Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans is coming to South Africa. The project will commission artists to create 13 or more large murals around Cape Town and will feature week-long, free-to-the-public programmes from Friday November 3 to Saturday November 11. Pictured Su Vida Es Nuestra Vida by Alegria Del Prado, which was created for the Sea Walls Mexico project in 2019. Picture: supplied
An art project plans to turn plain walls in Kalk Bay, Muizenberg and other parts of Cape Town into vibrant murals to promote ocean conservation.
The Global Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans initiative will make its African debut in November, and South Africa is joining the PangeaSeed foundation’s global network of over 500 murals in 19 countries created by more than 400 artists.
PangeaSeed Foundation is a non-profit based in Hawaii that uses art to promote ocean conservation. It is working with Wavescape, the oldest surfing and marine-weather website in South Africa, and SJ Artists, an artist-management agency, to bring the project to South Africa, with support from the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF), which is sponsoring the event in celebration of its 20th anniversary this year.
Preparations are in full swing for the inaugural event, which will take place from Friday November 3 to Saturday November 11.
"A few years ago, a friend introduced me to Sea Walls, a PangeaSeed Foundation project. Because of my involvement in public art through SJ Artists and my role in coordinating the Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival, I felt it was the right thing to reach out to Sea Walls and propose the project to South Africa,” said Sea Walls: South Africa project director Shani Judes.
The project will commission artists to create 13 or more large-scale murals in Camps Bay, Sea Point, the Cape Town CBD, Salt River, Khayelitsha, Hanover Park, Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, and possibly Hout Bay. The murals will focus on ocean conservation, culture, and history.
Marti Macfly, Dbongz, Dirty Native, Amy-Lee Tak, These 10 Fingers, Marie-Louise Koen, Sonny, Breeze Yoko, and CareCreative are the South African artists taking part, and international artists will also be invited to participate.
The project will also feature a week-long, free-to-the-public programme that will include youth outreach at local schools, a coastal clean-up, and mural walking tours.
Guests will also be able to visit the SOSF Shark Centre in Kalk Bay and experience the Walk of Remembrance to learn about the history of Kalk Bay and the struggles of by local fishers.
James Lea, CEO of the SOSF, said: "We support marine conservation projects worldwide, but to truly inspire people to care and take action, we need to create an emotional connection with the ocean. That's where projects like Sea Walls come in. By bringing beautiful seascapes to Cape Town, we hope to inspire and remind everyone of the ocean's importance.“
If you are interested in contributing a wall (above 20m² with good visibility) for the project, volunteering, or providing sponsorship, contact Shani Judes at 083 509 5105 or shani@shanijudes.co.za.