Rock Art and Graffiti

24 minutes

Produced for CNN Inside Africa

It’s the ancient art form that has intrigued us for thousands of years, enigmatic shapes, human figures, and fantastical supernatural creatures, simple renderings that tell the tale of a fascinating and complex people, resonating across the centuries to influence contemporary artistic expression.

It’s one of the defining characteristics of the human species – a driving need for creative self-expression. And whether depicting ancient heritage, popular culture or sacred rituals, art is the tool through which we explore our relationship with the world around us.

Part 1

Archaeologist turned tour guide Jo Buitendach offers tourists and locals a crash course on Johannesburg’s thriving street art scene. She says the basics of graffiti is something called a tag, and although a lot of people don’t like tags, they’re a very important part of the industry.

Many local and international graffiti artists have played a role in beautifying the once drab, derelict walls of the inner city. What makes this tour unique is that it compares this modern genre to ancient san art. For Buitendach, the similarities between some of these present day murals and age-old rock art are evident.

Part 2

Aside from this layering of imagery, the san had a number of other hidden mysteries. A South African artist believes that he has cracked the code on their ancient rock art techniques.

Stephen Townley Bassett has for the past twenty-five years been conducting an archaeological experiment of sorts. Hailing from three generations of rock art enthusiasts, he has spent his life unlocking the mysteries of paint techniques used by ancient hunter-gatherer societies … an interest sparked by a visit to a rock art site at the age of twelve.

Townley Bassett’s artistic palette is sourced entirely from the landscape. He has discarded commercial paintbrushes, spatulas and paints in favor of rustic stone implements and natural clays and compounds.

Part 3

Rock art, graffiti and tattoos… the human species has been driven by a need for self-expression, whether in public or private spaces. It’s a creative impulse that binds us – beyond geography, culture and time. And it’s this creative impulse that’s evident in Johannesburg’s inner city, where its gritty streetscapes have been transformed into dynamic, outdoor galleries.

For Johannesburg-based graffiti and tattoo artist Rasty Knayles, this has been a major drawcard. Rasty’s work can be found scattered throughout downtown Johannesburg. It’s characterized by comic book illustrations and skull motifs, the latter symbolizing human mortality, a theme he says he has in common with san artists of the past.

And if the centuries-old influences of our primeval ancestors can be found in graffiti, Rasty sees tattooing as a throwback to another ancient practice – that of tribal scarification and body painting.