Schools in and around Cape Town participated in “Waste to Art”, an extension of the City’s “Let’s Act” campaign, which was created to remind people of the importance to reduce, reuse and recycle.
The project aims to remind people of the ways in which materials can be recycled, and how to minimise waste in the upcoming festive season.
The exhibition formed part of the Festive Lights Switch-On this past Sunday, 27 November.
Also read: Look! Cape Town Festive Lights Switch-On draws thousands to CBD
Forty Grade six and seven learners and four teachers from Wesley Practicing Primary School, Dryden Primary School, Cecil Road Primary School and St Paul’s Primary School were chosen by the City to take part in the project.
The initiative has produced thought-provoking art pieces under this year’s theme: Cape Town – City of Hope.
The exhibition opened at the Civic Centre recently, and will continue to be on display until 13 January 2023.
See some examples of the learners’ creative responses to the prompt:
Wesley Practicing Primary School
Learners from Wesley Practicing, inspired by the ocean, created an aquarium out of plastic. Using bottles, bottle tops and plastic bags, they created their artwork.
Grade 7 learner Maysha Alam says: “We wanted to show people how fish can live in harmony if people didn’t litter. It took us about three weeks to complete the project and our message to people is that they should keep the ocean clean.”
A teacher at the school, Saadiqah Mayman, expressed the school’s pride in the learners’ project, saying: “We are honoured to be part of this project. The kids really worked hard and we are happy with the final product.”
Dryden Primary School
As reported by News24, Emmanuel Selemani, from Dryden Primary, created a traditional hut with his peers as a way of symbolising ubuntu.
Dryden Primary’s principal, Stanton Smith, says: “The art piece symbolises the use of all recycling products that can be utilised to build a house, to invest in the economy, invest in each other and different ways of how we can generate income for small families.”
Cecil Road Primary School
Ruqayyah Adams and Haneyah Ebrahiem from Cecil Road created a mini replica of our city, with the intention of showing Capetonians what we can do with our waste.
“We created Table Mountain out of cardboard, trees out of plastic, we used foam to shape it into houses as well as created the Waterfront with the big wheel. We used a foam cup to create Cape Town stadium.”
Ameer Stemmet was among a group of learners who created a waste wagon inspired by the VW minivan.
Stemmet says, “We combined the old with the new. You don’t see much of the VW minivan anymore, so we decided to reinvent it. We used knives, spoons, bottles and plastic bags. We want to tell people that they shouldn’t throw anything away. It took us about three weeks to create.”
St Paul’s Primary School
Learners at St Paul’s created a piece called “Ibozza” aimed to address diversity and recycling.
Learner Asona Shweni says that the piece was created to “spread a message that we should stop littering and start creating good things in our communities.”
Grant Twigg, the Mayco member for urban waste management, expresses his pride in the City’s young people and the effort they showed in this project.
“They are our future leaders and ambassadors for a cleaner world. I thank everyone, including our hardworking teachers, for taking time out of their exam preparation schedules to participate in this project – it has been well worth it.”
At the opening of the exhibition, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said: “It’s wonderful to be at the opening of the Waste to Art exhibition where school kids have turned waste from the streets of Cape Town into these incredible works of art.”
“In our #SpringCleanCT Campaign we are working to change behaviour around littering. Nothing should become litter, and waste can be turned into something special.”
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Picture: Kaylynne Bantom / News24
