To celebrate Freedom Day, artists from the bead project Monkeybiz, created a special guest doodle for google.co.za, aiming to capture the spirit of what they say they hope will be a “united fun day” for all South Africans.
“Due to confidentiality in the US with Google I was unable to send you an email for Freedom Day in South Africa, ” confides Joan Krupp of Monkeybiz. So there was no prior warning of this exciting design scoop that would be seen on the Google Doodle page on Saturday, 27th April 2013.
“The Head Office of Google in JHB contacted us approx 6 weeks before Freedom Day, to commission Monkeybiz to do the Google Doodle for the special day. It was a lengthy process as all artwork had to be approved in the US. They are extremely particular about this type of thing. We created four artworks before the final one was accepted”, reports Joan.
Understandably they are proud to have worked with Google South Africa to create the piece of artwork. And a neat recognition of the city’s design pre-eminence with the advent next year of Cape Town World Design Capital 2014.
Monkeybiz is a non-profit, that commissions artists skilled in beadwork from the townships of Cape Town, so creating sustainable employment and empowerment for women. All of the profits from the sales of artworks are reinvested back into community services. Monkeybiz is listed on the Cape Town Green Map in the ‘Green by Design’ section.
“Thank you so much for your amazing collaboration – it’s a first for Google SA and so happy you were part of it,” says Joan with pride.
Monkeybiz, 43 Rose St, Bo-Kaap, Cape Town Tel 021 426 0145 or visit monkeybiz
