By Thandolwethu Madlophe
A once-ordinary wall at Brookshaw Home for the Aged in Makhanda has been reborn in colour and movement, thanks to a collaboration between Rhodes University’s Fine Art department, acclaimed local muralist Mook Lion, and first-year Art student Lulutho “Lulu” Madolo.
The project took shape after Professor Maureen de Jager, Head of the Rhodes University Fine Art department, successfully bid on a mural commission by Mook Lion at the Carinus Art Auction, an annual fundraiser supporting arts education in under-resourced Makhanda schools. Choosing to gift the commission to Brookshaw Home, she saw an opportunity to pair professional practice with student mentorship.
“It felt like serendipity,” said Brookshaw Home Manager, Gunda Krause. “We had just been imagining how to brighten our patio space when Maureen contacted us. Suddenly, we had Mook Lion and a Rhodes University student bringing that vision to life.”
For Lulu, the mural became part apprenticeship, part legacy. “Every day, the residents would wave from their windows or stop to talk as they watched the mural unfold,” he said. “It wasn’t just painting a wall; it was about connecting with people in a beautiful way.”
Under Mook Lion’s guidance, Lulu helped design and paint a mural inspired by Brookshaw Home’s gardens and the indigenous flora and fauna of the Eastern Cape. Hornbills sweep across the wall, aloes and cacti bloom, and the palette blends with the surrounding landscape.
“Mook taught me not just the technical skills of mural painting, but how to listen to a space and create something that belongs to it,” Lulu noted. “As a first-year student, working alongside him is a blessing I’ll never forget.”
For Brookshaw Home’s residents, the effect was immediate. “It brought joy, energy, and a sense of connection,” said Krause. “Even our frail care residents, many living with dementia, were captivated by the unfolding artwork. It became part of their daily rhythm.”
The mural echoes the long-standing relationship between Rhodes University and Makhanda – a partnership built on shared skills, creativity, and community upliftment.
For students like Lulu, the University offers both intimacy and possibility: a small campus that fosters close relationships, and an environment that opens unexpected doors.
“Rhodes University is a place of being and becoming,” he reflected. “Here I can sharpen my tools, shape my identity, and contribute to the cultural life of this creative city. Working with one of South Africa’s best muralists has changed how I see my future.”
The Brookshaw Home mural now stands as a daily source of colour and hope - a reminder of what emerges when a university, its students, and its community create together.