The Sea Point Promenade, fondly known as “the prom”, is a much-loved space welcoming people from all walks of life and has also become a place of artistic expression and exhibition in recent years. The latest masterpiece to make landfall comes from Capetonian designer, artist, and illustrator, Tonton – aka Maximillian Goldin, who brought a new flair to the popular setting we all know and love.
With permission from the city authorities, the exterior of the Sea Point Promenade’s restroom has been uplifted and amplified by Tonton’s work. The colourful mural, which is an exciting twist on the conventional, wall-bound versions was completed in June 2021 and depicts Tonton’s unique visual language.
“The idea of this mural, titled Seaside Circus, was to create a playful and relevant piece of art which enriches the environment and brings smiles to all people, young and old, who see the artwork while strolling on the prom or driving by in their car,” the artist explains.
This piece interacts with its viewers with the help of AugmentedCities.co, which uses technology to bring immersive experiences of city murals, art galleries, performing arts and museums to everyone with a smart device. Scanning the mural with a smartphone will animate it while additional information will pop up on screen. The extraordinary mural forms part of an initiative supported by coatings brand, Plascon that aims to bring a splash of colour to public spaces.
Tonton, who is managed by SJ Artists has used nature, imagination and play to inspire his work. His designs are distinctively colourful and expressive, and perfectly aligns with the project’s aim to inspire through colour and creativity. He used the superior water-based quality acrylic emulsion to bring his vision to life to withstand harsh weather conditions and stains – a great choice for an outdoor mural project!
“This is one of my signature styles – world building with the use of colour and shape to create abstract characters and balance them in an unexpected way,” he states. “I’m so excited to bring this piece to life, with the help from Johan from Augmented cities who has worked his magic and created a VR activation for the artwork. This brings it to life in a digital space with 3D and animation. A first for the prom!,” he adds.
“Combining art with tech creates something special. We’re excited about the creative opportunities we can unlock with Augmented Reality to bring this mural to life,” says Johan Walters, Producer at AugmentedCities.co.
Meanwhile, Head of Decorative Marketing at Plascon Suvasin Moodley said: “We are thrilled with the outcome and would like to thank SJ Artists, the artist Tonton and all involved in the project for this amazing expression of homegrown talent. We hope that members of the public love this new addition to the ‘prom’ as much as we do.”
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Picture: Supplied
