Fire Walker
Encyclopedia
The Fire Walker is a public art sculpture in Johannesburg
’s inner city. The piece is located on Sauer and Simmonds Street, off of the Queen Elizabeth Bridge. The sculpture represents a woman carrying a brazier on her head in commemoration of the activity which took place in the area in recent years, when ladies would prepare and sell their fires to others preparing food in the surrounding areas.
Designed by William Kentridge
and Gerhard Marx
, the 10 meter-tall sculpture was constructed out of fragmented steel pieces to create the feeling of the figure disintegrating or becoming reassembled, depending on the angle from which it is viewed, hinting at the fragility of spaces and the people who pass through them.
The piece has been called “Johannesburg’s own Statue of Liberty.” The Fire Walker is one of many pieces found amongst Public Art in Johannesburg
.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
’s inner city. The piece is located on Sauer and Simmonds Street, off of the Queen Elizabeth Bridge. The sculpture represents a woman carrying a brazier on her head in commemoration of the activity which took place in the area in recent years, when ladies would prepare and sell their fires to others preparing food in the surrounding areas.
Designed by William Kentridge
William Kentridge
William Kentridge is a South African artist best known for his prints, drawings, and animated films. These are constructed by filming a drawing, making erasures and changes, and filming it again. He continues this process meticulously, giving each change to the drawing a quarter of a second to two...
and Gerhard Marx
Gerhard Marx
-Biography:Born in 1976, he completed his Master degree in Fine Arts cum laude at the University of Cape Town in 2004. He has worked with well known artists such as William Kentridge and the Handspring Puppet Company...
, the 10 meter-tall sculpture was constructed out of fragmented steel pieces to create the feeling of the figure disintegrating or becoming reassembled, depending on the angle from which it is viewed, hinting at the fragility of spaces and the people who pass through them.
The piece has been called “Johannesburg’s own Statue of Liberty.” The Fire Walker is one of many pieces found amongst Public Art in Johannesburg
Public art in Johannesburg
Johannesburg is home to an extensive portfolio of public art. A diverse and evolving city, Johannesburg boasts a vibrant art scene and a variety of works that range from sculptures to murals to pieces by internationally renowned artists like William Kentridge and Gerhard Marx’s Fire Walker. Many...
.