Drawings by primary school pupils in Strand turn into murals

New murals at Altena Primary School in Strand have been brought to life by the drawings of the school's pupils.

Mieke Hall, the lecturer at the Visual Arts Department at Stellenbosch University, recently created the four murals together with the teachers, parents, pupils, and volunteers as part of her PhD research.

“I worked with learners in different classes through art lessons where they drew the school’s values. I chose to start with their drawings because I did not want to impose my own ideas of what should be on their walls,” she said.

The murals face each other in a courtyard in the foundation phase block, between Grade 1 to 4 classrooms.

Ms Hall said the existing murals at the school primarily depicted characters from prescribed reading books imported from England and Europe, which did not “represent the learners or their community.”

She added that the main purpose of the project was to help children see themselves, their stories, and their culture represented in their school environment. 

A big part of her research showed that classroom environments were often overlooked, yet they strongly influence whether children feel included or excluded, Ms Hall said.

“When the imagery reflects mostly Western or European contexts, children may feel that their own culture, experiences, and backgrounds are not valued. But when they see themselves represented, the space becomes meaningful — it becomes their place, not just a place they enter. Murals also create positive, engaging spaces that encourage imagination, confidence, and pride,” she said.

Most of the painting was done during the Community Paint Day on Saturday, October 18, and the small group of volunteers returned a few days after that to finish the outlining and finer details.

The deputy principal of the foundation phase at the school, Gerda-Mari Beeton, said the project taught them about the importance of visual art in fostering a sense of pride among pupils.

“This experience provided us, as educators, with valuable insight into the impact that our learning environment has on our students. It has been truly inspiring to witness our learners feeling represented, valued, and celebrated,” she said.

Ms Hall grew up in Strand but currently lives in Durbanville. She is also a freelance illustrator, creating commercial work and children's books.