Local creatives bid farewell to city official

IT has become unusual for government and the art community to have a great working relationship. Local creatives gathered at the Bulwer Park in Glenwood to bid farewell to one of their “own,” Guy Redman, who played an instrumental role in the installation of the massive Vulturine Fish Eagle, aka Palm Nut Vulture sculpture, at the local park. Redman, who has been working for the council for 13 years, was the deputy head of Department: Libraries, Heritage, Arts and Culture. The massive bird with wings spread soaring over seven meters high among the tree tops in the park, is the pride and joy of Glenwood residents, celebrates partnerships that provide artistically credible, interesting and informative public art.

Curator of the Project, Bren Brophy, said it wouldn’t have been possible for the bird to see the light of day if was not for the great partnership and they have with various stakeholders. He wished Redman all the best in his new endevours. Also present at the farewell was the project’s primary partner, Oricol Environmental Services, a Durban based company which was awarded a contract by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) which provided the very unique materials for the Eagle. Oricol was awarded the contract based on its ability to meet the contract specifications and offer safe destruction of non-compliant goods through environmentally friendly waste management methods ensuring maximum recycling and diversion from landfill of the products.

Cutting a very humble image, Redman said he was honoured by the gesture from the local creative community and hoped to see more community public sculpture projects all over Durban.

“It has been a very pleasant and interesting journey from the conception of the project to the end product. After many years of cultivating a good working relationship with most of the creatives, who have now become family, it’s sad to leave, but knowing that I am leaving them in capable hands makes it okay. I am also glad the city is moving in the direction when it comes to reviewing their laws governing public art. I hope to see more art in the city,” said Redman.

Currently murals on public and private buildings are strictly prohibited and no provision was made within the city’s legislative framework, under any department, for public art. However, this is expected to change as the City is in the process of including provisions in the new bylaws which will lift the strict ban and enable the legalisation of installation of murals and public art on buildings within certain precincts. This framework is currently under review and is expected that the new bylaws will be granted and published in June of this year.