The urban camouflage of South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa boasts ownership of some of the most renowned attractions and remarkable natural wonders the world over.

Millions of tourists from around the world flock to its shores to experience all that the Mother City has to offer. Yet tucked away in the most unassuming corners, in the darkest parts of the ubiquitous shadow cast by the famous Table Mountain, lay some of the most intriguing attractions of all: Cape Town’s exceptional artwork. 

This artwork does not hang on a gallery wall; it does not even have the maker’s names attached to it in paint, yet these anonymous masterpieces reflect the heartbeat and expression of Cape Town better than any portrait hanging in a museum.  It is the city’s urban art, which includes countless graffiti images and paintings that cover the sides of buildings and empty walls all over the city. It is the street art that has the capacity and privilege to speak volumes about the joys, the hardships, the dreams and the realities of life in the city. 

Unsigned and anonymous in nature, graffiti art affords the freedom of thought, the freedom of speech, and the freedom of expression to the oppressed and stifled voices of the South African people.  These unknown artists do not look for fame or recognition for their talents. This art instead emerges out of a need for a public platform in which to break the silence about all that needs to be said and all that needs to be heard. It is the people’s diaries read aloud. It is the city’s deepest, darkest secrets exposed in broad daylight.

Wandering the streets of the city, its suburbs, and the peripheral townships, you will come across countless wonders of the imagination and the creations of the inspired hand armed with a spray can. The images feature representations of contemporary African lifestyles, inspiring quotes and depictions of metaphors for public awareness goals such as the protection and promotion of freedom, human rights, wealth, and health. Viewers will face portraits of political figures such as Nelson Mandela and Steven Biko, and entire murals dedicated to a single sentiment or a plethora of feelings regarding current public or personal concerns. 

The origin of the graffiti culture in Cape Town has its roots in one of South Africa’s most famous epidemics: apartheid. During the 1980s, graffiti became a part of underground counterculture and a platform on which people could rebel against their oppressive government. It also became a political tool for guerilla warfare in the cities, as artists began tagging phrases such as “stop the violence” and “free Mandela.” Despite graffiti being an anonymous sport and it having the luxury of carrying out its resistance efforts under the cover of night, it was an effort not without its dangers. During this time, if one was caught creating graffiti, it was seen as a political crime and he could be detained without trial.

The underground culture of street art also contributed to the development of the individual during these oppressive times. It induced social and political awareness in individuals. It allowed people to get involved in something that was making a difference; it awarded them individual status as well as made them part of something bigger, integrating them into a larger group. It made them feel that they were worth belonging to something, belonging to a cause and a community.  It worked to unite a group of people in a common interest and a common goal and emphasized the importance of the efforts of the individual. 

Today, urban art in Cape Town has evolved tremendously, but it still maintains the essence of the spirit and purpose of its origins in social and political commentary. One favorite piece that exemplifies this envelops an entire side of a building on a main highway. It is a true metaphorical masterpiece. It highlights issues of race, integration and the basic struggle for all human rights and the struggle for peace. It may even be considered to connect to a political and social theme that is currently a prominent issue in South Africa: that of refugee rights and the fight against the plaque of xenophobia. 

The painting illustrates two grasping hands; one with a dark complexion that grasps a ribbon with a fist, and the second is light-skinned, reaching with an open hand towards the spiraling ribbon as it unravels. As the ribbon unwinds, it transforms first into rough forms of dancing human figures and then into a series of flying white doves. The entire image is accented by a spiraling series of words in the background, engaged in an unbroken circular dance. The mural is chock-full of symbolism and metaphor meant to remind us of our own humanity and encourage unity among the South African people. 

Another contemporary piece of urban artwork that is rather compelling in its significance is found on the boarder of Khayelitsha, a black informal township. It reads in elegant script, “The People Shall Inherit the Country’s Wealth.” This maxim may seem rather benign in its simplicity, but it is within the context that this painted phrase becomes a powerful social commentary. The mood and images that this phrase invokes in its readers, that of hope, progress and equality, starkly contrast its context. Its placement is ironic, as beside this hallmark of hope stands an expansive landscape of desperate poverty, characterized by makeshift shacks, unpaved streets, and filth of all kinds accumulating in the gutters. 

It shows how the people of this country, despite their conditions, are constantly looking towards building a better South Africa. It is conveyed in the most unassuming yet powerful ways and works to inspire and motivate those who look upon its message.

It is through street art that the people of Cape Town can be best represented in their ideas, their struggles and their exploits. Furthermore, it is through street art that the facets of the soul of the Mother City can begin to be understood by those passing by, who are willing to open their eyes, their minds and most importantly, their hearts.  It is a collective diary of the South African people, where everyone has the opportunity to make their voices heard to the world, even if they forever remain incognito. They are part of the pioneering force of South Africa, the taciturn political activists guilefully working towards a better South Africa through the power of public art.