Street View Exhibition at The Alex Hamilton Studio Gallery

Local Woodstock artist puts his bustling neighbourhood on the map

After walking the streets of Woodstock and finding a 2010 edition of the Rough Guide to Cape Town’s description of the area scanty and disappointing, resident and local artist Mark Hilltout embarked on a project that would bring to life the fascinating melange of old and new in this edgy Cape Town district. Now, with weeks of solid drawing done and dusted, he showcases his illustrations of the buildings in the neighbourhood in an exhibition entitled “Street View: The Faces of Woodstock, Salt River and Observatory” at The Alex Hamilton Studio Gallery from Thursday, 31 January to Monday, 25 February 2013.

Woodstock is “reminiscent of Soho or Tribeca in lower New York in the 1960s,” says the resident artist, “there is so much potential that has yet to be recognised, and although it is happening slowly there is a distinct air of optimism.”

Hilltout’s ambitious endeavour required that he sketch detailed black-and-white images of buildings that spanned close to 20 kilometers of realty; from the bridge on the outskirts of the CBD in Sir Lowry Road to Victoria, Main and Lower Main Roads to roads in Salt River and Observatory.

From family-owned shops handed down from generation to generation to boutique shops, and from residential facades to places of worship, the subject matter of the more intricate line drawings gives viewers the unique ability to discover Woodstock and appreciate its landmarks, hidden nooks and popular areas. Furthermore, fervent art collectors can also purchase a snapshot of their very own piece of the Woodstock, Salt River and Observatory areas.

Entrance is free and the exhibition will open on Wednesday, 30 January from 4pm until 8:30pm and it will run for a month at The Alex Hamilton Studio Gallery in Woodstock. The gallery will be open from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm and on Saturday from 10am to 1pm.

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