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News Archive September 2010 Rea Vaya art wins BASA
| Rea Vaya art wins BASA |
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| Thursday, 02 September 2010 |
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The Rea Vaya station art project has received recognition for its innovation – winning an award from Business and Arts South Africa.
ON the day Rea Vaya celebrated its first birthday, its creative station art project received one of the highest accolades in the arts in South Africa.
The work of Prophet JD dwells on transformation
On 30 August, the art project was presented with the Business Day BASA Award in the innovative category. As sponsor and commissioning agent for the art at the stations, the Johannesburg Development Agency received the award on the night.
The project is implemented by a consortium of The Trinity Session, Turkis and Urban Works. The final design choices are made by a panel of local artists.
Each station has an original art work reflecting Joburg's diverse and cosmopolitan atmosphere. They depict that which makes Joburg unique – its people, its communities, its buildings, its history – its vibe.
The art is of interconnectedness; between all the stations as part of an overall system around travel and movement, as well as between stations and their immediate environment – with regard to the people who live and work there.
"The brief ... was to create a unique experience at each station, while simultaneously aiming for coherence, as each station forms part of a larger system," explained the former chief executive of the JDA, Lael Bethlehem.
The Nasrec station artwork at Soccer City
"We wanted to reflect the street life of the city, and to reflect our cultural heritage. We want people to recognise their own stories in these artworks."
At Soweto's Thokoza Park Station in Chris Hani Road, for example, commuters can delight in the bright yellow sunflower and corn ears, by local artist Malakia Mothapo. This station depicts the city's agriculture and mining past.
Art at the Old Synagogue Station in Wolmarans Street, by Shannin Antonopaulo, reflects the cultural, religious and social aspects of this traditionally Jewish area. And at Orlando Police Station in Mooki Street, Prophet JD's quirky work, Tadpole Fever, deals with transformation.
The designs are sandblasted on to the station's glass panels.
There are 34 stations already, and new stations are being added as the BRT network expands - so commuters will be able to delight in more public art decorating their city.
The BASA awards are now in their 13th year, with awards presented in 13 categories. The Innovation Award recognises the most innovative and progressive partnership in all mediums of creativity, one that has served the purpose of partners and highlighted creativity and originality in the process.
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