Sophiatown walls tell new stories as artists reclaim history
From graffiti to a full historical mural, Sophiatown’s streets now tell the stories of its past, celebrating local legends and reclaiming forgotten history. Led community artists, the project merges art, activism, and education for locals and visitors alike.
In the streets of Sophiatown, vibrant portrait murals are turning the neighbourhood into an open-air museum celebrating its rich history and legends.
The project, led by artists Craig Hodgson and Tiyiselani Kubayi, brought together a team of creatives over nearly two years to transform walls into a living narrative of the community’s past and present.
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Hodgson explained the scale of the work: “I started initially on my own in 2022, then Austin Robinson and Tiyiselani joined in January 2024. The first [portraits] I did on my own were Hugh Masekela and Mirriam Makeba. Our second lead artist, Tiyiselani, painted Madie Hall Xuma. Austin was in charge of the brushwork of portraits. We have done 13 portraits in total; the other 10 were done in October 2024.”
The full process took about a month and a half, with Hodgson, Kubayi, Robinson, Nathan Brizee, Arno Cornelissen, and graffiti artist Ditshana Bogatsu collaborating on different aspects. Videographer Dayne Fishwick also contributed, documenting the project for a YouTube feature.
The inspiration, Hodgson said, came from the Sophiatown community itself. “The community wanted to celebrate Sophiatown with a festival after lockdown, gathering the ‘ghosts’ and remembering people. They found me at the skate park, saw my graffiti work, and asked me to help paint their community centre. Once I got there, I realised this wasn’t just a community centre – it was the Sophiatown Museum.”
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Hodgson and his team carefully balanced history and art. “We wanted to re-expose legends who deserve their flowers,” he said. “This was a place full of photography, journalism, politics, activism, music, painting – everything you could think of. At the same time, it was important to acknowledge the tragic history.”
In February 2006, the area was officially restored to its original name, Sophiatown, after being renamed Triomf in the 1960s. Hodgson noted that they captured the celebration parade from that day in a painting titled Renamed and Reclaimed.
The murals aim to educate and inspire. Hodgson hopes they spark awareness about the neighbourhood’s history and the power of community, particularly for younger generations unfamiliar with Sophiatown’s stories. “We want people to know there’s a museum here and that they should come support it.” The artworks are also available on T-shirts and stickers, extending their reach beyond the murals.
With plans to expand their work further in the area, the artists hope to continue transforming Sophiatown into a living archive, merging art, history, and activism.
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