Artist Brett Murray, in his affidavit, explains why he painted 'The Spear' "At the outset, I would like to say that I am a proud South African and a former supporter of the ANC. I am not a racist. I do not produce art with an intention to hurt, humiliate or insult,...
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Trying to censor the internet is neither legal nor rational | by Pierre De Vos
The Films and Publications Board (FPB) announced this morning that a panel of its classifiers has classified The Spear (as well as “images and/or replicas” of it), in terms of the Film and Publications Act and gave it a rating of 16N. The Spear, for those readers who...
An open letter to Ferial Haffajee | by Eusebius McKaiser
Eusebius McKaiser responds to The Spear's virtual death An open letter to Ferial Haffajee: A response to The Spear's virtual death Dear Ferial, You are obviously one of the country's most respected editors and perhaps even, as Peter Bruce, editor of Business Day,...
Unpacking the legal arguments in The Spear case | by Pierre De Vos
The presentation of the legal arguments about whether a final interdict should be granted against the Goodman Gallery and City Press to cease publication (on their websites) of a work of art, depicting someone who looks like President Jacob Zuma with his private parts...
Apartheid and censorship: The more things change… | by Mandy de Waal
Amid the logic-destroying hysteria surrounding Brett Murray’s (now defaced) The Spear, the Film and Publications Board will sit to decide if personal dignity trumps art and freedom of expression. Eighteen years into South Africa’s democracy and our censorship system...
We are all racists | by Nhlanhla Mtaka
Nhlanhla Mtaka says the Spear controversy has unmasked us as a nation From tolerance to acceptance: The controversy over the Zuma painting has revealed us all to be racists In his book The Other Side of History: An Anecdotal Reflection on Political Transition in South...
What is the point of The Spear? | by Andrew Donaldson
Andrew Donaldson on why Brett Murray's painting has provoked such unhinged fury LET us get to the heart of the matter. In his affidavit, which forms part of the ruling party's legal bid to remove Brett Murray's The Spear from public gaze, the painting's subject,...
Brett Murray’s portrait of Zuma opens old wounds | by Jackson Mthembu
Jackson Mthembu questions why black, not white, defacer of painting was assaulted by security guard ANC WELCOMES THE SOUTH GAUTENG HIGH COURT DECISION TO HAVE A FULL BENCH OF JUDGES TO HEAR THE ANC AND PRESIDENT ZUMA'S URGENT APPLICATION REGARDING THE OFFENSIVE...
