Eco-Imagining Africa's Mdantsane Mural Project Video

Video by Andries Bezuidenhout.

Murals and other public artworks foster community connection, pride, and engagement with place. They add colour, dimension and vibrancy to neglected buildings and other structures, so beautifying areas and improving quality of life. They can raise awareness about social and environmental issues, stimulating people to engage with and discuss these. Murals can inspire people to take action. We used murals as a way of engaging with young people in two communities -- in Mdantsane township, west of East London, Eastern Cape, and in Mankweng, Limpopo. The Mdantsane Art Centre is located at Mdantsane township to the west of East London, and among others, aims to nurture the skills of young creatives in the local community. Artists share studios space in shipping containers. Their exteriors provided the surface for murals on water, energy and food. This site specific and grounded approach provided an engaging way to think through challenges that face local residents in accessing water, energy and food.

Makhanda-based artists Mook Lion and Phila Phaliso led the intervention, conducted from 13-24 November 2023.  Ten young people from Mdantsane joined them to discuss the WEF Nexus and EcoImagining; on mural art, life drawing and design; and on possible designs pertaining to the site and the WEF research. Participants developed their designs using objects from their homes – a gas bottle, candle, a plastic water bottle, a solar lamp – and from their environment – broken power lines and illegal connections, leaking taps and pools of polluted water, food scraps and informal food markets.

Vuyokazi Mayalo explored the complexity of access to water, energy and food, and the interconnections of humans and infrastructure, Vuyo perceived that not only was the infrastructure broken, but that human connections were also broken, and that this was part of the problem.

Participants prepared the container walls by scraping off loose paint and sanding the entire surface, this ensured a solid surface to hold the paint and encourage would longevity. The designs were then transferred by grid to scale onto the wall using a spirit level and chalk lines. This technique enables the community artists to break the space into manageable segments. Artists then transferred their designs, and – with help from others from the township – painted the murals.

Participants in this project included Vuyokazi Mayalo, Banele Noruka, Samkhelo Ntoyakhe, Luntu Mgaga, Amila Peter, Lubabalo Manga, Lathitha Gunguluza, Edumisa Nangu, Lilitha Dumezweni and Sabelo Booi. The project was facilitated by Mook Lion and Phila Phaliso, with the support and involvement of Vijay Makanjee (Ruliv), Cinga Dyala (Centre Director), and Andries Bezuidenhout (University of Fort Hare).

The Mdanstane Arts Centre is currently being revitalised, and the containers are temporarily in storage.