The Taxi Dance Mural

The ability beautiful colours have to uplift our environment and our lives is well documented. When you combine colour and art and add it to a mundane urban environment, a special kind of magic happens. A great example of this  can be seen in the epic vibrant Taxi Dance mural painted a few months ago at the Cartwight Taxi Rank in Durban South Africa.

Named the Taxi Dance the 44 metres x 3 metre colourful mural welcomes commuters from all over Durban and captures the positive vibes of taxi travel in South Africa. Featuring happy figures listening to music and making reference to the taxi driver dance. It’s like a tonic that is sure to put commuters and pedestrians in a positive mood as they embark on their travels and business.

The mural was painted by Wesley van Eeden an artist and graphic designer based in Durban.  Known as Resoborg. Wesley has worked for clients across the world and has exhibited his work in various galleries.

Interviewed on News 24’s Beautiful News Campaign. Wesley said he paints vibrant murals on decrepit walls as his way of giving a fresh voice to a space that needs  it. He hopes that his work gives a lift to the people that pass it. He goes on to say that art is a language we can all understand. Like an aged, worn wall that becomes a messenger of hope, we can all re-sketch our paths with a little more colour to help make South Africa a happier place.

Having caught taxis for years as a student, Wesley knows how important the taxi industry is to the public. He feels the taxi driver is a metaphor for change and mobilisation for every South African.

The mural was commissioned by the eThekwini municipality as part of an extensive upgrade to the Cartwright Taxi Rank. It is hoped the Taxi Dance Mural will uplift the environment and create a sense of pride in the area.

The Taxi rank is situated alongside Charlotte Maxeke Road. It is surrounded by some dilapidated buildings in what I would describe as a bit of a dodgy area. I decided to see how the mural was holding up and was happy to see that it was looking great. The bright colours definitely uplift the area and it is clear the passers by love it. The fact that it has not been vandalized goes to show the pride the community has in it. Even the tree is flourishing.

If you are in Durban and would like to see the mural, be warned it is situated in a very busy intersection so I would advise going on a Sunday when there is much less traffic.

While we may know that colour is uplifting and can change lives, sometimes we take it for granted. Murals like these not only uplift an area but also people’s lives.

For more inspiration on on how colour makes a difference in our lives and environment visit my blog Colour Sense.  

Have a colourful week