Well this has caused a bit of controversy down here.
The ANC aren’t happy, late on Friday, the party issued court papers seeking to interdict the gallery and City Press newspaper, which first published a picture of the painting. The matter will be heard at the High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday (tomorrow.)
CAUTION: The uncensored picture follows……
The Sunday Times reported that the painting had already been sold for R136,000 to a German buyer. (£10,000)
Here’s the one of Lenin for ease of reference…
Anybody notice the pigs in the top pic?
Boadicea's Chariot 
But is it art? 😉
I’d pay someone to take it away!
Is it art? Very good question. It looks like something university boys would
buy in China town as a joke gift.
Perhaps I should explain the satire.
The ANC ‘military wing’ (of which Zuma was a commander) were called ‘the spear of the nation’ and are still referred to as such when ‘comrades’ are searching for jobs / handouts / excuses etc.
Mr Zuma has recently married his 6th wife (1 passed away and one divorce, he currently has 4 wives) he is reported to have somewhere in the region of 20 children.
Which I think is the background for the pic and title.
I can quite understand why Mr Zuma would not find this flattering! I’m amazed it’s still on display, but I gather this may not continue for long.
I’m certainly no fan of the painting or anything else that seeks to ridicule a person as this does.
However, I’d be disappointed if the high court rule against the gallery tomorrow, we have freedom of speech and expression firmly enshrined in our constitution.
I have to admit, I think that artist and gallery are pushing their luck with this picture. As much as I despise Zuma, I think this is pushing the boundaries of ‘free expression’. But that is the problem when you have a constitution as liberal and far reaching as that of South Africa. One really needs a competent legislature to make the rules and a capable judiciary to make them work; not to mention a sophisticated society to justify the whole process. A case in point is the fact that the country’s sexual crime laws are in disarray meaning that certain criminals currently facing prosecution, such as those guilty of child abuse, rape and incest, may well escape conviction because the law has not specifically designated punishment for these acts.
But, what really makes me laugh about this ‘Spear of the Nation’ picture is that the ANC has decided that it is….. wait for it …….RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTT.
Surprise, surprise, the dreaded “R” word, Sipu.
I can’t see any pigs, Soutie. 😦
Not on the painting, on the stand right of picture 😉
Ah, yes! 😉
In a world where someone can be arrested for saying something rude about someone else on twitter or facebook. What I wonder, is the courts position on producing an image of someone with their incredibly small johnson hanging out?
Dem pigs is makin’ bacon, me thinks.
Now that you’ve explained it , Soutie, I think it’s very funny. Zuma should be flattered!
As for those two black pigs, they should be arrested for public indecency – or would that be racist too? Just imagine if they tried that in Dubai.
Sipu @ #6 – I am genuinely confused by the mixed messages coming out of Uncle Bob’s fiefdom.
1. Zuma has many wives.
2. According to the ANC it is racist to suggest that Zuma is hung like a donkey. Fair enough.
3. Do they therefore suggest that Zuma is hung like a mouse?
OZ
❓
He has as much to do with life here as Angela Merkel has with yours.
Latest newspaper reports tell me that if bob or any of his henchmen set foot in SA they face immediate arrest on multiple charges from international courts and our own, in fact, they can’t even set foot here for hospital treatment, a shopping spree or even to watch Zim in a sporting event.
Sipu brings up a very valid point.
It is obvious to all and sundry here that you can’t close an event down simply because some people don’t like it, as I and Sipu mentioned earlier our laws wont allow that.
But, if hate speech or racism is involved that’s a different matter.
Playing the ‘racism card’ is perhaps the only legal argument that the ANC legal team have.
We’ll find out later today.
While the ANC is fiddling with Zuma’s Spear, the delightful art of ‘necklacing’ has returned to the streets of South Africa with renewed vigour.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2012/05/22/barbaric-necklace-returns
Soutie, g’morgen! Freedom of expression again! All this reminds me of course of the infamous Allah cartoons, defended by the editor of the ‘paper concerned as freely expressing a view in a humorous way. A similar storm erupted this month when a ‘paper published a headline about a ‘n*gger’ being charged with a crime. This time the defence was more convoluted – ‘it’s what people call him’.
Unfortunately good manners and good taste don’t seem to play a part.
Môre Janus
My local read today has a report that local artists (from all races) have defended the painting, some suggested that it should have been only for a ‘private viewing’ others age restricted one even suggested a warning of some sort but they would (defend it) wouldn’t they, they have a vested interest.
We of course have our own version of the ‘N’ word down here quite rightly banned under the hate speech clause, it’s offensive and we have moved on.
For the record, I am against banning the use of words. I am much more in favour of teaching people good manners. The reason for not calling someone a n***** or k***** is that it is rude. Sadly, human rights have taken over from human decency.
I couldn’t have put it better. I’m against banning ‘words’ and for the teaching ‘of Good Manners’.
The problem with ‘Human Rights’ is that far too many people have the idea that it is only their rights that matter – and no one is taught that their Rights carry (or should carry) Responsibilities.
Latest news, the painting was defaced by two people. One white, one black. The incident was captured by E-TV. I have little doubt that the TV crew knew it was about to happen.
http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/en/2012/05/22/The%20Spear%20defaced.aspx
The only point of interest is whether or not he actually was/was not represented true to scale?
Was he complaining that it was too small or too large?
Apart from that, who cares?