The V&A Waterfront isn’t just famous for its mall, Two Oceans Aquarium, or even its amazing Silo District. It’s also an artistic hub for some of South Africa’s most famous sculptors. Take a Waterfront Sculpture Art walking tour of the harbours amazing galleries, statues, and art installations on the 28th of August 2019, learning all there is to know about them with the help of your guide, Claudette Schreuders. She is the creator of the famous South African Nobel Peace Prize Laureates statues that stand proud in Noble Square near the City Sightseeing Ticket office at STOP 1. This experience is a must for art lovers and those fascinated by sculptures and how they are made.
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The tour kicks off spectacularly with a tour of the Everard Read Gallery, a fine art gallery that has been housing contemporary paintings and sculptures from across Africa and the world since 1996. It’s a stunning gallery with a 50m square sculpture garden to explore as well. The tour is led by the gallery’s curator, ensuring the most enriching, in-depth tour of all the artworks the gallery has to offer.
Then it’s on to Nobel Square to see your guide’s work in person. The four larger than life statues are of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former president F W De Klerk, activist Albert Lutuli, and former president Nelson Mandela. They fought for equal rights and freedom for South Africans from segregation and oppression.
The bronze shows hints of green from oxidation, carved into the amazing likeness of the heroes they’re based on, and they make for great photo opportunities as you learn all about their history, the process of creating them, and what it was like working with many different stakeholders. Nearby is another grande bronze statue, Noria Mabasa’s Peace and Democracy stands like a tombstone to oppression, a triumph over segregation. It’s intended to commemorate the role of women and children in the struggle for freedom.
Image source: The Cape Towner
Then it’s across the bridge and over to the Silo District for a tour of the numerous sculptures that dot the district. One of the latest highlights, right between the Zeitz MOCAA Museum and the City Sightseeing STOP 2, is the Mercedes Benz Zoetrope installation. Unassuming from the outside, it’s the inside that provides the real experiences.
It’s an art piece that calls upon sight, sound, and movement, an internal sprawling maze of sound and moving pictures, timed to last a minute in each section. Watch and listen to the narrative before moving on to the next section to get the full depth of the experience, a story of life and a celebration of movement.
Finally, the tour comes to its conclusion with a live molten bronze pour at the Bronze Age Art Factory, where amazing commercial and art pieces are sculpted and poured by a dedicated team of sculptors daily. They’ve created some amazing sculptures over the years, including gigantic lion statues, Nelson Mandela statues, and personal bronze sculpted art pieces and furniture.
Image: Casting SSA
City Sightseeing doesn’t just offer hop on hop off tours aboard our Red Buses. From STOP 5 on Long Street, you can join one of our jovial local tour guides for a free walking tour through the CBD with its statues, gardens and historical buildings. Then there’s a tour of the colourful Bo Kaap, home to the oldest Mosque in South Africa. Bo Kaap is the heart of the Cape Malay culture and heritage, and the walking tour is the best way to see it. Also take advantage of the Waterfront Free Walking tours daily from STOP 1 opposite the Aquarium.
Be sure to visit Waterfront Sculpture Art Walking Tour before the 28th of August, with tickets going for R250 from 1st of July till the 27th of August. Tickets will also be available on the day at a rate of R350. Keep our map on hand to see what other attractions you can enjoy on the day and if you’re looking to join us on one of our red sightseeing buses you can check out our timetable to never miss your bus.
