17 Sep 2013

Go downtown, drive or walk along Khama Crescent and you’ll see a big change - a mural installed on Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism's (MEWT) three-story block.

The 10-metre mural’s theme blends the urban skyline with shades of blue brown, green black, white, red and yellow to beautifully depict the country’s flora, fauna and terrain. The calm blue sunlit sky casts a happy shadow over the sand dunes of the Kgalagadi and assigns a cool breeze across the blue water-lily rich waters of the Okavango.

Standing majestically with their multiple crowns are Botswana’s giant baobabs, as the national pride, the zebra gracefully watch in wonderment at nature’s design. The mural was designed and installed by 10 artists from Thapong Visual Arts Centre. Reginald Bakwena, the centre’s director  said the ministry approached the centre to design the mural.

“We then conceptualised it, presented it to the minister and the project kicked off,” he said. The work, he said, was proof that artists’ work was not just for the gallery, but could be used to change the look and feel of the city.

The Gaborone main mall in particular, needed more than a dab of his artists’ ink, he said. And you would like to agree. Seeing people and more people, and grey and white buildings everywhere, is somewhat depressing, but appropriate murals on those dreary walls could lift even the surly taxi-driver’s spirits.

One of the leading artists, Mokwaledi Gontshwanetse congratulated the team for working hard over a two-week period to come up with the sterling work. He said all the artists names had been engraved on a placard next to the mural, to serve as an eternal acknowledgement of their beautiful work.

He expressed hope that other businesses and ministries would warm up to the idea of using murals to define the mandates of their businesses. In the meantime, why not walk or drive downtown and allow the mural to encourage the conservationist in you as you reflect on the beauty that is Botswana’s wildlife.

Artists behind the mural icluded Reginald Bakwena, Ditshupo Mogapi, Ivy Radipodi Mpitjane, Keataretse Kwati, Mothusi Tau, Thato Khomela, John Makepe, Qaeqhao Moses. ends