I’m sure that members remember my post on The Spear painting  which caused so much controversy down here.

In summary the gallery and artist were taken to court by the governing ANC party claiming that President Zuma’s right to dignity under the constitution was infringed. The gallery and artist countered with an individual’s right to freedom of expression. The case was heard, the bench (3 judges) decided that more time was needed than the single day initially set aside (they want 3 days) and that’s where we are, I have no idea for when it’s been rescheduled (if at all.) Perhaps that’s the last we’ll here of it.

In the meantime our Publications Control Board (that’s the people who set age restrictions on movies and suchlike) have decided to slap a 16 age restriction on the painting, causing angst amongst the art fraternity who insist that nudity as an art form shouldn’t be subject to such decisions. Which left me wondering what the clowns would do if Michelangelo’s David ever visited these shores as part of a world exhibition?

Enough of that, as you can imagine the painting has been the subject of numerous e-mails and jokes, I thought that I’d share some of them, first, as a reminder here’s the original… Continue reading “The Spear revisited”