Sculpture in the city

A new competition calls Johannesburg artists and designers to express their connection to their city in works of public art.

Over the past ten years, the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has installed public art around the city of Johannesburg – from the CBD to Soweto and Orange Farm – with sculptures and murals of all sizes adding life to the urban environment.

The JDA’s aim to spend one percent of its annual capital budget on new artworks has resulted in a portfolio of art that brands Jozi as a welcoming and creative city. In partnership with the Department of Community Development (Arts, Culture and Heritage), the JDA intends to continue investing in public art over the next five years. Along with the newly appointed The Trinity Session, the JDA will curate and co-ordinate a public art program and conceptualise new opportunities for public art.

The JDA’s strategy will be based on the premise that a successful public art program improves the quality of an environment, making it a more attractive place to live and work. Such a program also has the potential to generate a culture of creativity and reinforce a city’s identity.

In line with these beliefs, the JDA, through the Trinity Session, has opened a competition for the production and installation of public artworks at two sites in the inner city.

The first brief is for a medium to large-scale sculpture in Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown and the second is for a medium-scale sculpture on the corner of Biccard and Leyds Streets in the Commuter Links precinct in Braamfontein.

Companies, joint ventures, individuals, artist groups and collectives or other parties experienced in media suited to outdoor public artwork are invited to submit proposals for both sites.

The competition tender is open to artists and designers working or living in Joburg, or those who can prove strong affiliation and history to the competition sites. The tender became available on 11 March and will close on 30 March. Detailed documents are available at the JDA offices at The Bus Factory, 3 President Street, Newtown.