A vibrant celebration of art unfolded as the City of Johannesburg Arts, Culture, and Heritage hosted the Joburg Top 20 Public Art Bus Tour recently in the heart of the city.  The tour was led by Eric Itzkin, the Head of Heritage for the City of Johannesburg, and Palesa Mnyaka, the Public Culture Manager for the City, to reveal the hidden treasures of Johannesburg’s public artworks.  

Setting off and concluding its exploration at the historic Sunnyside Park Hotel in Parktown, which resonates with the city’s origins in 1895, the tour brought together iconic monuments from the past and a vibrant surge of contemporary art. 

Among the tour’s highlights were the majestic springboks beautifying the old Anglo American building; and the Newspaper Vendor that bring newspapers to the public on Johannesburg’s streets, each telling a story of Johannesburg’s rich history and evolving artistic expressions. 

Dionne MacDonald captivated by the experience, saying: “It is lovely. It is beautiful to see things that I have not seen before. I do live in Joburg and spend a lot of time in the CBD. I walked past things I never saw before. Now, I am looking at the city with a different eye.” 

An equally enchanted Nicolle Oosthuizen praised the initiative, noting; “It is a good initiative. People who live in this landscape or work in around Johannesburg they never had this opportunity, or they are just too blind to see the art pieces in front of them.” 

Oosthuizen emphasized the impact of art’s visibility, highlighting the Eland as an example: “Eland is the one that is so visible on the corner of Jan Smuts Avenue (changing to) Bertha Street and Ameshoff Street, Braamfontein.

You can pass a place like Sci- Bono and not see the deconstructed SA Flag, Banner of Hope on 18 Goch Rd, Newtown. This experience is really awesome.”  

“To ensure the experience extended beyond the tour, the City of Johannesburg Arts, Culture and Heritage has a digital catalogue showcasing many artworks on the city’s monuments and public art,” concluded Itzkin. 

The digital archive is available at [Johannesburg Public Art Catalogue] (https://arts-culture-heritage.joburg/johannesburg-public-art-catalogue/), presented images and information for over 70 artworks.

Written by Dr Karabo Semenya

26/02/2024

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