DragonArt turned an illegal dumping site into a beautiful little garden
"I took all of that rubbish and converted it into art" - Mervin August.
A local from Klipspruit West, Mervin August better known DragonArt has filled with his artwork for all to see. The artist explained that this project started almost two years ago when the illegal dumping started affecting the area.
His wife, Veronica Crowder shared: “I like drinking my tea outside in the yard, and there use to be a horrible smell coming into the yard because of the illegal dumping.
There have also been lots of flies in this area. He started inside the yard with the art and then went outside, and when he started outside, he said no one must remove anything from that dump because he is going to use everything there to make the art.”
DragonArt added: “I use anything I can find to make my art. I took all of that rubbish and converted it into art. I don’t have plans when I start with the art piece, as I’m busy, the art piece just reveals itself.”
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The artist explained that it has taken him a while to complete this project because everything comes out of his own pocket. He is unemployed and every few months has to make income so that he can buy cement and paint as well as pay the two men who he taught and now is helping out with the garden.
“I am different from most people; I am a very deep person and I didn’t really understand myself. A lot of people live a controlled life and I dig deeper to understand life. I believe in life itself most people’s knowledge is based on hearsay and I rather go out about gain this knowledge for myself.
“I found a way to express myself through art. I have been doing this since I know myself, I don’t make it my life but it’s how I express myself. In my art, there’s a positive side and a negative side, I do not plan it this way, it just happens. I do a symbolic form of art, everything is symbols and according to our own knowledge we identify or add meaning to it,” said DragonArt.
Another local, Richard de Jongh shared: “This man is very passionate about what he is doing. Every time when I pass by, I have to stand and look at his art pieces, and I am not the only one, everyone stops to have a look at his creations. This area is supposed to be a park for the kids and it was not safe for the children to be running through this area when the illegal dumping was taking place.”
“As a community leader, I respect what he has done because taking an illegal dumping area and revamping it into something children can come look at and play, is amazing. When he started here with his art and his garden, children around here also started their gardens, my daughter is one of them.”
De Jongh also added that they are in talks with Pikitup and City Parks and are hoping that they can collaborate on this project.
DragonArt would like to add a jungle gym and a water feature near the garden so that children in the community can have a safe place to play and enjoy. The artist would like to have this by Christmas. De Jongh appeals to all local businesses to assist with items that can help create the jungle gym and other art pieces in the community.
You can contact the artist on 068 046 0667 or mervinaugust@gmail.com or you can find him on Facebook under the name; Doslin August. You can also visit the garden in Dangor Crove, Klipspruit West behind the surgery in Fuchsia Road.
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