The infamous Jacob Zuma painting

**Nickolai Naydenov** · 19-May-12, 07:29 AM

I must be honest, I'm not a JZ fan, but this painting is just wrong, I mean doesn't matter if you are the president or a beggar on the street, either way you wouldn't like that portrar to be you right?

**Justloadit** · 19-May-12, 09:40 AM

I am a very open minded person, however I think this painting is in very bad taste, and quite frankly, this is not art, this was done to create the controversy that we are seeing, and to get free advertising, both for the artist and for the gallery.

I am not a JZ supporter at all, and feel that he has really let the country down. Even if it did not have the features of JZ, I still would have thought that the painting is in very bad taste, and quite frankly, I can not see the symbolism that is being portrait.

I will show my distaste with my feet, I will not visit the gallery, nor will I purchase any of his art. If I see his art on a friends wall, I will make sure that I will let him know my feelings towards the artist.

**Blurock** · 19-May-12, 12:15 PM

Our president has let us down and embarrassed us so many times. His corruption case, rape case, association with and appointment of dubious characters as security and police chiefs.... The list goes on and on.

I have no respect for JC, but the office of our president demands respect. Just as one should salute the rank of an officer, regardless of your personal opinion of that officer (this is not happening in our SADF and that is the reason why it is in such a shambles).

I agree that the picture (is it art?) is in bad taste. The sensation was obviously created to draw feet to the exhibition.

However, can we trade in JC for Obama?

**Citizen X** · 19-May-12, 02:50 PM

So the key question here, I think, is where does one draw the line with satire or satirical gestures?

**Dave A** · 19-May-12, 03:22 PM

I believe an interdict application will be heard this coming Tuesday, and it will include an application that images on social media sites must be removed too.

Obviously TFSA will respect and abide by the decision of the court. (Now where have I heard a similar refrain before

)

**AndyD** · 20-May-12, 01:13 PM

I'm surprised how many people are against the painting. I'm wondering why with the Zapiro incident Zapiro had much more clear public support than this artist seems to.

**Justloadit** · 20-May-12, 07:56 PM

Hi Andy,

I think that Zapiro was far more tactful with his cartoon showing a shower head. The current artist, just stuck private parts on an illustration which resembles JZ, and then calls it art.

**AndyD** · 20-May-12, 10:00 PM

I think one of the keywords is 'art' which by definition is engineered to cause an emotion or feeling in the viewer. On this level the painting would handsomely fullfil the definition of being art.

**Phil Cooper** · 21-May-12, 08:42 AM

It has been sold for R136,000 to an overseas collector

**tec0** · 21-May-12, 09:11 AM

In the end South Africans live in shame as "tradition" dictates behaviour of many "important" people. Now is this art?

Consider this, art is used to "express" an opinion about a "public" figure now how they do it may be controversial, however if it wasn’t would anyone have noticed it?
Fact is if someone cannot express their opinion about someone "in politics" any more can we still consider it to be a democracy?

Cartoon artists had a bad run in?
The media was sued?

Is it not true that we face a new law that pushes for media blackouts?
Is it not true that we face new laws regarding government secrecy?