Mural part of something much bigger
"After a month of planning and preparation, a few days of wondering if the project was beyond my capabilities and one week of painting, I suddenly stood in front of a painted three by twelve-metre wall that I had built with my friend, Clara Martin," said Candice Mouton.Candice is an architecture graduate and an artist in her own right. She began an internship at the StArt Art Gallery at the beginning of June this year. In addition to her work at the gallery, she volunteered at the Bernhard Nordkamp Center (BNC) in Katutura, giving art classes to children as part of their after-school program.
The wall is behind the centre. Before they could start with the painting, however, they first had to decide on a design.
"The director of the centre, Mary Beth Gallagher, told Clara and me that there was a wall that needed a lot of love and we were both very excited and immediately agreed. When she showed us the wall, our spirits dropped. It was a giant wall that needed a lot of attention, but we said yes and took on the project. Mary Beth had a general idea of what she wanted depicted on the wall. We wanted to create something positive and uplifting, but something that would also encourage passers-by to think about the meaning of the mural. Clara and I mostly got creative freedom."
Clara was a French volunteer who worked at the BNC. The mural was Candice's first, but fortunately, Clara had already created murals and helped her in the process.
"Although it was slightly confrontational, we wrote on the wall: 'Our future depends on you'. Confronting because it is an incentive to action. It is intended to be the children of the BNC's message to their parents and guardians about their responsibilities. The mural's purpose is to encourage the community to think about the responsibility of parenthood and to remind them of the vulnerability of children."
According to Candice, the biggest challenge was getting the paint for the painting.
"We are just two volunteers who wanted to do a mural for a non-profit organisation. Everyone we asked had already drawn up their budgets for the year and there was no money. Clara and Jules, another French volunteer, then collected the money from their family and friends in France. StArt gave us the money for the necessary paint brushes and rollers."
"The community's support was incredible and they constantly carried water or brought us ice cream. The day we finished painting, the children came running and tried to find themselves in the painting. 'I'm the one with the pink hair.' 'No, I am!' While we were busy, many people also stopped by and told us about their children who were at the centre. One woman was very emotional when she told about her child who now has a law degree. It made me realise that I am part of something bigger and that was very important to me." -
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