African Design Magazine October 2014 | Page 71

Feature: #BewareOfColour a message, to inspire artists and stimulate change. But this comes across more as thuggery than an urban experiment. Yes, some of these buildings need a coat of paint, but the historic buildings that they have targeted are more than likely just a little more damaged than they were before. Should these artists on the prowl for a cause look over to Maboneng, they will find a perfect example of how to change a neighbourhood. Art need not seem like an ambush to make a point, neither does it have to be as abstract as their random pink bombs and manifesto. Let’s applaud them for trying, however, as all is not lost. They are young and their cause is valiant. A youth with a social conscience is never a bad thing. Standing up for your city and her buildings, trying to bring attention to the lagging progress and perhaps even the corruption of the city’s keepers is a noble idea. But unless you have the time or inclination to look out of your car windows, and then to do a little research to find out what the pink blotches are all about -then you are reaching a fair few people. None of my colleagues have even noticed it. A more legal, and sustained social experiment is needed. AD i Photos: http://bewareofcolour.tumblr.com/ africandesignmagazine.com 71