Observatory Children's Park at Station Road

[stacey de villiers]

Dear All

Please see attached picture of the most recent mural at the Children's Park.

I find this extremely inappropriate for a children's park and would  like to know how to go about removing the writing on the signs. My first reaction this morning was to take some white paint and block it out myself, but I would like to follow the correct process and would like to see that the artist himself sees the need to change this piece within the context of a children's park.

Was this artwork approved before painting began?

I am not the only parent offended by this artwork. Most folks I spoke to today were incredibly supportive of me painting over the writing today. I would like to see official action on this by Monday otherwise I am sure parents will have no other option to take this into their own hands.

Eagerly awaiting response.

Thanks in advance,

Stacey de Villiers

[stephen van der spuy]

Hi Stacey,   My understanding is that that mural is part of a series of totally different murals.  Please refer to the Observatory Civic Association for further information.

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[Melanie Hoffman]

woah. I also do not see the value of this in a children't park. Ripping up old wounds, in this climate... Wrong place.

Melanie

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Melanie Hoffman

Tel: +27-722161416 (Mobile)

[SamB]

My reply regarding this posted on the Facebook post made:

I think the problems with this mural lies in the fact that the kiddies park is considered a safe haven for the nannies, mom's,  dad's and the children in their care. It's divided from the rest of Obs by its fence and locked gate. It seems almost like a utopia, invisible from the rest of Obs. When we are within we focus into the park and don't view the street outside.
Realistically the park is a very public space that is centrally located in the village.  It is viewable by all the passing public. Obs is steeped in history and was a very integral part of South African history in the apartheid era.
When I view this piece in the realistic context of the area it's in, I feel it is an entirely appropriate discourse.

 Was the mural commissioned as just a pretty decoration or was it commissioned as an artwork? If it was the former, then pictures of bubble guppies, Disney princesses or some other over commercialised children's character should have been used.

From what I have viewed of the mural it is portraying historical aspects of Observatory. I learnt something today myself because of this artwork. Even though Observatory has a rosy history of being a "grey" area, those public bathrooms on station rd were for whites only.

I feel my children are exposed to far worse reminders of South Africa's past and current downfalls by just walking around the streets of Obs. The heroine addicts, the homeless people that dig through our rubbish on Tuesdays, the students swearing at eachother and drunkenly stumbling past our home and puking in the gutter. The trauma they witnessed in my husband after he was mugged by gunpoint two houses away. The fear I felt when someone climbed over the wall and I was home alone with two small children.

It is also a incomplete artwork, the apparent intention is to offset it with a more positive aspect of our history. I hope  it stays so the story can be told.

[stacey de villiers]

Hi there

The writing has been changed.

Edwyn then came to the park to question anyone there about their opinions. I am hoping that this turns into an official constructive process should the community still have any kind of say wrt what images are chosen to enrich the park space.

I believe that it is the processes building up to action that are important. Perhaps there should have been a few options of murals which the community could have had an opportunity to choose from. I believe that if an image of a toilet with Apartheid memoirs on it was in a line of a variety of images, the other images would certainly have won more favour than this one, particularly in a brief of creating an area which inspires children and their caregivers for creative play toward a bright future.

I stayed for a while in the deep south and am used to the way that the eMzantsi team addresses issues of racism and history within the communities of both children and their parents. This is with the intention of bringing people together to see their similarities and finding ways to bridge gaps. I don't feel that the toilet and and its old sign posts were constructive toward a harmonious future at all.

The artist is clearly skilled, but I do find it strange that Leasha and others were so committed and engaged with a park upgrade, including murals on the walls, but were then apparently bulldozed by someone else's vision for how the park should look. I felt that Leasha's process was really inviting the community to share their ideas, whereas this one came out of nowhere.

Tx

S

[stephen van der spuy]

The Chairperson of the Observatory Civic Association will review this matter in consultation with other committee members.  If the wording needs to be deleted , then it should be done so only by the artist himself.,,,with the approval of the OCA committee.

On Mon, Apr 11, 2016 at 2:46 PM, SamB <samantha....@gmail.com> wrote:

[stacey de villiers]

The wording has been changed.