Off the wall: Giffy brings walls to life with breathtaking murals
Hear more from Durban’s best street artists in this bi-monthly feature.
EVERY second month, Caxton Local Media will bring you a feature where we will interview artists and promote street art in and around Durban.
Street art is a form of creative expression found on walls, substations and even high-rise buildings all across the province. This month, we start with Highway resident Giffy Duminy, whose artistic work and style is unmistakable.
1. When did you first share your artwork in a public space?
“Around 2007/8, I started noticing public art in the form of graffiti tags and murals around Durban. I especially noticed the beautiful murals around Warwick Triangle by Thami Jali and those by other mural pioneers. For several years, I never knew who painted what artwork until I gradually met the artists behind the works. I started painting in 2009 and continued fairly consistently until 2012 (my high school years). Then I painted furiously after that, making sure my murals were placed in good spots. I got a degree in marketing, then decided I wanted an outdoor job. Throughout high school, I wanted my future profession to be a mural artist. Since graduating in 2016, murals have been my full-time profession.”
2. Do you work with a sketch in hand or do you work freehand?
“It depends on the mural. Sometimes, I do a lot of pre-production to figure out the composition of the artwork. Sketches and photoshop mock-ups can be helpful when working large-scale. Often, I just use good references and put the artwork together on the spot, which, many times, can work out the best.”
3. What do you see as the artist’s role in society?
“To highlight and share important topics from the artist’s perspective. Art is a powerful tool to share ideas and expressions. Also to share beauty and bring life to a surface or area.”
4. How do you define your style?
“An essence of reality. Impression-based mark-making.”
5. What’s your favourite artwork?
“Maybe the Turtle/Reef mural painted at The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) Treasure Beach education centre on the Bluff.”
6. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
“Keep your nose to the grindstone, and sharpen your tools. Create a lot, and enjoy the process.”
7. Besides Durban, where else can people view your art?
“I have a few murals scattered around KZN. On the main road in Hluhluwe, on the way to the nature reserve, you can find a few murals some of my friends and I painted. In St Lucia, there is an eight-metre-tall hippo portrait of mine. There is a handful in Joburg and in Cape Town, too. I also have a few pieces in Holland and Turkey.”
8. What are people’s reactions to your work?
“My theme of work is usually painting the local wildlife in the area of the wall I paint. I have painted local wildlife in a few different countries and usually get a very positive response from viewers. My aim is to highlight the beauty around us, in the hope that people consider the wildlife we share our space with and strive to conserve it.”
To view more of his murals and projects, follow Giffy on Instagram.
