Cape Town - Urban art non-profit organisation Baz-art is gearing up to host the seventh edition of its famed International Public Arts Festival (IPAF) in less than a week.

The 2023 edition of the popular innovative art festival will take place from the first of March until the fifth (March 1-5) 2023 in one of the oldest parks in South Africa, the Company’s Gardens for the first time since the festival’s inception.

IPAF co-founder Alexandre Tilmans said that he believed the Company’s Garden was the perfect setting for the festival’s 2023’s debut event, especially considering the growth of what began as a small street art festival in the urban Salt River community.

“We have an iconic landmark as our base and a greater number of artworks on show than ever before.

“The public can look forward to garden sculptures, and even augmented reality works in addition to the large-scale murals that have characterised previous years. What’s more, it’s entirely free to attend,” Tilmans said.

Tilmans also revealed that the 2023 IPAF edition will run with the theme, “What If?”

“Event organisers encourage attendees to engage with the question, thereby challenging accepted norms and imagining a more unified society in future. It’s a testament to art’s unifying qualities,” Tilmans said

According to its organisers, this year’s IPAF festival will showcase innovative local and international creative talent through a never been seen before lens. Promising one-of-a-kind large-scale public artworks, performances, art installations and more.

A spokesperson for the event said that for its 2023 edition, the IPAF was curated to allow the public to experience art beyond street art and murals.

She said: “This year’s festival will include installations, sculptures, art activations, outdoor pop-up exhibitions, performances, panel talks, and much more.

“The Company’s Garden will also be the start of the Festival’s Public Art Route, which one can do as a guided tour or with a self-guided map available on their website.”

“The public can expect the route to be filled with art discoveries and interaction.”

She said Baz-Art believes that art should be accessible to all, and IPAF celebrates art that was created for the people.

“Working with incredible artists, the festival showcases site-specific public artworks that form part of shared outdoor community spaces, reflecting and adding to the diverse culture of Cape Town.

“The festival’s vision is to grow a greater awareness of the powerful social and economic impact of public art to unleash the potential of the creative sector in Africa.”

Sticking to its popular and familiar style, the IPAF will feature art from artists based in different parts of the world.

Artists from Africa, Europe and South America will be exhibiting, including Parisian-based JonOne, Dublin native Aches, Bela Horiztone’s Criola, Madrid’s Fernando Sanchez-Castillo and Flander’s Gijs vanHee.

Several local artists, including Marlene Steyn, vonMash, Pixel Monster, Studio Muti, Richie Madyira and Nyambo MasaMara will be on show alongside their international peers.

The festival will also showcase South African singer-songwriter Msaki, who will be unveiling a visual exhibition on the opening day of the event on Wednesday, March 1, at the Company’s Garden.

Commenting on the upcoming event, Msaki said that the IPAF was a celebration of art in its many forms.

Several local artists, including will be on show alongside their international peers. Picture: International Public Arts Festival/Supplied

She said: “I'm proud to be a part of the festivities before I take my music hiatus, returning to the contemporary art side of myself.”

In addition, IPAF organisers will also be hosting expert panels, master-classes, film screenings at the nearby Labia Theatre, exhibitions, outdoor art classes and one-off events, like the First Thursday street art tour on Wacky Wheels.

“IPAF has teamed up with local galleries, including WorldArt, which will be hosting a month-long exhibition of past IPAF artists’ works, and StateoftheART and Nel gallery, which will be displaying front-of-gallery public art pieces.”

The IPAF’s parallel conference event, the International Public Art Conference (IPAC) will be returning for its second year and will also host international speakers for the first time.

IPAC talks will take place from March 3 to 5 at neighbouring 6 Spin Street, and is set to open with a presentation from Bjorn van Poucke and Warren Houtaeve, organisers of The Crystal Ship a major annual street art event.

Cape Argus

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