THE welcome walls of the uMhlanga’s iconic landmark, the Whalebone Pier, have been completed with a stunning mosaic-tile detail.
The project to design a welcome wall, front and back, was completed by creative artist Kirsten Miller from Kirsten Miller Creative Studio in Glenwood.
Earlier this year, Miller, alongside a team that included graduates from the Action in Autism school in Park Hill, completed another part of the project with 18 new ellipses mosaic-tile designs showcasing sealife found along the coastline of KwaZulu-Natal along the walkway of the pier.
It formed part of a R3.2-million upgrade project to the pier by the eThekwini Municipality.
Now, however, Miller has completed the second part of the project, which encompassed the welcome walls of the pier featuring a Humpback Whale, seagulls, fish and coral found along uMhlanga’s coastline.
Glass pebbles installed in the design also give the artwork a shimmering effect in the sunlight.
There have also been two plaques installed on either side of the pier with some facts on the famous landmark.
“The brief from the engineer was very specific on what needed to be incorporated into the design on the walls, including the style of font for Umhlanga Rocks and Whalebone Pier. The design features a Humpback Whale, typically found on the KZN coastline, and other sea life. There are certain motifs and colour palettes that are standard throughout the design which match up with the ellipses mosaic-tile designs along the pier.
“The andemento or the flow of the mosaic is the same style throughout the pier. In the time I’ve completed the work here, the response from the public has been overwhelmingly positive. There hasn’t been a single negative comment, and I speak to around 50 people a day. They are so supportive and kind with their words which really warms my heart as this has been a long project,” she said.
Miller also gave insight into how she worked with graduates from the Action in Autism school in the initial part of the project.
“I started my studio a little over a year ago, and the idea was to create an inclusive space that welcomes people from neuro-diverse backgrounds. Having worked at Action in Autism and having a background in autism, I felt this project would be an amazing opportunity. I had a team of 14 join me to help meet the project’s first deadline for the opening of the season: Artists from the Phansi Museum and graduates from Action in Autism were employed to help on the panels, and about seven generous volunteers also put in time.
“I also had a wonderful assistant, Sofiya Pather, help me throughout the project. It was a fantastic opportunity for collaboration, and this project enabled the vision of giving people with neurodiverse conditions a chance to showcase their passion and talent and also to be paid for their work, to be realised. I could not have completed this project without my team, and I really value their contributions to this project,” she explained.
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