10 November 2009
A local artist has come up with an eye-catching proposal to mesmerise Capetonians and tourists - covering the Athlone cooling towers in fabric printed with the South African flag.
The towers were "highly likely" to be demolished in future, the city has said, but Michael Elion has a different idea for their future.
"Flag Dance", as Elion calls his proposal, would transform the landmarks into a symbol uniting the Rainbow Nation once more, he said.
The proposal involves covering the towers in printed fabric, similar to that used on scaffolding at building sites.
The fabric would be clipped onto the ribs of the towers, using non-invasive building methods to temporarily dress the structures to achieve a "stunning visual effect".
"With the structures coming to the end of their life, and not being suitable for large-scale interventions that could disturb their structural integrity, the fabric coverings provide a wonderful solution as there will be almost no additional wind forces, and the weight of the fabric is negligible," Elion, a qualified architect, explained.
He said the "great old beasts" had been towering over the Cape Town landscape for decades, with people divided over whether they were beautiful or ugly.
Elion was at pains to stress that his proposal would be a non-commercial venture, meant to unify the country and beautify the city with "a strong artistic message".
"It's a patriotic artwork that intends to lift spirits and give hope and energy to all South Africans. It should make people feel proud," he said.
Elion recently installed a gigantic sculpture in Paris to wide acclaim. Entitled Halo, the urban installation filled with helium and pink fluorescent light floating above the French National Archives measured 22 metres in diameter and was 3m tall.
Elion said he had not yet received a "definitive no" from the city on the "Flag Dance" project and was hoping it would be given the green light.
"If Paris is prepared to engage artists to enrich their city, then why isn't Cape Town?" he asked.
The city did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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