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FEATURE

MOSAIC TUNNEL AT PINNACLE POINT

A heritage tunnel project created from artistically assembled mosaic has been
undertaken at Pinnacle Point Golf Course, just outside Mossel Bay. It is headed up

by the Pinnacle Point Arts and Culture Association of this coastal town. The 92 panel
artwork, stretching over 55 metres, decorates the walls, floor and ceiling of the tunnel.

he idea of the tunnel was ‘born’ in Tiles and artists the ocean, exposure to wind and damp,
July 2022 by Amos van der Merwe, a Tiles and broken pottery pieces were and pedestrian traffic moving through
Tdoctor with an interest in history, his obtained from the George and Mossel Bay the tunnel, mosaic was chosen as it was
wife Annemie Louw, who has experience areas, and there are 12 full time artists who considered more permanent.
working with mosaic, and artist Chrissie spend three to eight hours a day tiling; With the roof and floor being part of
Olivier. The project is administered as the some graphics were tiled many times over the project, the artists are aiming for it to
visual arm of the above association. before the desired effect was obtained. In appear in the Guiness Book of Records for
The tunnel was originally constructed this, the graphic designs of Chrissie Olivier the biggest mosaic tunnel in the southern
in 2005 to provide access to Eden Bay were the backbone of the project, while hemisphere.
Beach, the St Blaize hiking trail and the quality control is the task of Annemie Louw.
caves of the origins of humankind. These Chrissie undertakes the graphic planning Subjects depicted
caves are provincial heritage sites and and sketches the various scenes on paper. On the left-hand side of the tunnel, the artistic
are being considered for world heritage Using a free-hand technique, she draws content depicts the rich history of Mossel
status. Running below the 18th green of the enlarged scenes on the wall, advising Bay and its environment, in chronological
the golf course, the tunnel was originally on colours and textures. It is then up to the order: Gondwana and the continental
used to store and charge the golf carts tilers to break or cut individual tiles, and shift, the Khoi San culture, the arrival of
overnight, but this function fell away glue each one carefully into place. Bartholomew Dias, the caves, the old town,
when a new facility was built for the golf Initially, the team considered painting the new town and the new South Africa.
carts. the walls but due to the proximity of The caves bear witness to the lives of middle

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