The City of Johannesburg is home to a large collection of public art, including many pieces produced over the last 20 years by a City-led public art programme, which continues to grow. Eric Itzkin, the Head of Heritage in the City’s Directorate of Arts, Culture and Heritage, says that with a stock of hundreds of artworks already in the public environment, keeping the pieces fresh, appealing and in good nick is no small task.

​“Fortunately, the upkeep of the collection has gained attention, with some outstanding artworks being restored and enhanced in recent years by the City’s Directorate of Arts, Culture and Heritage,” says Itzkin.

His primary focus over a decade has been on preserving and promoting historical sites and buildings throughout Johannesburg, as well as maintaining public art and commissioning new artwork.

“Artworks out in public space are exposed to the elements, causing wear and tear. In some cases, vandalism can also take a heavy toll. Fixing and restoring public art can give a new lease of life, helping to build hope and confidence while also revitalising important public sites,” Itzkin explains.

Restored or revamped artworks include the Newtown Heads and the Statue of a Municipal Worker, both at the Newtown Cultural Precinct, as well as The Firewalker, a giant steel sculpture near the new Joburg International Transport Exchange (JITI) and Metro Mall.

First developed in 2001, the Heads of Africa were pioneering artworks for the Newtown Cultural Precinct, an installation of hundreds of carved wooden heads made from disused railway sleepers. Each hand-carved head is unique, representing a sea of faces from across the African continent. Itzkin says the lead sculptor, Americo Guambe, was part of a collective of artists who worked at the time from a studio in Newtown. Guambe returned to the project in 2018 to rejuvenate the heads that had fallen into disrepair. Missing heads were replaced, and others were repaired.

The City now has close to 200 new and refurbished heads lining up along a central walkway starting from Mary Fitzgerald Square and extending past Newtown Park. Most recently, the concrete plinths supporting the heads have been painted with colourful and eye-catching patterns, adding further to the attraction of these iconic artworks.

A large concrete sculpture in front of the Workers Museum, the statue of a Municipal Worker, was commissioned by the South African Municipal Workers’ Union in 1997 to commemorate the struggle of municipal workers. The artwork was created by a team from the Spaza Art Gallery in Troyeville, who included Drew Lindsay, Jacob Ramaboya, Filipe Fernandez and Agrippa Nhlapo.

The statue of a Municipal Worker was badly damaged, with the cement cracking and eroding in places. Earlier this year, the Spaza Gallery repaired and refurbished it. A 10-metre-high steel sculpture, the Firewalker, celebrates women street-traders who carry imbawula – lit braziers – on their heads to sell roasted mealies across the city. Commissioned by the City in 2009, it was a collaboration between artists William Kentridge and Gerhard Marx.

“After slipping into a downward cycle of deterioration and decay, the artwork was rescued thanks to a specialist restoration project in 2020, and the site was upgraded. Structural repairs were made to the steelwork, and a new concrete base was developed. New signage has been installed to promote local awareness and appreciation of the artwork,” Itzkin explains.

Made up of 150 angled pieces of metal, the steel plates look like fragments until you find the right viewing position, and the pieces resolve to conjure the silhouetted image of a female street vendor. Next up, the Diagonal Square will be revamped on the west side of the historic CBD, including the introduction of new public art, with work to be completed in the coming months. The site, at the corner of Ntemi Piliso Street and Albertina Sisulu Road, already features a beautiful sculpture of Albertina and Walter Sisulu and will be enhanced by local artists from Wards 124 and 60, where the square is located. Through workshops with the selected artists, a vibrant colour scheme and vision will be developed for the square.

Struggle icons Walter and Albertina Sisulu endured apartheid state harassment, frequent arrests and detentions and long separation. Their love story is celebrated by the artwork “Tribute to Albertina and Walter Sisulu”, sculpted by Marina Walsh.

It’s a larger-than-life concrete sculpture depicting the couple sitting together on a “love seat” but facing opposite directions, which highlights the forced separation they underwent. The artwork stands opposite Master Mansions, where Walter Sisulu had his offices as an estate agent in the 1940s.

Written by Brümilda Swartbooi

14/10/2022