Kings Beach taking selfies to artistic level

Herald Reporter

TIRED of the boring selfie with the dodgy background that just never seems to come out right no matter how many times you pout into the camera?

Then head on out to Kings Beach where the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) has installed a new art piece titled The Photo Opportunity as an extension of Route 67.

The piece, by artist Mary Duker, consists of a larger than life deck chair, installed into a reflective stainless steel picture frame, and set against a grassy embankment.

Project leader Duker said the inspiration for the work was drawn from the ubiquitous striped canvas deck chair, which forms part of her recollection of childhood visits to Kings Beach.

"The picture frame is also symbolic of the autobiographical, referring to the tradition of recording and framing visual memories – it is intended to link the tradition of recording the seaside portrait to the modes of the present – the selfies, the smartphone pictures, the images posted on the Facebook page recording life as we live it, with a spectator as participant, and as the star of his or her own life."

MBDA planning and development manager Dorelle Sapere said: "The commission was awarded as a result of a public art competition calling for site specific proposals for artworks to form an integral part of the MBDA's Kings Beach upgrade project.

"The work forms the first part of a two-part installation at Kings Beach."