated with over the past ten years. With substantial investment starting to flow back into the city, it is time to attract the public back to see what is being done to move negative perceptions to the reality of the positive changes that have and are taking place."
Sue Williamson's art work, chosen for display, forms part of her 'From the Inside' AIDS awareness project and is titled 'Johannes Bukhali, with parents'
The winning artists are: Jurgen Schadeberg, Pitso Chinzima, Sandy Esau, Nkoali Easibius Nawa, Charles Levin, Scott Wade, Sam Nhlengethwa, Artist Proof Studio, Arlene Amaler-Raviv and Dale Yudelman, John Fleetwood, Mbongeni Richman Buthelezi, Stephen Hobbs, Abrie Fourie, Sue Williamson, Karin Preller, Carl Becker, Lettie Gardiner, JW van der Bergen, Canne Zaayman and Alison Kearney.
Nine artworks from several corporate collections - including Absa, BHP Billiton, Nedcor, SABC, Sasol, Standard Bank - will also be on display.
The judges included well-known art curators and personalities such as Monna Mokoena, Clive Kellner and Natasha Fuller. Bongi Dhlomo and Maishe Maponya represented the city.
The art works will be on display until the end of March 2003, a period including the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the Arts Alive Festival, and the World Cricket Cup. The 20 winning entries will be exhibited at the Old Fort from mid-August.
The competition was organised by the City of Johannesburg, the Central Johannesburg Partnership, the Johannesburg Inner City Business Coalition and the Johannesburg Development Agency, with support from Business and Arts South Africa and assistance from International Courier Brokers.
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