Voting Line shadows

It turns out that the Voting Line on the Donkin Reserve isn't just made up of interesting and diverse silhouettes, it also throws the most interesting shadows.

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Looking across the Donkin

The woman with the chair, Anton Momberg's Untitled art piece forming part of Route 67, looks across the Donkin Reserve towards the Donkin Lighthouse and Pyramid. 

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Lines old and new

The Voting Line on the Donkin Reserve is on of my favorite art pieces forming part of Route 67.  Most people usually photograph them from the other side but this time I wanted to include the row of Donkin Houses in the background.  Built in the mid 1800's the houses have recently been refurbished, forming part of a very exciting new business hub developing in the inner city.

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The chair lady of the Donkin

Anton Momberg's "Untitled Piece", forming part of Route 67, standing proud on the Donkin Reserve.  Some call her the lady with the chair but for the first time did I realise that she could also be the "chairlady" of the Donkin Reserve

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The new Opera House stained glass feature

One of the new additions to the newly revamped Port Elizabeth Opera House is a stained glass window featuring the only three Africans on the continent to win the prestigious Tony Award – John Kani, Winston Ntshona and Athol Fugard.  And best of all, they're all from our city. Forty years ago, the trio were nominated for the best play Tony Award, for their co-written play The Island.  Kani and Ntshona both walked away with best actor awards for The Island and…

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Taxis in Whites Road

One of the Route 67 art pieces that gets the most comment from visitors is the taxis on the wall in front of the PE Opera House in Whites Road.  The taxis represent the mode of public transport used by most South Africans. "History is often shaped by momentus events, while cities with their alleys, streets and avenues are formed by the layers rhythms of the daily necessity.  This rhythim of place, shaped by the everyday, becomes the song of…

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Harmony in Nature on Route 67

One of the more unusual art pieces along Roue 67 is the Harmony in Nature piece in front of the Atheneaum building.  The piece uses an old optical technique used by the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo and uses optical illusion and mathematics to create a 3D picture that reflects from the flat and distorted mosaic surrounding the pole.  The artwork shows fauna and flora from the Eastern Cape and truly is a must see.

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Lady Elizabeth Donkin – Then and Now

I wonder how many people who have seen the mosaic art piece on the Donkin Reserve next to the pyramid have noticed that the only known portrait of Lady Elizabeth Donkin has been incorporated into it.Elizabeth Frances néeMarkham was the young wife of Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin and died of fever shortly after child birth while Donkin was stationed in the East.  Elizabeth was the eldest daughter of the Very Rev Dr George Markham, dean of York, and the grand-daughter of…

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The Surf ART project

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txoZy4tnCFA&w=500&h=400]Yesterday I spotted a post on local surf blog Millers Local's Facebook page with the Surf Art video.  Surf Art Animation is a project by PE surfer and artist Luc van der Walt.  True Colours-ART to uplift, developed an art project for little surfers, which was launched about 6 months ago with this animation. They have since worked with 3 groups in Cape Town and J-Bay.  They are now looking for sponsorship and funding so that the project can play out…

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Donkin lights and structures

All along the Mosaic Steps up onto the Donkin Reserve from Chapel Street there is a series of light structures cut out of metal.  Forming part of the public art along Route 67, the project was a collaboration between student and school pupils with 34 of these telling stories of our past, present and future.  I was looking for a way to take a photo of some of the structures without just photographing them with the Donkin as background and…

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