The artist, Yiull Damaso, argues South Africa must confront a subject that remains almost taboo: the future death of Mandela. Now frail and in retirement, the country's first black president turns 92 later this month. The painting has the same name as Rembrandt's and has been on display for two days at a shopping mall in Johannesburg. Its reproduction on the front page of yesterday's Mail and Guardian newspaper provoked a furious response from the ruling African National Congress (ANC). "The ANC is appalled and strongly condemns in the strongest possible terms the dead Mandela painting by Yiull Damaso," said Jackson Mthembu, a party spokesman. "It is in bad taste, disrespectful, and it is an insult and an affront to values of our society.
"In African society it is a foreign act of ubuthakathi (bewitch) to kill a living person and this so-called work of art … is also racist. It goes further by violating Tat' uMandela's dignity by stripping him naked in the glare of curious onlookers, some of whom have seen their apartheid ideals die before them." Mthembu added that Mandela was an international icon who should be cherished and respected. "That is why we are more shocked and disgusted this so called art that depicts a dead Madiba. "Why would anyone dream of a dead Madiba [Mandela's clan name]? Why would newspapers including the Mail and Guardian put to prominence this work of rubbish in their publication? Why would a respected public space and business site, Hyde Park, be a home for the creation of such insulting work to our icon, our leaders and all of us?"
But Damaso, 41, from Johannesburg, is unrepentant, insisting that he is using the image to convey a political argument. "The idea just popped up in my head," he said. "We have Nelson Mandela, one of the great leaders of our time, and the politicians around him are trying to find out what makes him a great man. Nkosi Johnson, the only one in the painting who's no longer alive, is trying to show them that Mandela is just a man. So they should stop searching and get on with building the country."
6 comments:
This artist wanted world wide attention and he sure got it. I wonder how many paintings he will sell now?
I must be racist and a witch since I think Jackson Mthembu's stated opinion on this painting is mostly inane babble. Killing Mandela is witchcraft? Painting a dead Mandela equates killing Mandela? Really? Painting a crowd of black and white people, some of whom may be racist makes the painting racist? Paintings depicting international icons dead, nearly naked and surrounded by gawkers is shocking, disgusting and condemnable and not art? Really? Really?! Someone should really inform the museums, churches and art lovers all over the world about this. Jesus Christ!
This is just in poor taste. Especially since Mandela is still alive. (Not to mention that, if Mandela dies soon, some people will think this painting brought it about. Superstition runs rampant in some parts of Africa...)
Is that Mandela or Morgan Freeman?
...Yes, My Son...?
...Or arethth thou speaking My Name in condemnable ways...?
Uttering your name, Not My Dad, had to purposes: to convey my frustration at the stupidity of Mr Mthembu's statement and to give a hint to those who had a case of temporary sluggishness of thought, what kind of art I was refering to with my last point.
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