I was approached by the Trinity Session to produce designs for images on bollard covers at a main entry point into the Johannesburg CBD. Alongside my designs are ones by Alice Edy, Nare Mokgotho, and Edward Lelaka. Our designs were based on a collection of urban signs and symbols: sheeps and goats heads, taxis, roads, zebra crossings, transport hailing hand gestures and so forth. The designs were painted onto metal bollard covers. The bollard covers were capped steel tubes that can fit over conventional concrete bollards. These covers were then installed over concrete bollards. In the image above car rubber mats can be seen resting on some of the installed bollard covers. The site is close to a taxi rank and these rubber mats were likely placed on these pieces of public infrastructure to dry.
Two connector points between Braamfontein and the Johannesburg CBD are Queen Elizabeth Bridge and Biccard Street, both streatching over the train tracks close to Johannesburg’s Park Station. When these two roads meet, they form into Simmonds Street. Coming out of the Johannesburg CBD is Sauer street, also known as Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Street. It splits to become Queen Elizabeth Bridge and Biccard Street. The bollards were installed along the intersection of these four roads.
The metal bollards have since been removed, either by city officials or members of the public. The concrete bollards have been replaced with much smaller bolards.
I have no photographic documentation of this work, other than what was published on other online sources.
Laurice Taitz-Buntma (2011) Joburg’s public art – West side story Part I
C. Wanjiku Kihato, A. Spitz (2011) Johannesburg Final Report