Home » Archbishop Tutu Honoured Alongside Madiba in Cape Town CBD Artwork, Now Complete

Archbishop Tutu Honoured Alongside Madiba in Cape Town CBD Artwork, Now Complete

The artwork of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, mounted on the side of the Civic Centre in Cape Town’s CBD is now complete. Cape Town Mayor, Patricia de Lille, made the exciting announcement on Twitter Friday, saying: “The artwork of our Arch is complete!” In a statement last week De Lille said the new installation would honour Tutu […]

By SAPeople
25-03-17 00:56
in Fab South African Stuff

The artwork of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, mounted on the side of the Civic Centre in Cape Town’s CBD is now complete.

Cape Town Mayor, Patricia de Lille, made the exciting announcement on Twitter Friday, saying: “The artwork of our Arch is complete!”

In a statement last week De Lille said the new installation would honour Tutu alongside that of fellow Freeman of the City, and father of the nation, former President Nelson Mandela.

She said: “In 2015, we took the decision to honour the lives of the Arch and Mama Leah in their lifetime. This is a small token of appreciation for all the work that they have done to build a better South Africa, as a son and daughter of our soil.

“When the Freedom of the City was conferred on Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu in 1998, part of his dedication read as follows:

“‘As a man of peace and deep-rooted spirituality, he has stood at the heart of the struggle for human rights in this country and has worked unceasingly to build a non-racial society where all people of this Rainbow Nation can become equal claimants’.

“We are grateful that due to his leadership, these words still continue to ring true almost two decades later.”

The same artist who created the Madiba artwork – Linsey Levendal – was commissioned to work on the Tutu piece.

The design elements reflect Tutu’s spirit and his life’s work:

  • stained glass referencing St George’s Cathedral
  • the smiling face of Leah Tutu referencing her love and support
  • a rainbow referencing the Rainbow Nation term coined by the Arch
  • a baobab tree referencing the work of his foundation
  • a laughing child referencing joy and his love for children
  • an Aids ribbon referencing his work in the fight against HIV and Aids
  • joined hands referencing Ubuntu

The mayor said she hopes the artwork will be a daily reminder to locals of the sacrifices which have been made for South Africa’s freedom; and that it may “encourage us to claim our rights with conviction, and give us the courage to give life to the values enshrined in our Constitution.

“Now everyone who enters our CBD will be greeted with the smiling faces of Tata Madiba and our beloved Arch. We should all try to continue the journey which they started for us so that we can build the kind of city which they can be proud of.”

Source: CapeTown.gov.za