The installation of three sculptured artworks along the Strand promenade in Beach Road last week signalled the second phase of the Sculpture Walk, which aims to beautify the Helderberg and create awareness of its rich history and culture.
Four more sculptures will be added in the coming weeks, which will bring the total number of sculptures along the promenade to nine. It will give the opportunity to tourists, visitors and locals to stroll along the beach to appreciate its diversity, which also creates environmental awareness.
Already artworks by Lionel Smit and Janko de Beer have been warmly received by the community since its installation two years ago (“First step for promenade art walk”, DistrictMail, 12 April 2021), and the latest installations are expected to further compliment Strand’s Golden Mile.
The project was started by Annelie Rossouw of Future Strand, and thereafter taken over by Daantjie Malan and the staff of Malan Lourens Viljoen Attorneys. Malan Lourens Viljoen funded the time and completion of numerous forms and contracts with City of Cape Town and Strand Business Improvement District sponsored the public liability insurance (R15 000) and six of the seven cement bases at R6 000 per base.
“We are still looking for a sponsor for the seventh base and all the installation costs,” Malan said, and added that the project has so far cost an estimated R50 000. Artists who have contributed towards the project include Anton Smit, Dorette Nortje, Gerhard van Eck, Nanette Ranger, Neil Mopp and Vincent da Silva. Malan added that once the second phase of the promenade is completed from the Pavilion towards Greenways they will lodge another project. In the meantime additional artworks will be installed by Thursday 12 October, after which an official launch will take place.
Ward 83 Councillor Carl Punt said the new sculptures will also upgrade and improve Strand economically.
“As a tourist area this will attract art lovers to Strand and hopefully bring more opportunities to our artists,” he said. “With the positive reaction towards the previous sculptures, a request for more came to light and due to this, Future Strand and Strand Business Improvement District drove this initiative. This will fit in very well with the City of Cape Town’s plan also to upgrade the Informal Trading Market, which is in the planning stage as we speak.”
