HERITAGE TRAIL

 

 SYMBOLS OF NEWTOWN IDENTIFIED

 "It is important to celebrate Johannesburg’s unique culture, diverse communities and rich history. Offering shared symbols which build social cohesion, contribute to civic pride and help forge a positive identity for the city. Through this I will show this part of johanneburg CBD's identity and vision, while individuals and community groups in neighbourhoods are also empowered to express their unique identities. This should create awareness, create opportunities for artists, designers and fabricators. Further,this should help with the development and economic growth through raising confidence, attracting visitors and stimulating investment."

Mary Fitzgerald Square

Above: Mary Fitzgerald Square,Newtown,Johannesburg,South Africa.
Photo taken by Ossewa.

This historic square was originally a wagon site. First known as Aaron’s Ground, then as Market Square, it was renamed in 1939 after Mary Fitzgerald, the first female trade unionist in South Africa and the first female public office holder in Johannesburg. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, political and labour meetings were held here. Cultural performances and traditional stick-fighting also took place here and brought new culture fusions to the city. The square is now the center of Newton’s cultural district.




         Wooden Heads


Above:Wooden Heads,Newtown,Johannesburg.
These are Wooden heads are placed throught
the Newtown precint.

The 560 carved wooden heads dotted on plinths throughout the Newtown precinct reflect a sea of faces from Africa. The artists, Simon Guambe, Petrus Matsolo, Dan Guambe and Joe Matola, intended these heads to reflect African diversity. They symbolise how for the better part of the last century, Newtown was home to thousands of migrants from throughout Africa and the world.









  Banner of Hope


Above: The metre wide concrete Banner of
HOPE.Newtown,Johannesburg.
The Banner of Hope Steel sculptuure
in South Africa.



The Bannner of Hope steel sculpture of the South African flag stands approximately three storeys high and 7 meters wide on a concrete plinth in front of the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre. The facets of the flag have been twisted and creatively re-arranged. The sculpture was a gift from the people of the Netherlands and was unveiled on the occasion of the opening of Radio Freedom at the Institute of Broadcast Journalism on 22 September 1995. Radio Freedom was the African National Congress’s radio station that was banned throughout the apartheid years. Activists in the townships used to huddle around their radios to tune into the station and listen to the voices of their leaders in exile. The sculpture was intended to honour of the ‘right to freedom of expression that had, at the timebeen enshrined   in the interim Constitution of South Africa.













        Kippie ‘Morolong’ Moeketsi

Above:

Artists artists Guy du Toit and Egon Tania with

the sculpture of Kippie ‘Morolong’ Moeketsi.

Born in 1925 and died in 1983.

A life-size bronze sculpture of legendary musician Kippie Moeketsi was unveiled outside the renovated venue of the same name in the Market Theatre Precinct in August 2009. The sculpture, by artists Guy du Toit and Egon Tania, is an emotional work that celebrates the life and brilliant work of Kippie whilst resonating with a melancholy for which he was also known.
The story goes that when playing bebop, Kippie's fingers ran along his saxaphone like rolling stones, which is how he acquired the nickname 'Morolong'.

Paper Pigeon



Above: Pigeon Square,Newtown,Johannesburg.

Paper Pigeon is a sculptural collaboration between artists Gerhard Marx and Maja Marx. Three large origami-like pigeons standing at a height of three meters, dwarf pedestrians passing Pigeon Square, Ferreirasdorp, Johannesburg.
Constructed from steel, these large pigeons reference the oriental paper folding technique known as origami, paying homage to the Chinese community that has played a significant role in this part of the city. The sculpture highlights the iconic presence of pigeons on Pigeon Square, not only in its visual reference to the pigeon as image, but also in serving as a perching pedestal for the vast resident pigeon community of Ferreirasdorp. Perching rods have been attached to the sculpture in positions that choreograph the visual impact of the birds: the darker shapes of the perched birds complete the recognisable tonal markings of the Paper Pigeon sculpture.