Artists from the Simon’s Town Art Group (Stag) erected a large mural in front of the Dawood building on St George’s Street, on Thursday 23 February.
The building has been an “eyesore” and derelict for many years.
According to Marelise Van Wyk, a member of Stag, the 10×1,5m mural took 10 members a week and a half to complete.
“When the literary festival, Books on the Bay, was announced, one of our members felt strongly that Staf should be involved in some or other way. She contacted the festival organisers and they suggested the mural as part of beautifying the town to welcome festival attendants.
“The Simon’s Town Civic Association agreed to sponsor materials and Stag would do the work.
“The Simon’s Town Library kindly allowed us to work on the panels in the library hall.”
She added that the project was also part of Stag’s 25th anniversary celebrations.
“We started the celebrations with this unplanned mural project. Next up is our first annual exhibition since Covid which opens in the Simon’s Town Library hall on Saturday 25 March.”
Stag was founded in 1998 by the late Ryno Swart and Mike Munnik, with its first meetings and early exhibitions taking place in the now historic Albertyn Stables.
“The image depicts the view from Simon’s Town over False Bay. Something uniquely Simon’s Townian.
“The design was done by another Stag member. After a week or two of planning, it took about 10 members a week and a half to finish the mural and install it,” said van Wyk.
Over the past 25 years, Stag provided its members with multiple opportunities to be creative together and to get to know fellow artists by organising workshops and regular outings to creative spaces.
Stag, which consists of 45 active members, meets on the third Thursday of every month with membership open to anyone residing in the far Southern Peninsula.
