Ricky Lee and a local add finishing touches to the mural

Between 10 and 5 and Write on Africa set about a bit of mural painting off Hercules St. in Woodstock on Sunday after paint company Dulux donated 40 litres of paint. The idea behind the event was to involve the local community, both in uplifting the facades of the buildings and in allowing everyone who stays in the street or even just walks by to participate and be creative.

A local lady adds her mark on the wall

This participation is very important to organiser Ricky Lee Gordon, himself a mural artist who works under the name Freddy Sam and who runs the Word of Art exhibition space in the Woodstock Industrial Centre around the corner. Ricky Lee has organised a couple of community mural events in the same area already in conjunction with Adidas and under the name I Art Woodstock. This event was different as it was more of a free-for-all, with no pre-planned art or celebrity mural artists, just tins of paint and the community.

Ricky Lee writes the words “WE LOVE WOODSTOCK” over the finished mural

While writing a final message in big white letters on top of the now very colourful wall, Ricky Lee spoke passionately about the power of art to transform both an individual and a community. This isn’t just something he wants to talk about, he wants to prove it.

“This community is really special” says Ricky Lee. “They have been staying here a  few generations, they all know each other, the children play in the street. There are many temptations out here on the street…. drugs, gangsterism. It’s important that they experience that there are alternative ways in which you can both express yourself and in which you can make a living. And even if you just have some fun with color it’s a positive experience. I handed one kid a paintbrush and he said to me ‘I don’t know how to paint’ and I said to him ‘close your eyes and just make a mess… just go for it!”

By now the Congolese church music from the nearby Kampanganist Church is making itself heard, while more kids show up and ask if they can still contribute. True to the Woodstock street experience I become distracted and  take a short stroll around the few blocks where the I Art murals took place. They really are amazing… turning the little houses into an unexpected street exhibition.

One of the murals previously completed as part of the I Art Woodstock and Adidas project

One of Freddy Sam’s murals as part of the I Art Woodstock and Adidas project

Detail from one of the murals. The t-shirt says it all!