A new art installation called Sun Star on Signal Hill is attracting attention, despite poor publicity about the latest World Design Capital 2014 project, and is the second contentious outdoor art project to have been erected in the city recently. The organisers of the design project for Cape Town appear to have already packed up their PR bags, in that the hosting by Cape Town of World Design Capital 2014 ends next month and they are already taking bids for their furniture!
What makes the 24 meter high sculpture, which was created by Christopher Swift, contentious is that it is sponsored by Sun International, the ‘Sun’ name written in the hotel group’s typeface at the advertising board alongside the artwork. It does have emotional appeal in that fencing removed from Robben Island has been built into the ball of the sculpture. Entitled ‘Sun Star, A Beacon of Hope‘, it survived the fire on Signal Hill last week.
The hotel group General Manager for Communications Michael Farr is reported to have placed the following spin on the project: ‘…the installation represented the ability of South Africans to view the future with optimism. Despite the obvious symbolism of using materials from Robben Island where political prisoners such as (the late) Madiba were Continue reading →
