Explore the ultimate public art gallery

ATIYYAH KHAN

GRAFFITI and street art are among the few art forms that provide a voice to the voiceless. Art on walls and in public spaces is an ancient idea which has been re-interpreted in new forms to expose injustice and flip the idea that art is for the elite.

However, the City of Cape Town, has erased artworks and enacted by-laws which create difficulties for artists. An artist might put up work, only for it to be removed a few days later.

It’s in the nature of graffiti and street art that it is mostly short-lived. Nontheless, there are still many notable artworks around the city which can be viewed and, in some areas, continue to grow.

The Street is the Gallery is a walking tour run by visual artist Grant Jurius which focuses on showcasing street art and graffiti in Woodstock and in Westridge in Mitchells Plain. The tours are remarkable in that they highlight the complexities behind the history, politics and social contexts in Cape Town.

The dynamics of each community is explored. Woodstock is an area under contestation with a growing move towards gentrification. A huge portion of Woodstock has artwork done by local and international artists spread amid graffiti writing and gang tags

Westridge in Mitchells Plain is important becausethat area has been a breeding ground for graffiti in South Africa since the 1980s and has pieces that have been on the walls for many years. The area is dominated by pieces by Westridge-born artist Falko.

Jurius offers insight on matters from the legacies of apartheid to the freedom that writing on the walls can present, interspersed with knowledge of elements of hip hop. He showcases what already exists, allowing people to make up their own minds.

Jurius’s own work can be seen on the streets of Cape Town. He has been running the tours independently since 2013.

The Street is the Gallery offers walking tours in Woodstock and Mitchells Plain. The cost is R200 for 90-minute tours. See The Street is the Gallery on Facebook, email grajurius@gmail.com or read the blog: https://thestreetisthegallery.wordpress.com.

PICTURE: ATIYYAH KHAN ON THE FACE OF IT: A mural by artists Cern and Binho in Woodstock, as seen on tour with The Street Is The Gallery.