After a drilling two eventful weeks, I finally find myself walking nonchalantly on the streets of Cape Town, dining delightfully on the warmth of the African sun; which at this moment is washing away the chill that had found refuge in the core of my bones. Europe, and especially the Netherlands, is surely a beautiful place. I couldn’t stop pushing back my eyeballs every time they popped out in awe of the beauty around me.
My head never stopped turning, and with every turn, something marvellous and outstanding stood before me. The weather seemed to be the only problem. I would have loved to run around in a T-shirt, or probably a vest, just to feel the breeze against my skin. But their breeze is not our usual breeze. At one point, finding yourself struggling to add sweetener and stir your coffee won’t come as a surprise.
Well, In these few days that I have been back, I discovered there is a lot that has transpired. A lot of them are surely good things, yet some of them are immensely disappointing.
Surely everyone has bumped into Brett Murray’s painting, titled ‘The Spear. When I first saw the story, which was now already stirring debate and, for some, circumspection on social networking sites and on local newspapers, I didn’t know what was going on. Even when I had the chance to see the picture, I thought I was a really good piece, looking at the faultless artistic features that Brett had employed to depict President Zuma; especially from his head, shoulders and stomach. It wasn’t until I scrolled down that my lower jaw dropped, surely from shock, curiosity and probably a feeling of antipathy.
South African President Jacob Zuma, depicted in a painting by Brett Murray, titled 'The Spear'
(image from web)
Truth be told, this is a President of a country we are talking about, flaws or impeccable.
Many have stood by the pillar of freedom of expression, but what does it express, I have asked myself. All I see is an artist who woke up one day with an urge to put on canvas his President with his manhood hanging out of his pants. What is the lesson here?
With all due respect, Mr Murray, I still don’t understand your painting. I am trying really hard to read between the lines, but unfortunately I find myself bewildered by the fact that you took your time in publicly humiliating the President of South Africa; also your President for that matter. A question of morals surely comes into play. As a respectful citizen that you are, I hope you took some time to look into that. At this point, I would assume you didn’t.
This painting surely takes away whatever respect the nation had for the President, and surely, its actions like these that will definitely leave a rather blurred depiction in the minds of South African citizens, of who their President stands for and the manner in which he has to be looked upon.
Surely many of us grew up around parents who instilled respect in us. I’m sure coming up with an idea to wake up in the morning and make a painting of the country’s President in the manner you did was never anywhere close to our bucket list. As much as he is a President, whom you’re probably not fond of either, he remains a father, a man, a leader, mentor and inspiration to many South Africans.
I personally can never be the judge of your actions, but I wish I understood the real meaning behind your painting, and what exactly did you wish to express yourself on. Many would contend, and argue that its freedom of expression, but did you use your freedom to the best of your ability, or it was simply ‘the joke of the day’?
There are two freedoms - the false, where a man is free to do what he likes; the true, where he is free to do what he ought. ~Charles Kingsley
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