South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) has been criticised for demanding a boycott of a national newspaper that reproduced a controversial painting of President Jacob Zuma.
The ANC urged "all South Africans, members of the ANC and the alliance, to indefinitely boycott buying the City Press newspaper" until it removes images of The Spear, which shows him with his genitals exposed, from its website.
The party also wants advertisers to withdraw their business. It said: "The City Press has, therefore, become a paragon of immorality, abuse and perpetrator of injustice and slander. Their refusal to remove this portrait from their website and their controlled social media is a clear indication that this newspaper does not belong to our shared democratic dispensation and values.
"This newspaper has singled itself as anti-ANC, the president, our democracy and the majority of South Africans."
Outside a court hearing in Johannesburg on Thursday, where the party was seeking to have the painting banned, the ANC national spokesman, Jackson Mthembu, whipped up a crowd of supporters by chanting: "Boycott City Press! Boycott City Press!"
Ferial Haffajee, the paper's editor-in-chief, questioned the ANC's motives, noting that pictures of The Spear are now widely available on Facebook, Twitter and Wikipedia. "The boycott call is really now more about the painting," she told South Africa's eNews channel.
Haffajee also described higher education minister Blade Nzimande's demand for a boycott of the paper as "deeply disturbing". She said: "He must be very angry and that saddens me. I am devastated by this week, by our descent into defacement and boycott over discussion and debate."
Reflecting the pressure that she and the paper are under, Haffajee tweeted: "Contrary to some opinion, I don't have balls and yes, I am hurt and scared. But, first, I'm a journalist and act in that interest."
The ANC's stand was condemned by the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef). "While we recognise the right of the ANC to advise members on how to exercise their consumer decisions, the call for a boycott of a newspaper is tantamount to intimidation and abuse of power," it said. "This kind of behaviour is unbecoming of a party that functions in an open democratic stage and especially one which leads the national government."
But on Friday the ANC hit back, describing Sanef's remarks as "inconsistent and opportunistic". Mthembu said: "We believe that our withholding of our buying power together with all South Africans who believe that the painting is offensive, in the instance of City Press, we should demonstrate our outrage at their refusal to remove the painting on their website."
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Original oil painting by Paul Cornoyer brings $96,000 at Shannon's Fine Art Auctioneers - PR Inside
(MILFORD, Conn.) – A painting by American artist Paul Cornoyer (1864-1923), titled A Spring Day, New York and depicting carriages in New York City, sold for $96,000 at an auction held April 26 by Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers. The 18 inch by 24 inch painting was the top lot of the 127 artworks that changed hands.
“It doesn’t surprise me the Cornoyer painting took top honors. It was a fine rendering, done by an important 20th century artist,” said Sandra Germain, a partner at Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers. Cornoyer was born in St. Louis, Mo. His first works were in the Barbizon mode, but he later evolved after training at the Academie Julien in Paris and then moving to New
York.In all, 158 artworks were offered, of which 82 percent (127) sold “We are encouraged by that figure,” Ms. Germain said. “It tells us that the market for quality artwork is both healthy and strong. Activity levels were high during the sale, in terms of bidder activity and inquiries. By the time all the receipts were tallied, we grossed right at $2 million. It was a good auction.”
Just over 500 total bids were submitted, a number that combines online bidding (through Artfact.com and the Shannon’s website, www.shannons.com), phone and absentee bids. “Phone bids were especially active,” Germain remarked. “All lines were busy with determined bidders, from the time the first gavel came down to the last. And, as always, Internet bidding was brisk.”
Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include the 20 percent buyer’s premium.
A scene of New York Harbor by the renowned American artist Edward Moran (1829-1901), the oil on canvas done circa 1875 and measuring 21 ½ inches by 36 inches, went for $75,000; while a small harbor scene on Long Island by the pioneer “Ashcan” painter William Glackens (Am., 1870-1938), titled Brewster’s Creek, made $60,000.
An oil on canvas painting by Francis Luis Mora (Am., 1874-1940), titled American Gladiators and exhibited at the National Academy in 1908, 70 inches by 52 ½ inches, realized $52,800; and an oil on canvas still life by Arthur Wesley Dow (Am., 1857-1922), titled Yellow Flowers, Ipswich, done circa 1905, hit $50,400.
An untitled Modernist acrylic on canvas by Nicholas Krushenick (Am., 1929-1999), signed and dated August 1965, 52 inches by 45 inches, breezed to $43,200; and a colorful depiction of an Arab rug seller by Addison Millar (Am., 1860-1913), titled The Oriental Shop, signed lower left with a thumbprint, 22 inches by 28 inches, brought $40,800, the second highest price paid for a work by the artist at auction.
A newly discovered oil on canvas by Franz Josef Kline (Am., 1910-1962), titled Two Horses, purchased from the artist in 1947, signed lower left with the artist’s device and dated 1945 on the reverse, topped out at $38,400; and a museum-size masterpiece by Robert Smithson (Am., 1938-1973), titled The Serpent of Blood, 88 inches by 83 inches, signed, rose to $36,000.
An oil on canvas by James McDougal Hart (Am., 1828-1901), an important artist of the Hudson River School, titled Sunset in the Adirondacks, signed lower left and dated 1864, 20 inches by 42 inches, demanded $32,400; and one of six nautical works from the renowned marine painter Antonio Jacobsen (Am., 1850-1921), titled The E.S. Atwood, breezed to $28,800.
A painting John Fulton Folinsbee (Am., 1892-1972), titled Shad Fisherman on the Delaware (Haul Before the Storm), garnered $28,800; and an oil on panel work by Dwight William Tryon (Am., 1849-1925), titled Sunset, signed lower left, 20 inches by 30 inches, commanded $28,800.
A work by Worthington Whittredge (Am., 1820-1910), titled Landscape With Brook, signed lower right and dated 1894, hammered for $28,800; an oil on canvas by Eduoard Leon Cortes (Fr., 1882-1969), titled Marche aux Fleurs, Madeline, went for $26,400; and an oil on canvas by Fern Coppedge (Am., 1883-1951), titled Boats in a Harbor, made $25,200.
Three works by the geometric abstract painter Rolph Scarlett (Am., 1889-1985) all brought identical prices of $24,000 (13 works by the artist were offered, 12 of which were sold); and a painted extruded aluminum sculpture by Robert Indiana (Am., b. 1928), titled 2000, signed, dated 1999, hit $24,000.
Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers’ next big art auction is scheduled for Oct. 25. The firm conducts two sales a year, in its gallery located at 354 Woodmont Road in Milford, Conn., just off Interstate 95 and not far from New Haven. Shannon’s is one of only two auction houses in the country that sells only fine art (paintings, watercolors, drawings and rare prints).
Historically, Shannon’s has specialized in American and European art executed between 1840 and 1940, but in recent years the firm has expanded more into post-war Modern and Pop art. Shannon’s produces an extensive, 132-page, full color catalog for each sale and an eight-page, oversize color brochure that is mailed to 18,000 clients. These are viewed by potential bidders worldwide.
Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions. To consign a single piece of artwork, an estate or an entire collection, you may call them at (203) 877-1711; or, you can e-mail them at info@shannons.com. To learn more about Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers and its upcoming events, please log on to www.shannons.com.
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Source: www.pr-inside.com
Zuma painting reveals SA tensions - Financial Times
May 25, 2012 1:13 pm
Source: www.ft.com
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