No-one is exactly certain how wire art came about. The most likely origins of this art form are the tranquil hills of Maputoland and Zululand in rural Northern Kwazulu-Natal, in the North-East corner of South Africa.
For many years, due to a lack of resources to buy proper toys, the young herdboys of these regions have been fashioning their own out of discarded coathanger wire, tin cans and whatever else they can get their hands on.
Their ingenuity is quite amazing, and it is not an uncommon sight to see one of these boys steering a fully functional, made-to-scale model car crafted solely from discarded materials, complete with independent axles, fully functional steering column and a keen attention paid to details such as licence plates, headlights and in some cases, optional extras like mag wheels
It wasn’t long before older inhabitants of the area, recognising the uniqueness and marketability of these wire toys, began making their own wire creations and selling them to tourists and visitors to the region, and the vibrant medium of wire art was born.
Today, this genre is a thriving and legitimate art form in its own right, with many ‘wiremasters’ supporting their families by selling their creations on street corners, at craft markets, in shops and selected art galleries.
Products range from working wire radios in a number of shapes and sizes, to CD stands, keyrings, wire picture frames, baskets, vases, wine racks, egg cups, beaded sculptures, in fact the scope and range of wire art products is almost limitless. A common thread running through all these creations, and one which sets them apart from most other art forms, is the fact that the majority of wire art is designed not only with ornamental value in mind but also to be functional in one way or another.
These are genuine, original hand-crafted examples of African art that not only look great, they often also serve a purpose in the home or office.
Streetwires believe strongly in the broad appeal of these unique pieces of Africana, and are proud to bring the medium of wire art to the attention of the international community by giving their deserving local wiremasters an opportunity to display their wares on a global stage.
Streetwires focuses on the unique and dynamic genre of wire art, their Proudly South African project Streetwires is providing the skills, training, support, and raw materials necessary to enable over 100 formerly unemployed men and women to channel their natural creative energies into this vibrant art form.
A select range of Streetwires’ products are available from Urban Africa. Please visit the Streetwires website for more information on their products and their company.
One of the most popular products is a working wire radio. The wire radio is hand made and can pick up most FM frequencies. A unique gift for any music lover or connoisseur of wire art. Each radio has beaded work displayed in the traditional Ndebele pattern and comes with 9V battery.
The bead work can be customised and is the perfect corporate gift as the bead work can incorporate logos, text or company colours. Please email Ryan or Sharon at info@urban-africa.co.uk for more information. Please allow 6 – 8 weeks for delivery.
