The Slave Tree

The Slave Tree

1

My name is Nadya.I am a designer and artist.

2

I live in the centre of Cape Town, in the heart of a historically and culturally rich part of the city. This is the building I live in.

3

There are many well-known buildings and monuments in the area, such as:A) St George’s Cathedral,B) The Mutual Life Association building (which houses the Social History Centre), C) The Groote Kerk,D) Mutual Heights,E) 6 Spin Street,F) and it’s situated right next to Parliament.

A B C

D E

F

4

This is the view from my apartment. I look down onto Church Square, another historically significant landmark.The Groote Kerk (A) is on the left, The Social History Centre (B) on the right, The Mutual Heights building (out of site) is opposite, 6 Spin Street (also out of sight) is right next door.The Slave Monument (C) is visible on the square.

A

BC

5

This area is particularly rich in slave history. There’s the:A) Slave Monument (on the square), B) Slave Lodge (across the road and diagonally opposite the square), C) Slave Tree Memorial (on the island in the middle of the road).

A C

B

6

The Slave Tree Memorial is this rather sad-looking and unremarkable piece of concrete, situated on the island in the middle of Spin Street. This site is significant because it marks the spot of an actual tree, from beneath which slaves were sold.

7

The Slave Tree Memorial is very difficult to find – if you didn’t know it was there, you probably wouldn’t even notice it. Even if you are looking for it, it’s so inconspicuous that you’d have a hard time finding it, if at all. In fact, I often I see tourists looking for the ‘old slave tree’ (it’s mentioned in a lot of city guides)… I usually have to point it out, and once they see it, they are more often than not, deeply disappointed.(A) marks its position.

A

8

I believe that the site of the Slave Tree should be grander, that it should be given the attention it deserves.

It should stand out and become a prominent feature in this area, uplifting the area at the same time.

I have an idea for the site, which I’d like to propose, and I believe it should be something which:

• creates a fitting reminder of the site of the slave tree• is an honour to the memories of the slaves sold beneath it

(as well as their families and descendents)• is visually appealling to tourists and visitors (photo opportunity)• is an innovative design concept that is both a sculpture and monument• is a link between the other slave memorials and buildings in the area• attracts attention• is a feature of Cape Town as a ‘design city’

9

The obvious place to start was with the idea of an actual tree to mark the spot (which is much more relevant than a concrete block).

Besides being a representation of the actual object which once stood on this site, a tree is also symbolic:

• family tree• tree of life• strength and flexibility• branches reaching for sky, roots deep in the earth

(a link between past and future)

From a design point-of-view, it had to be something that fitted in, yet stood out from the other ‘real’ trees around it… something representational, but still beautiful to look at.

10

I came up with the concept of cutting shapes out of flat 2D sheets, and slotting them together so that they become a 3D object.I also liked the idea of something 2D becoming 3D, like the idea of history written down (2D) becoming something much more real and tangible and present (3D).

The structure requires no glue or any other form of fastening. The slotting mechanism creates enough stability and strength for the tree to stand on its own. (It would, however, require securing at the base into the ground for added stability.)

11

The design has already been tried-and-tested at Afrika Burn 2013, where a group of us erected a 4.5m version of the tree design, made from shutterply and masonite.

For WDC2014, I propose erecting a similar temporary sculpture, using the same material: 18mm shutterply sheets (raw, or painted with a weather-proof paint for longer-lasting protection against the elements).

12

The superficial design or ‘look’ of the tree is not cast in stone… the details of the end-branches and leaves can be changed, as long as the basic structure stays the same.

This structure lends itself to so many different design possibilities.

(The Afrika Burn tree was based on the design at top-right).

13

The position I propose is on the traffic island in the middle of Spin Street. It would have to stand next to the current Slave Tree Memorial.

It must fit under the existing trees, and ideally a person should be able to walk underneath it.

This position, besides being historically accurate, would give the tree prominence, while still providing an excellent connection to the other slave buildings and monuments in the area.

14

There is a lot of cultural activity and many events which happen around this area, and very often, the spaces and objects in the surrounds lend themselves to being used as a prop or stage.

I’ve seen gumboot dancers on the square, people using the blocks of the slave memorial from which to recite poetry, performers jumping from the blocks or dancing inbetween. The square itself has even provided a perfect outdoor stage for the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra to play!

I see people eating lunch on the benches under the trees, or even doing homework while sitting on one of the blocks, or spontaneously bursting into song. People gather around the ‘Oom Jan’ sculpture in the middle of the square to meet or simply chat.

I think it’s important for people to connect with their city in this way, with their history, past and present. It’s important that the Slave Tree is not seen simply as a static object. It will automatically become interactive by being a part of the landscape for the events, performances, etc. which happen in the area, providing another prop in the story.

15

A) A temporary art installation (leftover from a performance perhaps?) where bags were left on each of the blocks of the Slave Monument.

B) A performance piece where slides of slaves were projected onto the Groote Kerk’s walls, while poetry was recited by a group of performers below.

C) A gathering of people around the Slave Memorial to remember and pay homage to the slaves. (Imagine if there had been an actual tree to gather around!)

A C

B

16

It’s also vitally important to involve the public, especially communities and people who have a strong link to the slave history of Cape Town.

A second element to the tree sculpture, is that it can have leaves attached to it, which swing freely so that they move with the wind. This will create an added liveliness, and give it motion, so that it seems even less static.

It also provides the perfect opportunity to have the names of slaves or slave families, or messages, or stories written on each leaf. The hanging of the leaves could then be incorporated into a ceremony or performance.

In this way, I’m hoping that the tree will provide even further interactivity, an opportunity for various people and communities to claim it as a part of their own story, to really make it their own.

The leaves could be made of a lighter, thinner material, such as plastic, acetate, or thin balsa wood.

17

A more permanent version of this design could be cut from sheets of mild steel instead of shutterply. The surface would rust over time to create a beautiful brown colour, which emulates bark and will give it a more natural, organic feel.

Also, the leaves would be cut out of thin metal sheet such as aluminium, with the messages /names / stories lazer-engraved onto them.