Art fosters urban renewal
by Kresta Tyler Johnson
Urban renewal seems to be a ubiquitous term these days in Johannesburg, but that is exactly what is happening. Through numerous councils, committees, agencies such as the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) and individuals, money is being spent to revitalise the once flourishing downtown. When considering the most strategic way to inject life into the desolate and abandoned areas of the city, everyone quickly acknowledged that if you want to make the people and businesses come back, bring the artists and culture first.
In New York City, particularly in Soho, this once desolate part of lower downtown Manhattan saw a transformation from abandoned warehouses and city slum to uber chic. Now other areas of New York City are following, and Johannesburg is taking note.
Public art and the revitalisation of urban centres has become a focal concern for many artists who comprehend the reverberations their creations can have not only on those who reside in the city, but society as a whole. On the heels of these efforts comes a project initiated by the artist Dorothee Kreutzfeldt, painting in public. As part of her Masters degree at the Wits School of Art, Kreutzfeldt sought a way to intervene in the public spaces of Johannesburg where people worked, commuted and lived to regenerate a spirit of vitality.
Collaborating with a group of signwriters including Beki Ngwenya, Thabiso Banda, Gustavo Mula, Ozor Ejike Ezefuna, Edward Lelaka, Nabil Burhan and new media artist Marcus Neustetter, Kreutzfeldt encouraged these artists to realise a new direction with their art in normally neglected public spaces within the inner city. Besides drawing attention to specific places within Johannesburg and enhancing the surrounding environs, Kreutzfeldt found a way to pay homage to the tradition of signwriting on the continent of Africa by including artists not only from South Africa.
Eight sites in the city were selected, including abandoned buildings as well as run-down, yet still inhabited sites. Each venue was reviewed and discussed before determining the appropriate and unique signage that would be created. Kreutzfeldt was careful to consider not only the people living in the spaces, but those that would interact with the spaces on a daily basis.
The end result has been enlightenment to some dreary corners, windows and streets. In order to showcase the work, Kreutzfeldt organised several walking tours at the end of July to ensure everyone was able to experience the achievements of these artists.
Numerous sponsors have assisted in the realisation of this project, including Pro Helvetia, Arts Council of Switzerland, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the National Arts Council. Collaborative efforts are being made to create recognition and awareness of the all too long neglected centre of Johannesburg. If you haven�t had the opportunity to go spend some time observing what is burgeoning, I certainly suggest you do.
