Andrzej Urbanski has made his mark on city walls and surfaces across Cape Town. Now he pairs up with visual artist Pierre Le Riche to inspire a busy Buitenkant Street with a kaleidoscopic mural, encased within Sorrento Events’ storefront window.
The display is a collaborative marriage of candy-coloured beams of paint and thread that jump out in a 3D-like visual treat. The striking artwork has been turning heads, as Urbanski explains: “From the parking attendant to the homeless person to the person who passes on the bus – or simply the guy with coffee walking past the window. Everyone stops and looks. They give a thumbs up or a smile.”
Looking in, a mesmerising exhibition of rainbow hues tranforms a simple storefront into a Willy Wonker-like wonderland.
Forty-two paint colours were applied to a wall, using tape to create an overlapping geometric pattern.
Rays of colour meet at the focal point of the piece – a brightly lit flower motif framed by five white plinths, which will be used to showcase other art pieces.
Le Riche’s tapestry of threadwork extends from the wall to playfully interact with the beams of colour behind it.
Ten different colours of thread crisscross each other and add another dimension to the entire mural.
The artists add their final touches to the piece.
The men behind it all, Andrzej Urbanski and Pierre Le Riche. Sorrento Events founder, Francois Van Tonder, comments, “I am also a huge fan of contemporary art, and Andrzej and Pierre are definitely the next big names.”
Sorrento Events commissioned the project, which was managed by Candice Jezek. All images courtesy of Terri Dee Brown.
