Art imitates life to promote environmental awareness
A GIANT robot spider covered in a suit of flowers and plants is James Clayton’s way of creating awareness for the importance of biodiversity and environmental protection.
The general public and art lovers are able to follow the Cape Town artist’s presentation daily at 10am, 11.30am and 1pm at The Company’s Garden, near the Iziko South African Museum, until Friday.
“The message is to become aware of our actions and relations to our environment. We have an effect on biodiversity and climate, so we should be careful with what we do,” said Clayton.
The eight-legged “spider” consists of a 200kg aluminium frame and a biological skin with real blossoming plants. Clayton has been working on his art project for two years and material worth R300 000 was used to create the structure. The Department of Arts and Culture, Peninsula Pneumatics, Afrikaburn and Business and Arts South Africa sponsored the creation of the flower spider.
School pupils who attend the performance are provided with eight subject-specific, Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement-aligned educator resources, including classroom and project ideas, to promote experiential learning experiences.
“It is an art project, a piece of awareness, but also a piece of education,” said Clayton.
In the beginning of his show, he tells the children a story about a spider which was killed by man and reborn as a giant robot.
Clayton chose the arthropod as it was a mythical creature. “The flower spider was in the (Cape Town) Carnival last weekend, but as it is not as big and bright as other floats, it got a little bit lost.”