by Ntandoyenkosi Ncube
JOHANNESBURG, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC) on Wednesday voiced its concern over a controversial painting depicting President Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed and called on the presidency to lead a dialogue on reconciliation in South Africa.
Archbishop Wilfrid Napier said the painting is a clear indication that South Africa is still divided and is dominated by social faults.
The SACBC said it's a clear indication that South Africa has failed to address national reconciliation.
"Simply reducing this incident to the level of race is a sad indicator that we have once again allowed the easy card to be played because it serves to deflect us from the real issues of national reconciliation," Napier said.
"I call on the President to lead the nation to a new dialogue on reconciliation and dignity – let us all make every effort to be the South Africa we want to be and want to become," he said.
The painting by artist Brett Murray stirred outrage from the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and a national debate on freedom of speech and the right to dignity after it went on display at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg and published by the City Press newspaper on its website.
"These are two separate matters that I think must be dealt with individually," political commentator Munjodzi Mutandiri told Xinhua. "The ANC government has done enough to push reconciliation, " he said.
Rather Mutandiri urged South Africa to take the situation as a platform to start constructive debates on various social ill affecting social, economic and political development in the country.
The ANC and its supporters are fuming over the painting, calling it racist in disrespect of the president and the black majority. One white political analyst told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that it is hard to single out the motive of the painting.
"But what we can all agree is that it was aimed at humiliating Zuma and undermining black leadership in all sectors," she said.
SACBC views the action as highlighting the true South Africa society.
"The furore over the painting 'The Spear' by Brett Murray has exposed a number of fault lines in our South African civic discourse. I wish to express my horror at the tone and temperament of the language around this painting," Napier said.
"We need honest, respectful and clear dialogue in South Africa – We have lived with enough violence in word and deed," the clergyman added.
Fruitless efforts to convince the gallery and the City Press to remove the painting prompted the ANC to take the case to the High Court in Johannesburg. The court on Tuesday postponed the hearing to Thursday.
ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu called on all South Africans to join Zuma, his family, the ANC and its alliance partners to support the party's court application.
"We call upon all South Africans to support this noble course and to demonstrate rejection to this act of indecency, vulgar and disrespect of the Constitution of our country and the values it stands for," he said.
The Goodman Gallery lawyers argue that the painting cannot be banned because the Constitution protects the right to artistic expression.
"Let the courts decide – this is why we have an independent Judiciary and laws that are not arbitrary," Napier said.
"Let me be clear. I don't like the painting -- its graphic subject matter or the slur on the character of the President," he said.
On Wednesday, the Goodman Gallery removed the painting from display after it was defaced. "We have removed the painting from the premises to a safe location pending the court case," the gallery said in a statement.
On Tuesday, just before the court began its first hearing, one man smeared the painting with black ink, while another man painted a red cross across Zuma's face and genitals. Later a third man damaged the gallery's walls to show his outrage. The three men were arrested and appeared in court on Wednesday.
The gallery said it has laid charges of malicious damages to property against the suspects who defaced the painting and damaged the walls.
Source: news.xinhuanet.com
Zuma painting an attack on African culture - New Zimbabwe.com
THE controversial painting by Brett Murray which exposes President Jacob Zuma’s genitals cannot be classified as art but a personal attack on a black head of state by a white artist considered by some as a racist.
The painting, titled ‘The Spear ’, is being displayed at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg. It is an insult to blacks and their culture and outright abuse of artistic freedom by Murray and the gallery that is displaying it.
South Africa is a democracy and has one of the best constitutions in the world. South Africans have the right to criticise anyone, including the president, but making personal attacks on the head of state and putting such provocative paintings of Zuma with his genitals exposed is just over the limit.
Murray has just gone too far in exercising his freedom of expression. In fact this is outright abuse of the freedom of expression and a violation of the President’s rights and privacy which he is entitled to as a citizen of this country.
Surely Murray’s painting has nothing to do with freedom of expression but a direct attack on Zuma, his family and the presidency itself. I wonder what would happen if Murray had insulted the head of state of an Islamic country or Prophet Mohammad. Moslems would have invaded the gallery and beat the hell out of the artist in question or any official who allowed such offensive painting to be put on display.
The artist would probably have joined British author Salman Rushdie in hiding. Rushdie got carried away while exercising his right as an author. But he went too far when he published his book titled ‘Satanic Verses’.The book sparked worldwide controversy in the Moslem world, leading to the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, passing a death sentence on him on February 14, 1989.
Moslems around the world were ordered to hunt the author down and kill him for insulting their faith and prophet Mohammad. Rushdie was forced to go into hiding and was provided with round the clock protection by the British government.
Well, we don’t want that to happen to Murray but he is also lucky that he lives in South Africa where artists can abuse their freedom of expression and get away with it.
What angers me as an artist myself and writer is that there are some people, especially whites, who have come to Murray’s defence while his backers have ignored Zuma’s rights as a human being, father and citizen of this country.
I am also not surprised by many black people who have condemned his painting. Murray has also been attacked by Zuma’s political opponents who believe that this time, the artist has gone too far and should be dealt with decisively. These are probably times when the ANC needs people like Julius Malema to deal with Murray, men of conviction.
South Africans of all races should unite in condemning the abuse of artistic freedom by Murray and other artists who hide under the country’s constitution. Zuma is a public figure as head of state but he is also a an individual whose rights should be respected by all of us.
You do wonder what would have happened had Murray been living in Zimbabwe or China after attacking the President like that. Your guess is as good as mine. Such behaviour by Murray has become a recruiting platform for those who take the view that leaders like Robert Mugabe are heroes of the African continent. Mugabe does not tolerate nonsense in his country, especially from people who think they are better than other races.
During the apartheid era, white journalists and artists never insulted white leaders using their art. Why are they allowed to insult a black President? I am not a Zuma apologist, but it angers me as a black person to see a white artist abusing his artist freedom to insult a black President.
I was not surprised when one official of the Church of Nazareth, Enoch Mthembu, called on South Africans to kill the artist Murray for what he called “insulting blacks and their culture”.
Mthembu, whose church has embraced African traditions, said Murray's painting was an attack on all black people in South Africa and deserved to be stoned to death.
Source: www.newzimbabwe.com
Zuma painting defaced to 'prevent civil war' - Mail & Guardian Online
Barend la Grange. (Nickolaus Bauer, M&G)
One of the men accused of defacing the contentious spear painting at the Goodman Gallery said he did so to prevent a civil war split along racial lines.
“It took me 15 seconds to destroy this insensitive artwork. We have a lot more to worry about in South Africa than a painting.
There are people’s lives in danger, the racial tension is there and people don’t realise what this can lead to”, a resolute Barend la Grange told the Mail & Guardian outside the Hillbrow magistrate’s court.The Spear depicts President Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed and forms part of artist Brett Murray’s Hail to the Thief II exhibition.
The artwork caused a national outcry and has been labelled racist by the ANC, who are seeking an urgent court interdict to prevent the painting from being exhibited or published.
Spoilt ballot paper
La Grange admitted to painting a large red X over the genital and facial area of the art piece, before his co-accused Louis Mabokela smeared black paint all over the surface of the image – all the while eNews television cameras filmed the incident on Tuesday.
La Grange also claimed he had never met Mabokela prior to the incident and that both acts of defacing were carried out independently.
He said his act of defacing the artwork symbolised a spoilt ballot paper.
“The first X was against ANC led government, who I believe are going the wrong direction and the second X was against people making a mockery of our president,” he said.
La Grange said that while he didn’t like Zuma, he was still his president and had respect for the office of the presidency.
“I saw the people at the gallery were not there for art, they were there to make a joke of the president.
La Grange also accused the Goodman Gallery of perpetuating the racial prejudices of South Africa’s past by allowing the painting to be exhibited.
“I lived through apartheid, I didn’t govern the system but I benefitted from it. I thought it only right as a white person to destroy this insensitive thing that was also created by a white person,” he said.
Change the Constitution
La Grange then echoed the ANC’s assertion that the constitutional right to freedom of expression cannot be used as an excuse to violate the dignity of others.
“If the Constitution protects people who do thing like this, then the Constitution must be changed. I didn’t diffuse the situation, but the fact that this painting is no longer there makes me feel far better,” he said.
The duo’s case was postponed until June 28 to gather more evidence.
Mabokela refused to comment after the case was postponed but his lawyer Krish Naidoo confirmed he had laid a charge of assault against security at the gallery.
Footage showed Mabokela being roughed up by gallery security immediately after defacing the painting.
“We intend to seek justice in the matter of my client being assaulted at the gallery,” Naidoo told the M&G
The police confirmed security guard Paul Molesiwa had been arrested and briefly appeared in the Hillbrow magistrate’s court on Wednesday, where he was granted R1 000 bail.
Interdict continues
Meanwhile the ANC has vowed to continue its court challenge against the artwork – despite it having been defaced.
“We still believe this painting continues to tarnish the image of Zuma. That’s why we are still going to court to find out if his rights have been violated. This is no longer just about him in any case, this matter needs to be resolved as it is polarising South African society,” ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu told the M&G.
Source: mg.co.za
Trial of alleged vandals of Zuma painting postponed - Business Day South Africa
THE trial of two men accused of vandalising a painting depicting President Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed was postponed in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The matter was postponed to June 28 for further investigation.
Barend la Grange and Louis Mabokela are accused of defacing the Brett Murray painting at the Goodman Gallery on Tuesday.
Bail of R1000 was extended for both men. They face charges of malicious damage to property.
The gallery where the controversial painting of Mr Zuma is housed was temporarily closed to the public on Tuesday. It was still closed on Wednesday morning.
Gallery owner Liza Essers said the move was prompted by numerous threats and the defacing incident. The painting was defaced by two people visiting the gallery.
The South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg will hear an African National Congress application on Thursday to have the painting taken down.
A third person, George Moyo, was arrested for spray-painting on a wall outside the Goodman Gallery. He appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court earlier on Wednesday.
Ms Essers said the painting, The Spear, had generated a debate that clearly engaged important legal and constitutional issues.
"I furthermore never imagined that this debate would transform into harmful physical action," she said. "This is over and above questions of political power, which formed part of its original dialogue."
The gallery recognised how divided the country had become over the controversy the painting had sparked.
"We must take cognisance of all responses to our exhibitions, and do not value one opinion above another," Ms Essers said.
The painting was defaced with red and black paint, obscuring the face and waist of the figure.
SAPA
Source: www.businessday.co.za
Win chance to hang your art with the pros - Bristol Evening Post
A BRISTOL youth group has launched a new art competition in a multi-million-pound youth centre.
The Station Artwork Competition offers young people the chance to see their artwork hung alongside a collection of more than 30 works by professional artists.
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Volunteers at The Station Jaydence Pater, left, and Ryan Lewis with fine artist Rose Sanderson and graffiti artist Nick Walker at the launch of the art competition being staged by The Creative Youth Network Picture: Dan Regan BRDR20120523F001
The Creative Youth Network launched the competition at The Station, Bristol's £5.75 million youth hub being developed in the city centre.
Bristol graffiti artist Nick Walker and illustrator Rose Sanderson, accompanied by some of The Station's young people, gathered at the centre yesterday to declare the competition open for entries.
The competition collection will eventually be auctioned off on October 18 as part of the corporate launch celebrations at The Station.
All funds will be donated to future creative projects being run at the youth hub.
To enter, young people have to take a photo of their artwork and upload it to the "Art Auction & Competition" event on The Station's Facebook page.
Artwork must be 2D but can be in any medium including painting, graffiti, digital, illustration, textile, print and photography.
Source: www.thisisbristol.co.uk
Painting over a presidential penis: Sign of respect for South Africa's Zuma or vandalism? - msnbc.com
Iman Rappetti / Enews via AP
Two pictures show an unidentified man defacing a controversial portrait of South African President Jacob Zuma at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Tuesday.
Two men who vandalized a controversial painting of South African President Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed were due to appear in court Wednesday.
Television footage Tuesday showed a white middle-aged man in a suit walking up to the portrait, called The Spear, at a Johannesburg gallery and painting a red cross on the president's face and private parts, Reuters reported. A younger black man then smeared black paint over the picture while the first man was being taken into custody by security guards.
"I'm doing this because the painting is disrespectful to President Zuma," one of the men told BBC News.
A BBC correspondent said he saw one of the vandals being head-butted as he was detained at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg.
The picture of Zuma is a facsimile of a famous poster of communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin. In the red, black and yellow painting, the president is shown striking Lenin's heroic stance, but with his penis hanging out of his trousers.
Racist?
Zuma's African National Congress party had already launched a legal bid to try to force the gallery to remove the picture, which it described as crude and racist.
Minutes before the vandals attacked, ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe told Reuters people had a right to criticize the government, but there were limits.
Farm worker found guilty over South African white supremacist's murder
When you had an artist depicting the president's genitals, he added, "you are not raising a discussion, you are insulting people."
Jerome Delay / AP
Amid the controversy, supporters of South African President Jacob Zuma gather outside the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The artist, Brett Murray, is well-known in South Africa for his work criticizing the white-minority apartheid government that ended in 1994.
The painting was taken down from display after the attack, prompting the Zimbabwe Mail newspaper to file a report headlined “Presidency penis goes into hiding.”
'Paucity of morals'
The Goodman Gallery said Murray’s exhibition, called Hail to the Thief II, “continues his acerbic attacks on abuses of power, corruption and political dumbness.”
“Murray’s bronzes, etchings, paintings and silk-screens form part of a vitriolic and succinct censure of bad governance and are his attempts to humorously expose the paucity of morals and greed within the ruling elite,” the gallery said on its website, which was still showing an unvandalized image of the painting.
Zuma has been married six times and fathered 21 children.
Anton Harber, chairman of South Africa's Freedom of Expression Institute last week called the ANC's criticism of the picture "silly" and defended artists' right to pose difficult, uncomfortable questions with their work.
Zuma sworn in as South Africa’s president
The arrested men, Barend la Grange, and Lowie Mabokela were due to appear in court Wednesday, The City Press newspaper reported, along with a third man arrested outside the gallery after allegedly spraying paint on a wall.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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