Rosslyn, South Africa – Nissan and some of the world's best graffiti artists are turning Johannesburg into a city-wide canvas for the fifth international City of Gold Urban Art Festival.
Created to showcase top class graffiti artists from South Africa and abroad, the Festival supports outdoor art and turns South Africa's largest city into a celebration of some of the best graffiti art on the continent. Artists started painting murals on 5 October and the festival ends with a tour of all murals on 10 October.
The City of Gold Festival organisers have received permission from building owners and the City of Johannesburg to paint 11 large multi-storey "canvasses" throughout Braamfontein, Newtown and Jeppestown. These walls have been allocated to the 13 artists from South Africa, the United States, Canada, Australia and the UK that are attending the festival.
To add some spice to proceedings, Nissan has added another canvas – a Juke . The Juke already turns heads with its revolutionary design and it will be tagged by all the artists and become a roving billboard for the festival.
"The artists really enjoyed turning the Juke into a work of art and they will use it for the duration of the festival. We have also supplied Nissan NP 200 and NV 200 support vehicles to help festival organisers transport the artists." says Graeme Birch, General Manager of Marketing Communications at Nissan South Africa.
The Festival was started by local graffiti guru Rasty, who with a group of local organisers have created a platform for this unique art form to be celebrated and allow for local and international artists to share notes, inspire and encourage newcomers and of course to create awe inspiring murals.
"The festival is by its very nature inclusive. The art and creative process is shared with the city's residents and children in town get to participate in arts projects hosted by the local and international artists," says Rasty.
The Festival roster reads like a 'who's who' of well known graffiti artists. Rasty will be joined by Above from the United States, Adnate from Australia, Mediah from Canada and SoloOne from the United Kindom. Local artists joining the project include Bias, Breeze, Curio, Falko, Jestr, Love, Mars, Myza, Rekso, Tyke and Zesta.
"The City of Gold Festival is unique in allowing visitors unrestricted access to the murals and the creative process. We have planned several walking tours and visits during the festival and anyone interested in graffiti can follow the festival on Instagram at @cityofgoldfestival," says co-organiser Taryn Hackett.
Nissan South Africa will also follow the artists' progress and track the tagged Juke as it makes the city its home. Follow Nissan South Africa on Twitter at @nissanza, Facebook.com/NissanSouthAfrica and on YouTube at Nissan South Africa.
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