By Destine Nde
The human urge to depict aspects of nature goes as far back as prehistoric times. Whether engraved on rocks, painted on cave walls, carved in stone, or – more recently – painted on canvas and other media, it allows humans to reflect the beauty of the world around them, and reveal or decipher its hidden essences or meanings.
Art also distils fleeting moments in time. When these transient scenes have been captured, they can be contemplated over and over again, even for centuries. Even in the modern world, art retains its power to reawaken viewers to the power and beauty of the world around them.
This is exactly what Fourie Ackermann has done for the residents of Willowmore. He has captured an entrancing scene Klein Karoo scene on a wall of the Zam-Zam building on the town’s main street. It depicts a majestic Kudu, surrounded by plants, birds, mountain ranges, windmills, and many other things characteristic of the Karoo.
The mural soon became a sensation, and went viral on social media. Since it started coming to life, one could scarcely drive past Zam-Zam without seeing crowds of people standing and watching in rapt wonderment. There probably isn’t a single inhabitant in Willowmore who did not go to watch Fourie at work. In fact, some of us went there multiple times, to follow his daily progress.
‘What inspired you to do this?’ I asked Fourie when I had the opportunity. He is a gentle and nice man, and very accommodating. He stopped painting just to speak with me.
‘It’s not my inspiration, but that of Veronica and Marc du Plessis — founders of Revive Willowmore. I’m from Great Brak River’, he explained..
‘Your work is astonishing!’ I said. ‘Have you done other murals like this before?’
‘Thanks – and I’ve done many. In fact, this is how the Marc and Veronica came to know me. They drove past one of my murals in Great Brak. It captured their interest, so they looked for me and asked if I could do one for them in Willowmore. I said, sure!’
‘So why the Kudu, and why this particular scenery?’
‘It’s actually the winner among others. There was an imposing lion in one of them. But the people voted for the Kudu on Facebook.’ He went to his bakkie to show me the actual picture.
‘The mural is so beautiful — I can bet you’ll get similar requests after this.’
‘Quite true. I already have a few. After this I’m going to paint a bull at the Royal Hotel, and a Protea with a bird at the Schoeman Funeral Office.’
‘I cannot help but wonder how you get it so perfectly on such a magnified scale.’ Fourie then said he used the grid method, and explained how it works.
At the end of our conversation, he said he was enjoying the project because the entire community, the locals who did the preparatory work, and even the Health and Safety officials were very supportive.
This was on a Tuesday. On Friday I visited Fourie again. The site was open to community, and food and snacks were being sold. Fourie introduced me to Veronica du Plessis. She said positive things about the project and about Willowmore as a whole.
When I asked her what had inspired the project, she replied: ‘We want people to see the beauty of Willowmore and the Karoo, and to understand the true value of its rare and unique species.’
I thought this was a profound statement. For one can live in the Karoo for decades without ever really perceiving its beauty, and grasping its worth, but just one visit to the Kudu mural will change all that. It will open one’s eyes to the startling beauty and rich diversity of the Karoo, as though one had been blind the entire time.
The Buffalo at the Royal Hotel.
Members of Revive Willowmore with Veronica du Plessis in the middle.