ENOUGH ALREADY!
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is 92 years old.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is in hospital, a frail old man and no-one’s saying what ails him.
Outside Milpark hospital hordes of journalist and photographers are gathered hoping to be the first to break the news.
Not the news of him going home, but the news of him passing on.
What a circus. It’s almost like vultures gathering around waiting to pounce.
I had the pleasure of meeting artist Yiull Damaso last week. At first I didn’t connect the dots to the furor he caused last year. Yuill painted the body of Nelson Mandela being dissected by the deceased child activist Nkosi Johnson in front of Jacob Zuma, FW De Klerk, Desmond Tutu, Cyril Rhamaphosa, Helen Zille and Thabo Mbeki. It is based Rembrandt’s “The Anatomy Lesson of Nicolaes Trulp” painted in 1632. The work sparked huge controversy and was labeled 'insulting and “witchcraft' by African National Congress.
In a weird way what’s happening in the media at the moment, for me, strongly reverberates in the painting.
Leave Madiba in his family in peace in this time. He’s a great man. An icon. Many things to many people - but he is not public property.
Let it be.
Damaso's Mandela-themed artworks are on display at the book shop opposite the Constitutional Court at Constitution Hill.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is in hospital, a frail old man and no-one’s saying what ails him.
Outside Milpark hospital hordes of journalist and photographers are gathered hoping to be the first to break the news.
Not the news of him going home, but the news of him passing on.
What a circus. It’s almost like vultures gathering around waiting to pounce.
I had the pleasure of meeting artist Yiull Damaso last week. At first I didn’t connect the dots to the furor he caused last year. Yuill painted the body of Nelson Mandela being dissected by the deceased child activist Nkosi Johnson in front of Jacob Zuma, FW De Klerk, Desmond Tutu, Cyril Rhamaphosa, Helen Zille and Thabo Mbeki. It is based Rembrandt’s “The Anatomy Lesson of Nicolaes Trulp” painted in 1632. The work sparked huge controversy and was labeled 'insulting and “witchcraft' by African National Congress.
In a weird way what’s happening in the media at the moment, for me, strongly reverberates in the painting.
Leave Madiba in his family in peace in this time. He’s a great man. An icon. Many things to many people - but he is not public property.
Let it be.
Damaso's Mandela-themed artworks are on display at the book shop opposite the Constitutional Court at Constitution Hill.