{"id":45364,"date":"2013-07-09T00:01:42","date_gmt":"2013-07-08T22:01:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=45364"},"modified":"2013-07-09T00:08:21","modified_gmt":"2013-07-08T22:08:21","slug":"new-green-point-track-adorned-by-artvark-urban-art-sculptures-links-cape-towns-past-and-present","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/new-green-point-track-adorned-by-artvark-urban-art-sculptures-links-cape-towns-past-and-present\/","title":{"rendered":"New Green Point Track adorned by Artvark urban art sculptures, links Cape Town’s past and present!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Green<\/a>On Saturday Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille officially opened the Green Point Track, a new sporting facility which is hidden on the cul de sac road that leads away from the Cape Town Stadium, across the road from McDonalds. \u00a0Given that the launch has been very low key, with barely any information to be found via Google, we requested Artvark, the creators of ten urban art sculptures made for the Green Point Track, to let us have more information about the project. \u00a0It was interesting to read the motivation for the sculptures created, linking Cape Town’s sporting and recreation past and present.<\/p>\n

On the cards since 2009, the urban art project was deemed to be an important part of the upgrading of the Track, to commemorate its history specifically, and the sporting and cultural history of Cape Town generally. \u00a0Landscape artist Darryl Pryce-Lewis conceptualised the idea of negative and positive panels made from metal, all to be positioned in a straight line, creating a ‘visual effect to be able to look through a negative space of an individual sculpture towards the positive, the symbolism of this already touch upon the diverseness and challenges faced in our country<\/em>‘, explains Artvark.<\/p>\n

Last year the designs for 10 life-size sculptures by Artvark designers Theresa Jo and CP Wessels were approved, representing in a modern and funky manner the goal to ‘visually and emotionally portray the rich history, heritage and significance of the site that is publicly accessible and also used for sporting and fund raising events’.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The design themes resulted from an analysis of Cape Town’s almost 400 year heritage, guiding the designs:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. ‘British Period \/ 19th<\/sup>\u00a0Century:<\/strong>\u00a0In 1850 there was a report in the Cape Monitor of a\u00a0cricket<\/b>\u00a0match at the Common, and Basil d\u2019Olviera is one of the great names associated with cricket in the Cape. In 1856\u00a0rugby\u00a0<\/b>was introduced to Cape Town and 1897 Jack Rose set an Amateur\u00a0cycling<\/b>\u00a0world record at the track.<\/em><\/li>\n
  2. Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902):<\/strong>\u00a0The grounds served as grounds for British and Colonial troops. The track was used as a tented camp area for\u00a0Boer prisoners of war<\/b>\u00a0was held in transit before being shipped to St Helena, Ceylon and Bermuda.<\/em><\/li>\n
  3. 20th<\/sup>\u00a0Century:<\/strong>\u00a0The first\u00a0coon carnival<\/b>\u00a0was held on the Green Point common in 1907 and in 1910 the track was the rehearsal venue for the Great Pageant. The track became an important venue for these parades and competitions from the 1920\u2019s. The\u00a0\u2018Kaapse Klopse\u2019<\/b>\u00a0also marked the significant event of the ending of slavery.<\/em><\/li>\n
  4. Later 20th<\/sup>\u00a0Century, Apartheid era and present:<\/strong>\u00a0The track was a popular sporting and recreational venue for marginalized communities in Cape Town. Later on\u00a0schools from poorer areas<\/b>\u00a0such as Bo-Kaap, District Six, Docks, Tramways road, Sea Point and St. Augustines in Kloof Street held\u00a0annual athletic<\/b>\u00a0meetings.<\/em><\/li>\n
  5. Present:<\/strong>\u00a0The ground is shared by various sport clubs, winter season \u2013 Schotse Kloof Walmers and Young Stars\u00a0Rugby\u00a0<\/b>Clubs, summer season \u2013 United\u00a0Cricket<\/b>\u00a0Club’.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Jo did the designs, creating a unique character for each of the design themes, which had to tell a story, yet allow the viewers of the artwork to interpret each sculpture in their own way. \u00a0Wessels produced the sculptures, making them three-dimensional, using two metal plates with a flange in-between them. \u00a0They have been erected at eye level. \u00a0The sculptures are the following, not all immediately recognisable without explanation, and are linked to the five themes above:<\/p>\n

    * \u00a0The Cape Minstrels’ annual parade at New Year celebrates the end of slavery in the Cape. \u00a0 The Green Point Track is used for the parade. \u00a0 The positive and negative Minstrel sculptures reflect the city’s lights, Table Mountain, Bo Kaap, and the Minstrels’ smiles, bowler hats, umbrellas, and gloved hands.<\/p>\n

    * \u00a0 The Freedom Fighter refers to the Anglo Boer War, the track having been a field with tents before the Boers were sent to prisoner of war camps in Ceylon. \u00a0The religious cross in the sculpture reflects the 40000 women and children that died in this war. \u00a0 The children are depicted to be barefoot, while the freedom fighters have thick sole ‘tekkies<\/em>‘.<\/p>\n

    * \u00a0 \"Green<\/a>Rugby players<\/p>\n

    * \u00a0 Cricket players<\/p>\n

    * \u00a0 Athletes<\/p>\n

    * \u00a0 Cyclists<\/p>\n

    * \u00a0 The original grandstand, built in 1895 and having burnt down in 1935, is reflected in one of the sculptures.<\/p>\n

    * \u00a0 Good sportsmanship is depicted, with a girl smiling, \u00a0and children winning.<\/p>\n

    We hope to contribute to a better understanding and appreciation of the urban art\u00a0\"Green<\/a>sculptures that have been created outside and inside the grounds of the new Green Point Track. \u00a0Green Point Councillor Bev Schafer said that the sculptures will be lit up, so that one can see them from Signal Hill.<\/p>\n

    Green Point Track<\/strong>, corner Fritz Sonnenberg Road and Granger Bay Boulevard, Green Point, Cape Town.<\/p>\n

    Artvark Gallery<\/strong>, 48 Main Road, Kalk Bay, Cape Town. Tel (021) 788-5584. www.artvark.org<\/a>. The photograph of the Mayor used with the permission of Artvark.<\/p>\n

    Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com<\/a> \u00a0Twitter: WhaleCottage<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    On Saturday Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille officially opened the Green Point Track, a new sporting facility which is hidden on the cul de sac road that leads away from the Cape Town Stadium, across the road from McDonalds. \u00a0Given that the launch has been very low key, with barely any information to be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[3,2253,124,6924,22,21],"tags":[19719,3741,19700,19717,19721,16375,695,19440,19716,32366,32397,19720,32378,19722,19715,1037,19729,19713,3575,19727,287,19728,19699,8353,8522,19718,694,11852,4217,19723,9428,1410,19724,658,411,19726,1476,2625,4,19714,19725,19712,32373],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t