Independent academic researcher and theatre-maker, Dr Myer Taub, will lead an interactive treasure hunt in Johannesburg’s north-eastern suburbs as part of the Walk My Jozi project.

#JoziWalk, as it is known, is an initiative by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) which was launched in June last year. This is a series of free walking tours initiated by the agency in partnership with community activists, tourism entrepreneurs, walking-tour operators and the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation.

Taub is expected to lead local residents on a treasure hunt in Norwood, Orange Grove, Orchards and the James and Ethel Gray Park on 19 and 20 April.

Read: It’s all systems go for first-ever #JoziWalks event

Participants will make stops at prominent historic landmarks such as the Radium Beer Hall and the homes of the leading anti-apartheid activists.

According to Taub, the walk serves as a platform for experimentation in performance, interactivity and the practice of walking. He said he wants to find a platform that is an intersection between his artistic practice, his practice of walking and his latest practice of conversing with spruits.

“This might occur in a particular programme like walking or like an intersection between walking and performance,” he said.

“It seemed like a natural progression of my work and a platform to hold my work. The work is a walk, as it is the performance part of a treasure hunt series called Time Flies… Time Flies is a collaborative artwork that I make with Andrew Lamprecht, a University of Cape Town academic. Read: A long walk to transparency

Douglas Cohen, a representative from JDA, said Taub’s walk brings attention to both the Louis Botha Corridor and specifically the JDA social and infrastructure developments in and around Orange Grove and Patterson Park and, in future, it will be held in Norwood and Grant Avenue.

“The purpose of #JoziWalks is to create a platform and give a voice to local communities, and furthermore, to encourage Joburgers to get out of their cars and engage with urban communities in ways they might not do otherwise – to walk their neighbourhoods and create conversations about neighbourhood issues,” said Cohen.

As walkers, as an art-audience, as treasure seekers, as collaborators and as thespians, Taub said everyone is invited to participate.

Details: facebook.com/joziwalks

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