Johannesburg - Over the past few years, I’ve loved getting to know Joburg’s inner city, an area that was “off-limits” to me for so long. However, I have to admit that I did this on my terms – on a touristy inner city bus or in food markets bustling with visitors, as opposed to residents, and within somewhat cordoned-off areas, such as Maboneng and Braamfontein.
While I think the development of these areas has played a pivotal role in the upliftment of the inner city, I was curious to see the real CBD, away from the glitz. I was still a bit afraid to explore all on my own, so I hooked up with Jo Buitendach, founder of Past Experiences, to show me around. Jo has a degree in History and Archaeology, and is currently studying her Masters in Conservation of the Built Environment. Her technical knowledge, combined with her passion for the inner city, makes her the perfect tour guide.
Her company, Past Experiences, offers the opportunity to feel the sights and sounds of Joburg, as well as its culture, architecture and archaeology by means of immersion. Unlike most tour operators, Past Experiences encourages you to experience the city by walking through it and using its public transport. The company also tries to uplift the communities within the city so that they benefit from the tours in a sustainable way, whether this be by organising lunch at a local café, or encouraging guests to purchase snacks from local hawkers.
Past Experiences prides itself on being very inventive when it comes to tours, and is constantly coming up with new ideas for these. The shopping tours, where guests are given the chance to shop up a storm at bargain prices at various stores around the city, while interacting with and supporting locals at the same time, are among the most popular.
When Jo suggested that I join her on an “Inner City Graffiti Tour”, I wasn’t too keen. I’m no art fundi but I’ll happily visit a gallery or museum. Graffiti, however, has never been on my list of things to learn more about.
Before the tour, which was guided by some of the city’s most prominent graffiti artists, I saw graffiti as a form of vandalism and nothing more. This view of graffiti arises from the perception that it is gang-related and done illegally or at night – which is not at all the case. On this tour, I learnt that graffiti can be used as anything from a form of self-expression to a political statement.
Past Experiences is hugely passionate about graffiti, as it provides another interesting layer to Johannesburg, adding colour and life to dull, grey walls. For some children who live in the city, that is the only art they will ever see. The graffiti tour focuses on the history of the movement internationally, as well as the culture in Johannesburg, which is fast becoming known as a world-class graffiti destination, drawing top global graffiti and street artists to the city, simply to see all the incredible public art.
If you’re lucky, the artists themselves may be available to show you their work, and you will have the chance to see how immensely talented they are. These graffiti artists have art degrees or qualifications, and for many of them, graffiti is a full-time job, with many corporates hiring them for campaigns and promotions.
While some areas are “no-go” zones, if there is already graffiti on a certain wall and no one paints over it after a few weeks, it’s pretty much free for artists to use as their canvas. We explored the Newtown area on foot, and discovered entire walls that had been painted with the most intricate graffiti designs. For the first time, I appreciated graffiti as a form of art, whereas previously I just saw it as youngsters messing around.
Past Experiences can arrange a graffiti workshop in collaboration with Two by Two Art Studio, a project space in the heart of Newtown, where you’ll have the opportunity to try out some of the graffiti patterns. The tours can also be formatted to suit large groups and corporates, and are already very popular with school groups.
If You Go...
Visit www.pastexperiences.co.za or e-mail [email protected].
l Hasmita Nair was hosted by Past Experiences for the purposes of this article.
l For more things to do in and around Jozi, visit Hasmita’s blog: www.joziliciousblog.co.za
Sunday Independent