uMhlanga under-the-sea mural unveiled at iconic pier

WHEN uMhlanga’s Whalebone Pier was reopened in December last year, after being closed for three months for renovations, it was revealed that the iconic pier would be getting a makeover with a new mural and new mosaic tile designs lining the pier.

The initial closure of the R3.2-million project was to extend the longevity of the concrete as the pier is a tourist drawcard and remains one of the most photographed places in Durban.

Now the final large-scale mural has been unveiled by artist Giffy Duminy who was assisted by David Becker.

The new mural features an array of sea life, including a Floral Moray Eel, Half-moon Butterflyfish, an Octopus, Blue-banded Surgeonfish and a Nembrotha Aurea (sea slug), to name a few.

The under-the-sea themed mural has already wowed locals and beachgoers, and Giffy hopes the mural will inspire people to prioritise the environment.

“I have been involved in this project for the past few weeks. The artwork features a biodiverse rock pool setting inspired by the rocky intertidal zone on the shores of KwaZulu-Natal. I spend a lot of time snorkelling our coastline and looking for interesting marine life which has fed into the inspiration for this mural. I have chosen some of my favourite and fairly common species of animals that could be found in the rock pools in uMhlanga. I hope this site-specific theme evokes the essence of being underwater and in the moment of viewing a scene of a healthy uMhlanga rock pool – in large scale.

“I also hope the mural will act as a reminder of the amazing life we have around us and our responsibility to conserve it. I hope it will inspire people, public and political leaders in eThekwini and uMhlanga to realise the importance of making more environmentally minded decisions, improving the organisational eco-footprint, improving infrastructure and increasing jobs and tech in the environmental sphere so that we can maintain a clean coastline for the wildlife to thrive, and for us to enjoy,” he said.

Giffy also thanked all those involved in the project and made specific mention of City architect Kemira Naidoo for her contributions.

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