tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67213260184875810192024-02-19T14:47:30.550+02:00Hermann NiebuhrHermann Niebuhrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03271586321056366961noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-55892514838111515132012-04-07T15:24:00.001+02:002012-04-07T15:26:54.815+02:00Photo: Last day at the Everard Read gallery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXRacDkerWMvdZYIgx2An0yBieqcAxu4soea7MN6mh07v1dOxVwW4Ofe3wYjb_AHGU4HtUU5ORPXEnMF4qmbMwT8mKDkJnIv7yoBRo6_NMxmOH4SuiI8GfIEx7jWmAzL-FkdaqM4SMbk/s1600/gallery+panorama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXRacDkerWMvdZYIgx2An0yBieqcAxu4soea7MN6mh07v1dOxVwW4Ofe3wYjb_AHGU4HtUU5ORPXEnMF4qmbMwT8mKDkJnIv7yoBRo6_NMxmOH4SuiI8GfIEx7jWmAzL-FkdaqM4SMbk/s640/gallery+panorama.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A panorama shot of the Everard Read Gallery show. Click on it to see the whole thing.<br />
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The last day was today. I went in and greeted everyone who was visiting (but didn't take their picture) and thanked the gallery for their hard work.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-91546536110655148052012-03-08T09:41:00.000+02:002012-03-08T09:41:05.471+02:00Graeme Shackleford's article about City ChromaticEverybody reads our little local newspaper, known in my neighborhood as the Rosebank Killarney Gazette and in others as the Chronicle, the Herald, etc.<br />
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Graeme Shackleford wrote a nice article about City Chromatic. You can read it <a href="http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/content/en/rosebank-killarney/rosebank-killarney-news-general?oid=4987872&sn=Detail&pid=217873&Art-Scene--Niebuhr-paints-the-city">here</a> in a piece called "Niebuhr Paints the City".Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-4312300237041618632012-03-08T09:37:00.000+02:002012-03-08T09:37:16.856+02:00Laurice Taitz's article about City ChromaticLaurice Taitz wrote a smashing article about the Everard Read show for the Sunday Times. It's at:<br />
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<strong style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 14px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/2012/03/04/secrets-of-a-city" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span>http://www.timeslive.co.za/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span><span>sundaytimes/2012/03/04/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>secrets-of-a-city</a></strong><br />
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and she published a different version with her own photos at her blog "Nothing to Do in Joburg Besides...", which is a great blog about Johannesburg:<br />
<a href="http://todoinjoburg.co.za/2012/03/hermann-niebuhrs-city-chromatic-views-of-johannesburg-opens-at-everard-read/">To Do In Joburg Niebuhr article</a><br />
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Thanks, Laurice!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-39287968525846649762010-11-22T14:06:00.000+02:002010-11-22T14:06:48.627+02:00Video of the Lilian Road Studio ShowHave a look at the<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKfMAdPt4is"> studio show video</a> we made on 20 November. There was a fantastic turnout, and the weather was warm and sunny so we hung out on the balcony, where the kids drew with sidewalk chalk.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-54840713490636956532010-07-06T13:35:00.000+02:002010-07-06T13:35:13.101+02:00Cityscape with Memories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne6oeanpXa1Ghj3wkAftSULvTIRDfet8KGDFkXNSI-mCgI3Ac_VBC5fecs_7U33RdWZZt-597k8fEIsODs6UO-Ar70-gKyjhTEXHPQi_5e_eAR8OmkBtzLQ381aRmvugsMpf0asBYP5Y/s1600/Cityscape+with+ghosts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne6oeanpXa1Ghj3wkAftSULvTIRDfet8KGDFkXNSI-mCgI3Ac_VBC5fecs_7U33RdWZZt-597k8fEIsODs6UO-Ar70-gKyjhTEXHPQi_5e_eAR8OmkBtzLQ381aRmvugsMpf0asBYP5Y/s400/Cityscape+with+ghosts.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This commission is going to live in Australia. The people wanted an amalgam view of Johannesburg so I combined three perspectives and then overlaid local figures.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-59115241818264515602010-06-15T13:35:00.000+02:002010-07-06T13:43:16.413+02:00Inside Joburg, the book<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcJtA28Yk_FkqQeRKr5k6z8fskOapsddLqbebpB0teaVwbapKolFtwQRKhBYDgjY1xFRogcItwrzsm1IhpIWI26r5hwTW8I5wyuOzV8RWkYFydAlvLraF_kqflUVq8tGCHFlNgN6Y0hk/s1600/Inside+Joburg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcJtA28Yk_FkqQeRKr5k6z8fskOapsddLqbebpB0teaVwbapKolFtwQRKhBYDgjY1xFRogcItwrzsm1IhpIWI26r5hwTW8I5wyuOzV8RWkYFydAlvLraF_kqflUVq8tGCHFlNgN6Y0hk/s320/Inside+Joburg.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>Nechama Brodie's new book <b>Inside Joburg: 101 things to see and do </b>has a feature on my work in the "What to Buy" section -- thanks, Nechama!<br />
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Her text reads:<br />
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There is also a handful of established artists working outside the conventional gallery/curator structure. One of Joburg's most interesting (and affordable) emerging talents is painter Hermann Niebuhr (www.niebuhr.co.za), who has exhibited several series exploring Joburg's city spaces -- from empty lobbies in Hillbrow apartment blocks to a recent show inspired by the city's disappearing mine dumps, exhibited at the AngloGold Ashanti gallery in Newtown.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-71617328509350006162010-06-07T17:00:00.000+02:002010-06-07T17:00:24.734+02:00Exhibition 14 August Casa Labia, Muizenberg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYF1Zoj2BvSLOP1qkoq8jiu9laxz5pVEE2Hpj9etV723T5Bq7DTsY4HShh1fevfpVhf1rZFEbcvJiHhfuoHQaVnFwkHOwcrY4HVlQIlqQTVlBZRtji8TbQpgtuYHct66JHTOo_ttclRPU/s1600/Casa+Labia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYF1Zoj2BvSLOP1qkoq8jiu9laxz5pVEE2Hpj9etV723T5Bq7DTsY4HShh1fevfpVhf1rZFEbcvJiHhfuoHQaVnFwkHOwcrY4HVlQIlqQTVlBZRtji8TbQpgtuYHct66JHTOo_ttclRPU/s320/Casa+Labia.jpg" /></a></div>I'm happy to announce we've set the date for the exhibition opening at Casa Labia: 14 August 2010.<br />
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It will be a solo show. I'm working on the paintings now.<br />
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From the Casa Labia website, about the venue:<br />
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Built in 1929 to reflect the spirit of 18th century Venice, Casa Labia is the former Muizenberg residence of Count and Countess Natale Labia.<br />
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Following a complete two-year restoration by the family, this much-loved national monument was re-opened to the public on 5 May 2010 as South Africa’s most exquisite multi-functional cultural centre and up-market venue; complete with modern art gallery, Africanova boutique and an Italian café.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-15104863315303246632010-06-05T10:32:00.000+02:002010-06-05T10:32:01.620+02:00Time Magazine Asks Me for Joburg Tips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3zhHgBh029bx79lZ_QrmjyEW4LpHkbKK_m5uCpBMjzycFN8QpEuiwpvs_fqvCHnpbm3ItIf-CvXY4DiMNTLJXfYC9zS8qEY02_K4dpwecjRzK8CuiLAf_wFR8yvph8Dgqgbub7d6Eio/s1600/logoTimeSpecials.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="60" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3zhHgBh029bx79lZ_QrmjyEW4LpHkbKK_m5uCpBMjzycFN8QpEuiwpvs_fqvCHnpbm3ItIf-CvXY4DiMNTLJXfYC9zS8qEY02_K4dpwecjRzK8CuiLAf_wFR8yvph8Dgqgbub7d6Eio/s200/logoTimeSpecials.png" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1993680_1993679_1993676,00.html">How to Kick Back in the World Cup Cities</a> is a feature Time Magazine is currently running. They asked for suggestions from "prominent South Africans" and somehow I qualified. <br />
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Here's my text. Go to the site to see what the other people suggested one does in Cape Town, Durban, and Joburg when the games are not on.<br />
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<b>HERMANN NIEBUHR</b><br />
38, artist<br />
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A brisk walk through the <b>Wilds</b>, one of our oldest parks, would be followed by quiche, cappuccino and the Mail & Guardian at the <b>Service Station</b> café, tel: (27-11) 726 1701, in <b>Melville</b>. After perusing the galleries on <b>Jan Smuts Avenue</b>, I'd head to my studio in <b>Fordsburg</b> for some painting and eat lunch at <b>Shayona</b>, tel: (27-11) 837 2407 — the best vegetarian Indian food in town. I'd work for a few more hours, then call up some friends and go for calamari and prawns at the <b>Troyeville Hotel</b>, tel: (27-11) 402 7709, my scruffy, friendly local, specializing in Mozambican cuisine (there are always takers for this outing). Last, I'd take the M2 highway — the scenic route — circling the city with its lit-up skyscrapers and mine dumps back home to my apartment in Killarney.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-85203234360274033612010-05-18T10:24:00.000+02:002010-05-18T10:24:14.322+02:00New Joburg Painting, Stage Five - FInished!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTiswbFsZ1iLzTYNvljf_a6tLQMsFm9wsufFgTTEDiNdy-qWoVcjYHYaR1-tGlu3oJM6Hov2EjNiCY_-FJkXctBHWU4PhFCcHN908TdUUSHE2SYZQOUqHUT4q26mkmh3flzm9U13sNuE/s1600/joburgstage5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTiswbFsZ1iLzTYNvljf_a6tLQMsFm9wsufFgTTEDiNdy-qWoVcjYHYaR1-tGlu3oJM6Hov2EjNiCY_-FJkXctBHWU4PhFCcHN908TdUUSHE2SYZQOUqHUT4q26mkmh3flzm9U13sNuE/s400/joburgstage5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>After a two week hiatus in the Karoo, I came back home and finished this painting. It's hanging on the wall in our flat and my wife said she wished we could keep it! It's 1m x 1.5m, nice and big. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-5034433863574737232010-04-28T19:29:00.000+02:002010-04-28T19:29:14.441+02:00New Joburg Painting, Stage Four<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9M2qb5W3anLjPcdw8UBjGmMEtbxX7bUmXPCSKGcEcMLll9-ND1GDm-3_NiMVWIL10idPf7EyEXS4vtxo2MbJYFv9SbuAjNGGWaskpz-vU7l8t9OjGvIldwlTamHBFwDgyhzyRP5aKqk/s1600/joburgstage4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9M2qb5W3anLjPcdw8UBjGmMEtbxX7bUmXPCSKGcEcMLll9-ND1GDm-3_NiMVWIL10idPf7EyEXS4vtxo2MbJYFv9SbuAjNGGWaskpz-vU7l8t9OjGvIldwlTamHBFwDgyhzyRP5aKqk/s400/joburgstage4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I've worked on the buildings a lot and now I've also laid in the sky. The painting takes on much more of a 3-D look.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-83302240207411222572010-04-26T11:45:00.000+02:002010-04-26T11:45:58.455+02:00New Joburg Painting, Stage Three continued<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXF2KZdYVcE8ddWpMOXkDCLq3c1FhC0ar23v3KZEzDqhfJGPLra0s1XD8BBr7MmooatzofDXhjq_1zuc526bi-7pWH4s1TqrkYj_XU4gj_RWcPU94wl6Pt2dEg5v5rfMVo26nLRsI97EQ/s1600/joburgstage3cont.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXF2KZdYVcE8ddWpMOXkDCLq3c1FhC0ar23v3KZEzDqhfJGPLra0s1XD8BBr7MmooatzofDXhjq_1zuc526bi-7pWH4s1TqrkYj_XU4gj_RWcPU94wl6Pt2dEg5v5rfMVo26nLRsI97EQ/s400/joburgstage3cont.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In these blog entries, I'm documenting the process of painting a complex cityscape, step by step.<br />
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Plugging away, still on stage three, in which the buildings in the foreground come to life one by one. Next I'll work on the sky.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-33823244082001807202010-04-24T17:33:00.000+02:002010-04-24T17:33:47.666+02:00New Joburg Painting, Stage Three<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIO3g03N2aVzvKx4FJmgLcV0IHplcWnRplwYMoT3tTxMB8FozPFyEXe6CXJHGtn81rPNAlCUBh8yNGs4c8UsQvLEfRG5_p_6MgYwu9AQP5c7EASmDZF8kFFKZnx1HTzbMtDa1r9zDzxuo/s1600/joburgstage3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIO3g03N2aVzvKx4FJmgLcV0IHplcWnRplwYMoT3tTxMB8FozPFyEXe6CXJHGtn81rPNAlCUBh8yNGs4c8UsQvLEfRG5_p_6MgYwu9AQP5c7EASmDZF8kFFKZnx1HTzbMtDa1r9zDzxuo/s400/joburgstage3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In Stage Three, I pick out surfaces of different buildings and paint them in their right shades. This stage takes a long time, as you can imagine.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-64156774587231044242010-04-22T15:50:00.001+02:002010-04-22T15:52:15.281+02:00Inspirational Film<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhsyM0UfaiXziYJqR2_TEjo79MxNcThvOJjf55fcCwsCm16XFKAaRtRkxJyGVgq7qphP4YMwgO6tCeBE7852q4dFt-ShDQ1SO9sRd6g9KAB9hRvJohGP2lCwfMrfN1HxMC1tAHKB8DIk/s1600/greenefilm.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhsyM0UfaiXziYJqR2_TEjo79MxNcThvOJjf55fcCwsCm16XFKAaRtRkxJyGVgq7qphP4YMwgO6tCeBE7852q4dFt-ShDQ1SO9sRd6g9KAB9hRvJohGP2lCwfMrfN1HxMC1tAHKB8DIk/s320/greenefilm.jpeg" width="228" /></a></div>Last night I attended this pre-screening. I know the director, Tim Greene, and he is using some of my paintings in a later episode of this series.<br />
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The showing was held atop the arts building in Braamfontein, the one shaped like a flying saucer. There was a great turnout, and I loved the film. The team (it's produced by Curious Pictures) put together a wonderful combination of images and sound in this first episode, on the Karoo. They used paintings by my old colleague Ben Coutavidis, as well, which evoked the landscape beautifully.<br />
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I enjoyed meeting Johnny Clegg and didn't hesitate to ask him, based on the inspiration of the programme we'd just seen, "What work are you doing to take this country forward?" He responded positively to my question, as did Ivan Vladislavic who was attending. I was fired up by the film and ready to commit to making South Africa what it can be.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-78782317130779327862010-04-21T15:32:00.000+02:002010-04-22T15:40:54.633+02:00New Joburg painting, stage two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvH6wYJulAj2gS_hYRonoLPi1IerUKAVTp_RxYKt7yERrk6ocX1_LF1C6wIxDjSq0INcJdtCdHeE9MHwA-EayibcPWOmSlNZ_EAKW25pUxgtIwAxaYb9DDvG5i85M_SgPygdmX3ddyV-w/s1600/patel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvH6wYJulAj2gS_hYRonoLPi1IerUKAVTp_RxYKt7yERrk6ocX1_LF1C6wIxDjSq0INcJdtCdHeE9MHwA-EayibcPWOmSlNZ_EAKW25pUxgtIwAxaYb9DDvG5i85M_SgPygdmX3ddyV-w/s320/patel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I'm in stage two of this Joburg skyline painting. Stage one was drawing in the black and white outlines of all the buildings, and now I'm working on the shading and contouring.<br />
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This is a commission for an executive who is moving to New York and will miss his Joburg.<br />
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I took the shot from the Carlton Centre, our tallest building (usually cited as the tallest building in Africa). In the far distance, on the horizon, you can see the Brixton Tower.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-79730968037479150072010-04-10T09:25:00.000+02:002010-04-10T09:25:39.478+02:00Painting in The Joburg Guidebook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFPAd-VNkN_Si2qdHNyaJ38wifyLHW5dPVWy2mPKhbRDjxzWCcWtJfYozzj9-C8LKALkF5RycIH2KEKlQnr6GiTUKO90Hc6dNJqTgYKBcVA02bDwgYVAunycgCDmoq1dQq44889XUMJc/s1600/The+Joburg+Book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFPAd-VNkN_Si2qdHNyaJ38wifyLHW5dPVWy2mPKhbRDjxzWCcWtJfYozzj9-C8LKALkF5RycIH2KEKlQnr6GiTUKO90Hc6dNJqTgYKBcVA02bDwgYVAunycgCDmoq1dQq44889XUMJc/s200/The+Joburg+Book.jpg" width="190" /></a></div>My friend Nechama Brodie is the author/editor of The Joburg Book, published in 2009. It's an informative and well-written collection of history and geography, and I've enjoyed reading it.<br />
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Now she has been tasked to transform The Joburg Book into a handy guide for visitors. She tells me it's nearly finished.<br />
<br />
In turn, she asked me to provide an image for the new guidebook. I sent her one painting, and we'll see what happens next.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-16284404813566773622010-03-30T11:43:00.000+02:002010-03-30T11:43:13.416+02:00Joburg with Bridge and Figures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxcwG5-QJSFl0rBaDsYVhypHa-UpGKMUGbadwJOLHs9I8ZGEMl1qIZtKzfONYQ1GjumBrt6gnj0iXhB6G8frD3USsa3tZUjXFnKaOj6Q8g6mq5W3zxmId-uh_WAxd7KX3kMjpszvZgRM/s1600/Joburg+w+bridge.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxcwG5-QJSFl0rBaDsYVhypHa-UpGKMUGbadwJOLHs9I8ZGEMl1qIZtKzfONYQ1GjumBrt6gnj0iXhB6G8frD3USsa3tZUjXFnKaOj6Q8g6mq5W3zxmId-uh_WAxd7KX3kMjpszvZgRM/s400/Joburg+w+bridge.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>I must say I really like this recent commission. It has a "fun" feel but also a sense of dignity.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-73085383068079520162010-03-27T13:52:00.000+02:002010-03-27T13:52:02.815+02:00Tin Ned<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrshrjQjcvKkgleU_oHR7dMYe_LaXUehCYvoBx4WoHw7sw31czgGFtp_xIA6cevfW3bG6hDfubj8xdCGWbFyQ_GYUZMIlAnMYmq3zkMLoLTujxVft-S8Bbh0pPIpHjmNYwhhRqUKgaGB4/s1600/Tin+Ned.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrshrjQjcvKkgleU_oHR7dMYe_LaXUehCYvoBx4WoHw7sw31czgGFtp_xIA6cevfW3bG6hDfubj8xdCGWbFyQ_GYUZMIlAnMYmq3zkMLoLTujxVft-S8Bbh0pPIpHjmNYwhhRqUKgaGB4/s200/Tin+Ned.JPG" width="187" /></a>This is my dog, Ned. He has starred in many previous artworks, mostly paintings. Now he has been immortalized in metal. I took a drawing of Ned and had it made up in laser-cut metal as a commission for a veterinarian's office. This is a miniature version of the one the vet used.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-36751252594190500432010-03-18T13:54:00.000+02:002010-03-27T13:58:22.641+02:00Panorama Tondos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0uP-gNX8GzGCJRd4RAJ9cbANtVMKij7cg9C-nEMprikpwYRUvuuhWmIsbQSA5TzqDOfInalUsQZ5iWNUum2OABxCf_5RavSpzaHNunLId9o0npfMkpgRgiOadZcwhcTvsbaB76yn7Os/s1600/joburg+panorama+1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0uP-gNX8GzGCJRd4RAJ9cbANtVMKij7cg9C-nEMprikpwYRUvuuhWmIsbQSA5TzqDOfInalUsQZ5iWNUum2OABxCf_5RavSpzaHNunLId9o0npfMkpgRgiOadZcwhcTvsbaB76yn7Os/s400/joburg+panorama+1.jpeg" width="395" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rvRgH2quBzQA1Gj8-KfLWuH5Vc1OGtBOK-AmQqd5z_IYKQlIOp2k3dinG0MLxcJ8pYfGcrpb0Lkn-34bgJag-VRfZkJIBhkKy1yri9GkLfnt_ieFlN_LpRK6_P66shbelod4bo0QhNY/s1600/joburg+panorama+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rvRgH2quBzQA1Gj8-KfLWuH5Vc1OGtBOK-AmQqd5z_IYKQlIOp2k3dinG0MLxcJ8pYfGcrpb0Lkn-34bgJag-VRfZkJIBhkKy1yri9GkLfnt_ieFlN_LpRK6_P66shbelod4bo0QhNY/s400/joburg+panorama+2.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
These two tondos are the long-distance views of Joburg's central business district. <br />
<br />
The four pieces (with the two close-ups from yesterday's post) will hang in the entrance foyer of a corporate headquarters.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-57657880538926698772010-03-17T11:34:00.000+02:002010-03-17T11:34:33.625+02:00Downtown Tondos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxsfLqaY_XtheuVZmn70mDZCwDzH-abEhbaR8KJ3dK6d8F5m4yWoxNYmOYyUbAGbmSshuE7DJf-PCG7rCeuevvtnmjF9y-FL42sb_62NT2TSs_ntX9D3IOoKr_0plNZJJVXI_0EUkqFk/s1600-h/joburg+downtown+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxsfLqaY_XtheuVZmn70mDZCwDzH-abEhbaR8KJ3dK6d8F5m4yWoxNYmOYyUbAGbmSshuE7DJf-PCG7rCeuevvtnmjF9y-FL42sb_62NT2TSs_ntX9D3IOoKr_0plNZJJVXI_0EUkqFk/s400/joburg+downtown+2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ycFyZTv8GK9yqo6FB_zawdRo88aqN863F0A_ipbNTLplVGs_5VHj_uqgGGIsB0HD0Izm9XP95rD36yKmhVRg6QdNwsMJz3sUDWf_ECo_7j49qiIY9ON_a4tP16y12pIZ2bNGP1gqdUM/s1600-h/joburg+downtown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ycFyZTv8GK9yqo6FB_zawdRo88aqN863F0A_ipbNTLplVGs_5VHj_uqgGGIsB0HD0Izm9XP95rD36yKmhVRg6QdNwsMJz3sUDWf_ECo_7j49qiIY9ON_a4tP16y12pIZ2bNGP1gqdUM/s400/joburg+downtown.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
This is what I've been working on, in between my new parenting duties.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-79420390444892880832010-02-19T14:49:00.000+02:002010-02-19T14:49:41.920+02:00Gallo House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFkDeUpREzfrQTVGHqvWufRlbOVtyCtNGc8pgPQEmxXEvSXz6tF9Ewo37BPG1fKW3gXmw5y95XkbGuVO7duZRe6pdcJW-Xb0mlQFHF6V3KIE98Eo9uRVyGzPo9MG0Q5p47Q1RLuamXso/s1600-h/Gallo+House.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFkDeUpREzfrQTVGHqvWufRlbOVtyCtNGc8pgPQEmxXEvSXz6tF9Ewo37BPG1fKW3gXmw5y95XkbGuVO7duZRe6pdcJW-Xb0mlQFHF6V3KIE98Eo9uRVyGzPo9MG0Q5p47Q1RLuamXso/s400/Gallo+House.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Sometimes it's a single building that catches my eye. This beauty, called Gallo House, sits in the centre of Joburg near the Fashion District. I liked its Art Deco lines and the way it responds to the light.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-34644951193201868752010-02-15T16:38:00.002+02:002010-02-15T16:43:18.867+02:00Jeppe Overpass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHU_CtdAiHYasZl-Uhw8c7bukNQU5alcwowb2LpL9Avi11eWHBmqbVM08pIQBYNDkmXd7dQJCft3Qi24iizmLSWzUd0sVPJS6EERuTwi7lhNslxFeNkJMKS0An7AIic5IoYWUuBvZ0rs/s1600-h/Highway+Overpass+Joburg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHU_CtdAiHYasZl-Uhw8c7bukNQU5alcwowb2LpL9Avi11eWHBmqbVM08pIQBYNDkmXd7dQJCft3Qi24iizmLSWzUd0sVPJS6EERuTwi7lhNslxFeNkJMKS0An7AIic5IoYWUuBvZ0rs/s400/Highway+Overpass+Joburg.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>I'm always seeking out new ways to look at Joburg. It's a city that can be viewed from many directions. Lately I've concentrated on the "bird's eye view": not straight down, but at a flattering angle. Joburg's geometry continues to fascinate me.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-21953687765158333142010-02-11T17:50:00.000+02:002010-02-11T17:50:46.477+02:00Langermann's Kop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbzo0_8heNQNu_iUUVASz_ojTGwEpNbt7YVMF-4mNoLwhkK_x5JJRNdM12pHaXY6V7yT_5Vqyc9b-pf9qV8cq7dgxE89-2Bd30OItLo2KJkBSqiTTR3fueOKjuV2nmyXCFy30hX-07ic/s1600-h/View+from+Langerman%27s+Kop.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbzo0_8heNQNu_iUUVASz_ojTGwEpNbt7YVMF-4mNoLwhkK_x5JJRNdM12pHaXY6V7yT_5Vqyc9b-pf9qV8cq7dgxE89-2Bd30OItLo2KJkBSqiTTR3fueOKjuV2nmyXCFy30hX-07ic/s400/View+from+Langerman%27s+Kop.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>I used to live near Langermann's Kop, a rocky ridge in "the heartbreak East" of Joburg. The view of the skyline is fantastic, particularly at sunset.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-86692014412221731542010-02-09T13:40:00.002+02:002010-03-30T11:55:41.620+02:00Metropolis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLubAlj9S4X-tl5thRcILcd-1Rz2UJnVdWsweTfsghS2K5QAWDDEw8sBtjM2RitET2M114yQQD2hje9t4YySVISDRnB89jIStR98me5fSl8i2xafGodAEboumHlPk2ufDuiHBbm6zxcNc/s1600-h/Metropolis.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLubAlj9S4X-tl5thRcILcd-1Rz2UJnVdWsweTfsghS2K5QAWDDEw8sBtjM2RitET2M114yQQD2hje9t4YySVISDRnB89jIStR98me5fSl8i2xafGodAEboumHlPk2ufDuiHBbm6zxcNc/s400/Metropolis.jpeg" width="400" /></a>I loved visitng New York in September, and then a few days ago I found this painting of Joburg I made a while ago that reminds me of New York. Our metropolis Joburg is the Gotham of Africa.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-63605929376263232112010-02-08T10:42:00.004+02:002010-02-08T11:16:10.750+02:00Dekat Article by Carina van Heerden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkVD7UORP8VIj7ZGvyORM-O76cTbS-h5HfgDELrYaIjywyWxMp-evmawTQu6bwyTLa64WKaXH-L6omWMj5Q2JPKizEEBCZhRD4m-r7hVklsKxB3dGzf0ph8CcYlOzEvqTyhLNJ1hcnes/s1600-h/Top+Star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkVD7UORP8VIj7ZGvyORM-O76cTbS-h5HfgDELrYaIjywyWxMp-evmawTQu6bwyTLa64WKaXH-L6omWMj5Q2JPKizEEBCZhRD4m-r7hVklsKxB3dGzf0ph8CcYlOzEvqTyhLNJ1hcnes/s400/Top+Star.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br />
I was featured in an article in the most recent <i>Dekat</i> magazine. While the reporters interviewed me, I took them up onto the mine dumps and helped them choose vantage points from which to take photographs. They also published a number of my paintings from the <i>mine </i>series.<br />
<br />
Here is an excerpt from the article, and you can read the full text after the jump:<br />
<blockquote>“Without the gold mines Johannesburg would not have<br />
been here, and the mine dumps are what’s left of that<br />
era,” says Hermann. “That’s why the mine dumps are so<br />
specifically ‘Johannesburg’: they are handmade and iconic<br />
and they represent the reasons why we’re here.”<br />
<br />
For the past 10 years, Hermann has been portraying<br />
Johannesburg’s growth, decline and flow in his paintings<br />
– from lights flashing past on the highway to picture-perfect<br />
panoramas at sunset. His latest exhibition titled <i>Mine</i> is a<br />
documentary of the mine dumps, from Randfontein on the<br />
West Rand to Boksburg on the East Rand. In the middle<br />
is the Top Star drive-in, also portrayed in Hermann’s<br />
paintings, and so we set out to visit this legend out there on<br />
the Johannesburg horizon.</blockquote><blockquote>The well-known, sky-high Ster-Kinekor screen still sits on<br />
top of the mine dump next to Simmonds Street South, while<br />
Johannesburg in all its glory buzzes in the background. “To<br />
open a drive-in here was an absolute stroke of genius,”<br />
Hermann tells us, squinting slightly against the bright sunlight.</blockquote><br />
<a name='more'></a>From the beginning of the article:<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>The death of a mine dump</b><br />
<br />
<i>Johannesburg has its own set of rules and rhythm that brings the<br />
city to life – one where buildings are torn down and rebuilt, removed<br />
completely or extended. But what does Johannesburg’s history mean<br />
to its people?</i><br />
<br />
It was a traffic jam like those on the highway to hell, with<br />
a tumult of taxis forcing everyone in our car to keep quiet.<br />
What a lovely, lovely mess it was, and surely one of my<br />
favourite memories of Johannesburg.<br />
<br />
That Sunday night, while the residents of the northern<br />
suburbs were calmly sipping on their cappuccinos,<br />
Johannesburg’s city centre was a pulsing source of energy.<br />
We were thoroughly stuck: my middle-class suburban car<br />
was boxed in by three taxis, a baby blue Toyota and a brand<br />
new BMW – and for the first time I saw Johannesburg alive.<br />
People with blankets in plastic carrier bags climbed in and<br />
out of the multitude of minibuses. A sponge mattress, a<br />
wooden buffet table and a black bag full of clothes were<br />
carried out of an old Art Deco apartment block. Two<br />
taxi drivers chatted while one of their taxis stood idling<br />
upstream in a one-way street. Like any other global city,<br />
Johannesburg flourishes on its own set of rules and rhythm<br />
that brings the city to life. A rhythm that guarantees the city<br />
will never stop growing.<br />
<br />
Half an hour and 20 storeys later, Johannesburg’s urban<br />
façade greeted us as we stood on the roof of the Lister<br />
Building – Sandton’s towers flickered to the north, a little to<br />
the east we could see the newly upgraded Ellis Park and to<br />
the south-west was the endangered Top Star drive-in, at<br />
home on an old mine dump. That unforgettable panorama<br />
tells the story of Johannesburg’s ever-changing landscape:<br />
one where buildings are torn down and rebuilt, removed<br />
completely or extended. A process riddled with politics,<br />
attempts to preserve the city’s heritage and, of course, the<br />
pivot around which society turns: money and development.<br />
But what does Joburg mean to its people, and how does<br />
this 1 644km² city built on gold influence the everyday life<br />
of its residents?<br />
<br />
Photographer Minette de Villiers and I meet the artist<br />
Hermann Niebuhr at his Leslie [Lilian] Road Studios in Fordsburg<br />
to take a closer look at the remains of Johannesburg’s<br />
foundations – the mine dumps. The origins of these heaps<br />
of toxic dust go back more than a hundred years. As more<br />
and more holes and tunnels were dug out of the Highveld<br />
earth, so the city started growing. At first, in the early<br />
1880s, tents decorated the horizon, but as the number of<br />
inhabitants increased (about 3 000 people at that point), a<br />
boom kicked off in the wood and iron industry. The original<br />
single-storey structure of the Corner House was built on<br />
the corner of Simmonds and Commissioner Streets in 1886<br />
and the first government building, the post office, saw the<br />
light on Market Square in Rissik Street in 1888. Shops,<br />
banks, offices and Johannesburg’s first stock exchange<br />
followed, and the original Carlton Hotel opened its chic<br />
doors in 1906.<br />
<br />
“Without the gold mines Johannesburg would not have<br />
been here, and the mine dumps are what’s left of that<br />
era,” says Hermann. “That’s why the mine dumps are so<br />
specifically ‘Johannesburg’: they are handmade and iconic<br />
and they represent the reasons why we’re here.”<br />
For the past 10 years, Hermann has been portraying<br />
Johannesburg’s growth, decline and flow in his paintings<br />
– from lights flashing past on the highway to picture-perfect<br />
panoramas at sunset. His latest exhibition titled Mine is a<br />
documentary of the mine dumps, from Randfontein on the<br />
West Rand to Boksburg on the East Rand. In the middle<br />
is the Top Star drive-in, also portrayed in Hermann’s<br />
paintings, and so we set out to visit this legend out there on<br />
the Johannesburg horizon.<br />
<br />
<b>A raw wound</b><br />
<br />
The well-known, sky-high Ster-Kinekor screen still sits on<br />
top of the mine dump next to Simmonds Street South, while<br />
Johannesburg in all its glory buzzes in the background. “To<br />
open a drive-in here was an absolute stroke of genius,”<br />
Hermann tells us, squinting slightly against the bright sunlight.<br />
Just imagine hundreds of couples, with sandwiches and<br />
flasks of coffee, coming to see the latest releases under a<br />
starry sky. But the picture evaporates instantly at the distant<br />
hum of a bulldozer. Just a few metres from the cafeteria and<br />
the usual jungle gyms, there’s nothing. One big hole and a<br />
raw wound where bulldozers and workers with hard hats<br />
eat into the Top Star mine dump from the back.<br />
<br />
On one side is the Provincial Heritage Resources Agency<br />
of Gauteng (PHRAG). They are trying to protect the mine<br />
dump – which is more than a hundred years old – because<br />
of its iconic status and historical relevance to Johannesburg.<br />
On the other side is Crown Gold Recoveries, an affiliate of<br />
DRDGOLD. They, in turn, are re-mining the dump, which<br />
contains an estimated 128 000oz of gold at an approximate<br />
grade of 0,775g/t. The mine dump, after all, posed a threat<br />
to the environment, and the movie projector stopped<br />
rolling ages ago. And then, of course, there’s the world of<br />
possibilities this patch of land offers to developers.<br />
It is this sudden change in the landscape that affects<br />
Hermann profoundly, and he addresses it in his works.<br />
“The mine dumps form part of our psyche as citizens of<br />
Johannesburg; they are our pyramids! I consider it a<br />
personal loss that the Top Star no longer exists.”<br />
<br />
But how will the change affect Johannesburg’s people?<br />
“I think the city’s mine dumps have a big influence and<br />
also no influence at all on the city and its people,” says Hugh<br />
Fraser, general manager of architectural design services at<br />
the PG Group.<br />
<br />
“I don’t think people take much notice of them [the mine<br />
dumps]. They’re on the south side of the city centre and not<br />
many people from the north travel in that direction, so it’s<br />
mostly the people from the south and Soweto that see them.<br />
The mine dumps are like ‘an elephant in the bathroom’:<br />
they’re so big, you can’t miss them, and yet people don’t<br />
see them. People don’t realise how beautiful they actually<br />
are, but you need to walk on them to really see this.”<br />
Unfortunately the Top Star’s unique design, influenced by<br />
the Brazilian architecture of the 1950s, will disappear along<br />
with the toxic mine dust. But surely a city has to grow? So,<br />
what do you preserve and what do you knock down? The<br />
preservation of Johannesburg’s heritage has become a<br />
sore point.<br />
<br />
<b>The great big heritage fight</b><br />
<br />
Section 28.1 of the National Heritage Resources Act<br />
specifically refers to the protection of mine dumps,<br />
but five of them are currently being re-mined. And<br />
despite protest and the fact that the Rand Steam<br />
Laundries in Napier Street, Richmond was declared<br />
a temporary provincial heritage site, Johannesburg’s<br />
first steam laundry – which dated from 1895 – was<br />
razed to the ground by the Imperial Group (Pty) Ltd<br />
in January 2008. “In the case of the Laundries,<br />
for example, there was brief dismay, then<br />
everything continued as before. That<br />
is the nature of our city. Just like<br />
a leaf that floats downstream<br />
without ever touching a rock,<br />
so is our history. Our identity<br />
simply flows away,” reckons<br />
Hugh. When a heritage<br />
site is torn down over a<br />
weekend or in the middle<br />
of the night, it deprives the<br />
residents of their right to<br />
claim ownership of their<br />
city, and according to<br />
Hermann, this makes<br />
us feel less part of the<br />
place where we live.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>So what now?</b><br />
<br />
“There is a need for the protection of our heritage and<br />
heritage areas, and development must be balanced,” says<br />
Mphethi Morojele of MMA Architects in Johannesburg. “Due<br />
to our history, the city’s heritage means different things to<br />
different people. I suspect most black people will have<br />
conflicting emotions about the preservation of this history.”<br />
The Constitutional Court in Braamfontein is an excellent<br />
example of the preservation of Johannesburg’s heritage,<br />
and at the same time it contributes to the much-needed<br />
development of the city. Constitution Hill is built on the<br />
terrain where the Old Fort prison used to be. The history<br />
of the Old Fort lies in the days of the Republic, when Paul<br />
Kruger built a massive fort around an existing part of the<br />
structure to protect the mines, town and mine railways.<br />
After the Anglo-Boer War, the prison grew piece by piece<br />
as a “native” jail was added for black men, then one<br />
for women and finally a cell for prisoners<br />
awaiting trial. Great freedom fighters like<br />
Mahatma Gandhi and<br />
Nelson Mandela<br />
were incarcerated<br />
in these small<br />
cells, and<br />
after the prison was closed down in 1983, a gaping wound<br />
remained uncomfortably in the centre of Johannesburg.<br />
More than 20 years later, the Old Fort got a new lease on life<br />
with the help of Andrew Makin, Janina Masojada and Erik<br />
Orts Hansen of OMM Design Workshop (Durban) and Paul<br />
Wygers of Urban Solutions Architects and Urban Designers<br />
(Johannesburg). In March 2004, Constitution Hill’s doors<br />
opened to the public as a space that is accessible to the<br />
community without having the intimidating presence of a<br />
typical court.<br />
<br />
The walls of the court boast a collection of artworks from<br />
South Africa’s top artists that tell the story of our country’s<br />
history, including William Kentridge’s Sleeper and Judith<br />
Mason’s The Blue Dress 3. The tower of light above the<br />
court’s foyer is now a proud part of Johannesburg’s<br />
landscape and two glass towers were also recently<br />
erected above the original stairwell.<br />
<br />
A beacon of light and a space accessible to the<br />
surrounding communities sound good in theory, but is this<br />
space in fact used and visited by the community? Hugh<br />
says he likes to entertain the romantic notion that people<br />
do visit the space and look at the art, but the reality is that<br />
Constitution Hill is mainly a thoroughfare from Hillbrow<br />
to Braamfontein. Those who visit it for the art or for its<br />
cultural and historic significance are mostly tourists and<br />
the occasional local visitor. “Sorry, but I’m quite cynical and<br />
our population is generally conservative and uninspired,”<br />
he says.<br />
<br />
As citizens of Johannesburg we have an important<br />
responsibility towards the city. Things happen, buildings<br />
are developed and demolished, and it’s our duty to enjoy,<br />
explore and support the city.<br />
<br />
“Our responsibility is also towards the environment:<br />
reducing our physical and carbon footprint, conserving<br />
our natural environment and reusing existing buildings,”<br />
Mphethi urges. MMA Architects is currently involved in the<br />
Ellis Park Urban Development Framework, which forms<br />
part of the Inner City Revitalisation of Johannesburg.<br />
“Ellis Park is situated in a fairly dilapidated part of the<br />
city and next to some of the most densely populated<br />
areas in the city centre. The work that was done in the<br />
greater Ellis Park district was part of an urban framework<br />
that benefited from FIFA’s requirements for sports events<br />
to provide a lasting heritage for this part of the city.” FIFA’s<br />
requirements included safety and security, commercial<br />
display spaces and, most importantly, the improvement of<br />
the city’s aesthetic.<br />
<br />
“These requirements formed the basis of the developments<br />
in Ellis Park – the upgrading of the streets, the<br />
integration of BRT routes and stations, the upgrading of<br />
public spaces and the development of community parks<br />
and sports fields.”<br />
<br />
<b>Johannesburg today</b><br />
<br />
The city centre is also home to some of South Africa’s<br />
biggest players, like Absa, Standard Bank, Transnet and<br />
Anglo Ashanti, all of which have their head offices here.<br />
The city generates about 16 percent of South Africa’s<br />
GDP. According to Mphethi, the city has also started<br />
implementing resources in the management of public<br />
spaces, sometimes in cooperation with the private sector,<br />
for example in the improvement of business districts. “But<br />
it all depends on our vision for the city – who owns what<br />
and who should.<br />
<br />
"There are perceptions – and realities – of the city centre<br />
that make people wary. The general perception does not<br />
categorise which parts of the city are susceptible to which<br />
types of crime.” Like Mphethi, I hope that our spaces<br />
will change these perceptions during the 2010 Soccer<br />
World Cup, and that we will be able to see our cities (and<br />
ourselves) through the eyes of the world.<br />
<br />
<b>Look at the city!</b><br />
<br />
Hugh Fraser, Mphethi Morojele and Hermann Niebuhr<br />
have an inextinguishable passion for Johannesburg.<br />
“I experience diverse emotions when I drive through<br />
and around the city,” says Hugh. “At times it’s despair, and<br />
sometimes genuine pride.<br />
<br />
“As you drive on the M1 over Saxonwold, there’s the<br />
smugness of the northern suburbs: beautiful, but remote.<br />
You have a good view of the trees. The name Saxonwold<br />
comes from the German word Sachsenwald, which means<br />
‘the forests of Sachsen’ (or Saxony). It’s fantastic to move<br />
over the forest at a high speed.”<br />
<br />
Look at the city, see how it grows. We dare you to<br />
experience Africa’s New York first-hand.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6721326018487581019.post-9463874043416030842010-02-05T11:51:00.002+02:002010-02-05T16:24:23.105+02:00Oxford Road Overpass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvprwA1M1bYtrl5j2qp3313VZ45yNkyV5N-PwOCCf55uANESzzB5Tu164xAEpvMzLXvbA-GGadLXOtiE7Vj5I2c4r5Xmcz_mh8Kl3dp54eT9cRTFjolSUSERWg8FphXBCy5_NGp24TsDU/s1600-h/Oxford+Road.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvprwA1M1bYtrl5j2qp3313VZ45yNkyV5N-PwOCCf55uANESzzB5Tu164xAEpvMzLXvbA-GGadLXOtiE7Vj5I2c4r5Xmcz_mh8Kl3dp54eT9cRTFjolSUSERWg8FphXBCy5_NGp24TsDU/s400/Oxford+Road.jpeg" width="400" /></a>This is the piece I contributed to the 'on the rhodes' show opening tonight at These Four Walls fine art gallery in Observatory, Cape Town.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I painted it in homage to Edward Hopper's 1946 work Approaching a City:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WjhBAqHxyKHtD9IQs1AktANe2odh6nmnfNrz-wbFwSomPeQg-wc2jra-z26yZtJO8GPhwJ-BIlFVN_CpGp1UTPpmR8ORaAYSDUhx5xtgggxJTg9ljjAYlSS_Jndhr2IfeV9pQRcUaTo/s1600-h/Hopper+Approaching+a+City.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WjhBAqHxyKHtD9IQs1AktANe2odh6nmnfNrz-wbFwSomPeQg-wc2jra-z26yZtJO8GPhwJ-BIlFVN_CpGp1UTPpmR8ORaAYSDUhx5xtgggxJTg9ljjAYlSS_Jndhr2IfeV9pQRcUaTo/s320/Hopper+Approaching+a+City.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0