‘Ordinary Extraordinary Heroes’, November 2020. 2000 x 5000 mm. Text mural for Hillbrow Theatre, Hillbrow, Johannesburg.
Commissioned by Boundless City
Ordinary–Extraordinary Heroes sought to restore a sense of value to the historic Hillbrow Theatre by involving the local community in the creation of a text-based mural. Residents nominated individuals they considered local heroes, both in person and online, and these names were incorporated into the artwork. By employing text as an image-making tool, the work conceptually connected the public through co-creation, transforming the mural into an act of collective authorship. The mural celebrated everyday community members while reinforcing the theatre as a shared public space and an important part of the community’s collective identity.
Process
