The S Bend Mural is the largest mural in Johannesburg, covering 3000sqm along Louis Botha Avenue, cutting through the suburbs of Yeoville, Houghton, and Orange Grove. The mural was imple- mented by a collective of 14 professional artists, who were assist- ed by a crew of emerging street artists. The design evolved out of a collaboration between the artist collective, community workshops and history and heritage specialists.
Each phase of the project was shared with the community via social media, and an exhibition at the Spark! Gallery, whereby the public was invited to contribute and comment on the design. These communal inputs ensured that the mural speaks to a broader audi- ence from the surrounding areas, while touching on key historical events that have shaped Louis Botha Avenue as we know it today; such as Ndebele cattle traders from Zimbabwe who travelled along the road in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Alexandra bus boycotts of 1957, and key heritage architecture sites such as The Dolls House and the old Fire Station.
The S Bend Mural is instituted by the City of Johannesburg, Department of City Transport, and the Johannesburg Development Agency, who appointed the Trinity Session as curator/coordinator for all placemaking through art along the transit orientated corridors falling under the umbrella of #ArtMyJozi.
