Die spies van die nasie : die demokratiese rol van die populere media en avant-garde kuns in Suid-Afrika
Date
2013-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
LitNet
Abstract
Die openbare oproer en debat in Suid-Afrika oor Brett Murray se The Spear-kunswerk in
2012 het verskeie vraagstukke na vore gebring. Hiervan is een aspek, die verwikkelde rol van
kuns en die media in die daarstelling van ’n openbare sfeer in ’n demokratiese samelewing,
moontlik nog onderbeklemtoon. Eerstens bespreek en evalueer hierdie artikel teoretiese
insigte van Levine (2007) en Bourdieu (1993) oor die verhouding tussen sogenaamde avantgarde
kuns en die populêre media. Vervolgens kom die eietydse rol van die populêre media
en avant-garde kuns in ’n postkoloniale konteks na aanleiding van die The Spear-geval aan
bod. Die artikel werp lig op die belangrike plek en rol van gemedieerde kuns en kultuur in ’n
ontwikkelende demokrasie – of soos uitgedruk deur die boektitel van Levine (2007), effe
aangepas (my toevoeging is tussen hakies): Provoking democracy: Why we need the arts (and
the media). Ten slotte word die argument gestel dat ’n inklusiewe en dinamiese openbare
sfeer deur die vrye wisselwerking van avant-garde kuns en die populêre media versterk word.
In teenstelling met die algemeen-aanvaarde openbare-sfeer-teorie, waarvolgens slegs
rasionele debat wat tot konsensus lei die demokrasie versterk, volg die insig dus dat konflik
en onvoorspelbare uitkomste net so belangrik is.
This article chronicles and critically analyses a controversial public incident involving the interplay between members of the so-called elitist arts fraternity, the popular media, and the political establishment and grassroots supporters in South Africa. A public debate and political furore was sparked in 2012 when a Johannesburg exhibition by prominent (white) artist Brett Murray caught the attention of members of the ruling ANC party. A popular (black) Sunday newspaper, City Press, first reported that one of Murray’s paintings, The Spear, depicted President Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed. Zuma is a controversial Zulu traditionalist and polygamist who was acquitted of raping a family friend in 2009. The painting represented the exposed Zuma in the pose of Soviet dictator Lenin, and seemingly expressed satirical comment on the state of the South African nation and the ANC under his leadership.
This article chronicles and critically analyses a controversial public incident involving the interplay between members of the so-called elitist arts fraternity, the popular media, and the political establishment and grassroots supporters in South Africa. A public debate and political furore was sparked in 2012 when a Johannesburg exhibition by prominent (white) artist Brett Murray caught the attention of members of the ruling ANC party. A popular (black) Sunday newspaper, City Press, first reported that one of Murray’s paintings, The Spear, depicted President Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed. Zuma is a controversial Zulu traditionalist and polygamist who was acquitted of raping a family friend in 2009. The painting represented the exposed Zuma in the pose of Soviet dictator Lenin, and seemingly expressed satirical comment on the state of the South African nation and the ANC under his leadership.
Description
CITATION: Botma, G. J. 2013. Die spies van die nasie : die demokratiese rol van die populere media en avant-garde kuns in Suid-Afrika. Litnet Akademies, 10(1):583-605.
The original publication is available at http://www.litnet.co.za
The original publication is available at http://www.litnet.co.za
Keywords
Zuma, Jacob, Zuma, Jacob -- Pictorial works, Mass media -- Political aspects -- South Africa, Avant-garde (Aesthetics), Murray, Brett, 1961-
Citation
Botma, G. J. 2013. Die spies van die nasie : die demokratiese rol van die populere media en avant-garde kuns in Suid-Afrika. Litnet Akademies, 10(1):583-605.