The infamous Jacob Zuma painting

[AndyD]

Dave,its your turn now. Did i see a pic somewhere in this thread?

You'd better let Wikipeadia know as well, I'm sure they're worried in case COSATU decide to organise a protest march on their servers in Florida or Amsterdam.

[Citizen X]

1. Can of worms: The thing with a can of worms is that once you have opened it you can’t put those worms back in that can and you can’t seal that can;
2. In law we have a latin maxin that is used in all our South African courts and that dates back centuries, ‘audi alteram partem,’(there’s 2 sides to a story). On Zappiro’s website, Bret Murray had this to say:
“I was born in South Africa and raised, in the 1970s and 1980s, in a society that was perverted, controlled by corrupt, morally bereft politicians who treated South Africa – my country – as a personal fiefdom of their racist elite. To preserve their position of illegitimate power, tactics of intimidation, coercion, violence, manipulation, and misuse of intelligence and police forces, were the norm.
Censorship prevailed and freedom of expression was severely curtailed. White men, such as me, were conscripted into the army to take up arms against fellow South Africans, to fight a war we did not believe in against enemies that we considered to be friends.
I [therefore], in order to avoid conscription, studied for 10 years, and thereafter went into self-imposed exile in London until the ANC was unbanned and I returned to South Africa.
While I was studying, I was involved in anti-apartheid activities in the trade union movement, church groups, youth groups, and the End Conscription Campaign. As an artist, I produced and designed banners, posters, stickers, protest worker diaries and the like in support of the struggle.
It was growing up in this apartheid society that caused me, from an early age, to think about issues of power, race, politics, patriarchy, oppression and the manipulation of the media.
Indeed, these themes have by and large prevailed through my work as an artist over many years.
When I studied for my master’s in fine arts, I reflected satirically on the apartheid regime. The works consisted of satirical figures describing policemen with dynamite in their ears, pigs as soldiers.
Like many other South Africans, I embraced the dawn of a new South Africa. I was teaching art at Stellenbosch University in 1994 when South Africa’s first democratic election was held and, as a supporter of the ANC, I proudly cast my ballot on April 27 1994.
That day signified hope, freedom, an end to tyranny and the dawn of a new era for me, my countrymen and the whole world. South Africa moved from being a pariah state to being the proudest nation in the world.
As our democracy developed, cracks began to show in the way that the ruling elite was implementing the ideals of the Freedom Charter and our constitution.
From my perspective as an artist I felt a sense of betrayal, where heroes of the struggle now appeared to be corrupt, power-hungry and greedy, or where ideals that many had died or made sacrifices for were abandoned on the altar of expedience.
Over the past few years one ongoing narrative in our society has been the story of the first applicant [President Jacob Zuma]. For instance, in a judgment implicating the first applicant, a court found that the first applicant was closely linked to his former financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, who was found guilty of corruption.
Another controversial feature of the first applicant’s public life was the failure by the prosecuting authorities to proceed with corruption charges against him, notwithstanding the apparent existence of evidence to sustain such charges.
Details of the first applicant’s sex life have been well documented in the public domain. Notwithstanding the fact that he has four wives, he has engaged in extra-marital sex on at least two occasions.
For me, satire is critical entertainment. While I might be attacking and ridiculing specific targets, what I am actually doing is articulating my vision of an ideal world in which I want to live . In this instance, that preferred ideal in the South African context is the Freedom Charter.
What satire can do in a political context is that it can be seen as a political contestation as it opens political debate.
The resulting debate that has surrounded this work is in itself evidence that this does happen and that artwork can provoke these debates, however unsettling they might be.
There is therefore no reason for artists to be censored, however uncomfortable this might be for individuals and for society at large.
For me, The Spear has a far broader meaning than some of the public discourse on its meaning, including the first applicant’s interpretation. It is a metaphor for power, greed and patriarchy.”
3. Before this debacle, I never heard of Bret Murray or the Goodman gallery. I never seen an advert on tv about Bret Murray or the Goodman gallery. I have seen any news event regarding the Goodman Gallery. The ANC caused this piece of art to become world wide news. I’m of the opinion that had the ANC not created so much publicity around this painting the German buyer would have simply taken his painting back to his home, hung it up on his wall and we would have never heard about him and the painting ever again! We now have a situation where the painting is far more valuable than it was in it’s original state, there’s a Wikipedia page and it has drawn world wide interest. You may get some character from the Ukrain who for his own reasons decides to create his own website with this painting and no South African Court order or ANC protest March or COSATU condemnation will be able to stop him from maintaining such a website;
4. I find it profoundly moving that we have real cases of racism in our schools, universities and the workplace that go unnoticed! The same question marks are not there! This spear painting has caused a flurry in our country and no one can say for certain that it’s a racist gesture as the artist claims it’s not a racist gesture. This then begs the question: what are racist actions and gestures? This flurry is deflecting attention from actual cases of racism! I know that this is a thorny issue and that many Black people are offended by this painting. I’m not being irreverent I’m merely saying that there are actual cases of racism which don’t attract the attention that this painting has attracted;
5. There is nothing laughable about the following 2 articles! They are actual acts of racial prejudice. This is racial prejudice, this is wrong, this kind of activity should be condemned, these victims should be given just recourse. The clear racism levied at these two individuals in these two articles are far more severe and insulting than is the spear painting. The spear painting is a grey area, one cannot say for certain if it’s racist especially because the artists says that it’s not!
6. In article 1, a very racist supervisor made some kind of fake drivers license on his computer which intent was to insult his co worker a gentleman by the name of Ben Baloyi. The racist supervisor depicted Ben as a baboon on a fake drivers license. This is racism, it’s clear that it’s racism. It’s wrong and was rightfully condemned but it did not receive the attention the spear is currently receiving. Ben was insulted in a direct racist gesture;
7. In Article 2, Two gentleman, Ntoko Mpanzi and Sibusiso were the victims of an ugly racist act by their employer. Their employer continuously referred to them in that derogatory racist word used to insult Black people. The employer assaulted the one employee by forcibly putting his head in the toilet. The employer spray painted their faces on more than one occasion. This is a clear unequivocal act of ugly racism. It’s far more sever than the spear painting, yet these two victims did not get world wide publicity for the gross infringement of their rights to respect and dignity. No one marched in their favour and no one championed their cause. How must they feel today watching tv and seeing that the President gets so much attention for a painting that the artists maintains is not racist!

8. “A former black England international defender has warned fans not to go to Euro 2012 or else “you might come back in a coffin”. There is racism and violence in soccer by neo nazi characters. Their actions are very clear, it’s racist, you can see that it’s racist. There’s no question about whether their actions are racist or not, it clear ugly racism which should be condemmed! Have a look at this video:-

[Dave A]

Dave,its your turn now. Did i see a pic somewhere in this thread?

If the time comes, may I show more intestinal fortitude than some others have so far. If anyone wants to depict me with privates showing, I'd like to make sure they credit me with humungous balls.

I couldn't believe it when I heard City Press rolled over on this one.

[Citizen X]

I’m honesty plain fed up with the following rhetoric. The Blacks this, the Whites that. Actions of individuals are attributed to entire racial groups! The parties on this matter remain Bret Murray, The Goodman gallery and the City Press. Entire racial groups cannot be implicated in any act or ommission by these parties!
1.I maintain my opinion that the painting is distasteful, disrespectful and immoral but that this painting is not unlawful as at today’s date. In my opinion it’s not racist. There are so many genuine cases of hideous racism that is plaguing our society but they go unnoticed and the perpetrators of such racism continue with these acts. The ANC is not consistent. They willing to say that the ‘shoot the boer,’ song is fine in that it’s a struggle song and should therefore be condoned but that this painting is racist. The ANC did not champion any marches or protests when Julius Malema called Lindiwe Mazibuko ‘the madam’s ‘tea girl,’2. When Juluis Malema made racists remarks at a rally in Lenasia against Indian people, no furore, no marches, no protests! He said, Your children must be allowed to go to school with amakula (‘coolie’) children.”
“In March 2010, at a rally on a university campus Malema sang the lyrics "shoot the Boer" (Dubul' ibhunu) from the anti-apartheid song Ayasab' amagwala (the cowards are scared) ("Boer" is the Afrikaans word for "farmer", but is also used as a derogatory term for any white personHis singing was compared to similar chants by deceased Youth League leader Peter Mokaba in the early 1990s, to "kill the boer",which had previously been defined as hate speech by the South African Human Rights Commission. The Southern Gauteng High Court ruled on 26 March 2010 that Malema's song (which he had continued singing at public gatherings) was "unconstitutional and unlawful", and that any person singing it could face charges of incitement to murder, stating that the song called for the killing of the "farmer/white man", however, the ANC defended the song. The ANC announced it would appeal the ruling. The Northern Gauteng High Court, on 1 April 2010 then granted an interdict preventing Malema from publicly uttering the words of this or any other song which could be considered to be instigating violence, distrust and/or hatred between black and white citizens in the Republic of South Africa" until the matter was heard by the Equality Court, to which the case was referred by the presiding judge.

“In April 2011 Afriforum brought a case of hate speech against Malema in regard to the song and several notable ANC figures such as Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and secretary-general Gwede Mantashe threw their weight behind him in the court battle.”

We must all work together regardless of our race and religion to defeat the ghosts of our Apartheid past! When individuals engage in any conduct that may be deemed as racist, dialogue and/or legal action should be directed at that specific individual and not an entire racial group.

[wynn]

I have heard a whiff of feint hints that there is another baby scandal about to break, perhaps that is what this is about, the last straw to break the camels back?

[adrianh]

What other scandal?

On second thoughts, it probably involves another baby.

[Citizen X]

Scandal? Baby? In South Africa? NO,It can never be, we proudly a scandal free nation! Our leaders are the epitome of role models. We should give them some form of a medal or prize...

[IanF]

No statesmen in the Tripartite Alliance then!
"People get the Government they deserve" ~ Joseph de Maistre
What did we do get our Goverment

[Dave A]

We should give them some form of a medal or prize...

How about a painting?

[adrianh]

I think that The Freedom Charter should be given a new name in celebration of the expression of democracy, you know, where a lot of people are bussed in to a gallery to threaten to burn the building down because of a painting of a tottermannetjie.

The new name will be: The Flushed Away Charter...

Viva Democracy, where all* are equal

*all - means those who are more equal

[tec0]

Imagine for a moment the painting is still new and being showed. The painting name proudly displayed. Now people look at it and see "someone" and they say this is "someone" hanging brain.

Then the media comes and add fuel to the story hoping to start something big so that they can get exclusives and so on. The title ends up " this is "someone" with their genitals exposed." This "someone" then runs to court screaming "violation this and bla bla bla"

Ok now the artist walked in the court room and is asked "Why did you paint this horrible picture of "someone"
Artist reply: I did not, the painting is named "its name" and it shows a "nameless person with his genitals exposed" It is symbolic for this and that reason. I never said it was this "someone" you are talking about you made your own conclusions.

Now if that was the case and the artist played the game intelligently the painting would still be up and so on and so forth…

Always remember people see what they want to see.

Just a thought.

[Blurock]

I’m honesty plain fed up with the following rhetoric. The Blacks this, the Whites that. Actions of individuals are attributed to entire racial groups! The parties on this matter remain Bret Murray, The Goodman gallery and the City Press. Entire racial groups cannot be implicated in any act or ommission by these parties!

“In April 2011 Afriforum brought a case of hate speech against Malema in regard to the song and several notable ANC figures such as Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and secretary-general Gwede Mantashe threw their weight behind him in the court battle.”

We must all work together regardless of our race and religion to defeat the ghosts of our Apartheid past! When individuals engage in any conduct that may be deemed as racist, dialogue and/or legal action should be directed at that specific individual and not an entire racial group.

The actions of the ANC and their alliance partners have exposed them for the racist that they are. I agree that we should think before opening our mouths. We should rather act in the interest of this beautiful country than to promote political parties and splinter groups for self interest. Some of these politicians makes me ashamed to be a South African.

[Mike C]

I am not wanting to add fuel to the fire, but here is a painting by Ayanda Mabulu *titled *Ngcono *ihlwempu kunesibhanxa *sesityebi (Better poor than a rich *puppet). In this work, Jacob Zuma is depicted with his exposed penis supported by a crutch

As the nation’s blood boiled over Brett Murray’s painting in which President Jacob Zuma’s “genitals” were exposed, similarly shocking work by another artist has been ignored.

Ayanda Mabulu, a Cape Town-based artist, has been producing far more harrowing works since 2010.

One of his paintings that caught the public eye last week is titled Ngcono ihlwempu kunesibhanxa sesityebi (Better poor than a rich puppet).

It depicts a group of South African leaders alongside American presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush.

In this work, Jacob Zuma is depicted with his exposed penis supported by a crutch, apparently to symbolise the frequency of Zuma’s sexual behaviour.

Other nude figures include a reclining Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, whose genitals are also exposed.

There’s also a pig waving the apartheid-era South African flag.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and a chimpanzee are also included in the composition.

You can google the artists name for more info.

[adrianh]

@MikeC - A black artits painted JZ's tottie...Now lets see them march!

[Phil Cooper]

The controversial painting has now been defaced.

2 guys (a white & a black) were arrested.

The ANC’s court case is going ahead on Thursday 24 May to force the gallery to remove the artwork.

- A 17 year-old mentally challenged girl was gang raped & the video went viral. No one marched.
- An 8-year-old girl was raped by a 15 year-old boy & her eyes gouged out. No one marched.
- Entire provinces are without school text books - it’s almost June. No one marched.
- Our imminent police chief is a gangster & has brought our police service to its knees. No one marched.
- Our country has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. No one marched.
- Our democracy is going down the toilet but no one marches.

But our country goes hysterical over a painting! We threaten lawsuits, protests & violent reprisals.

Where are our priorities???

What are we thinking??????!!!!

We have now proven beyond doubt that our collective mentality doesn’t rise above the waist.