End of the line for Sea Point promenade sculptures

A sequence of sculptures along Sea Point, called Walking the Road and depicting dragonflies and a little girl wearing a striped red-and-white swimming costume, were removed yesterday after 19 months of being displayed on the Sea Point Promenade.

The 18-sculpture narrative, done as part of artist Marieke Prinsloo-Rowe's Wits University master's degree, was installed on the promenade in June 2010, just before the World Cup, as part of a pilot project by the city to create more public art.

The sculptures were vandalised several times, and one was stolen.

The city's mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith, said the sculptures were meant to be there for only a year, but the council had extended the contract for a further two years.

He said that because the artworks were made of cement, they were beginning to show wear and tear, so the city had decided to call it quits.

Smith said the city's main priority was to complete the public art policy so that they could start working towards a plan for displaying more public art around Cape Town.

"The sooner we complete the policy, the better, as there is little being done to upgrade the promenade.

"We are keen on exhibiting more public art if we can find more," he added.

Cape Argus

Posted at 08:46AM Jan 12, 2012 by Editor in Cities and Towns  |  Comments[2]