THE SPEAR

THE SPEAR

Artist: Brett Murray

About the artist and 'The Spear'

Zapiro is influenced by 'The Spear'

Brett Murray is a South African artist who grew up in an apartheid society, that influenced his thoughts about issues of power, race and politics. Murray was a card carrying member of the ANC during the aparteid era. In this piece Murray pokes fun and mocks South African's President, Jacob Zuma. It depicts our President in a famous pose of Lenin the Russian communist , with his gentiles exposed.

The Spear

2010

Acrylic on canvas

185cm x 140cm

Zapiro, who depicts Zuma with a shower on his head as the result of Zuma's comment in his trial, has been sued countless times by the ANC.

Influences

Murray's inspiration is understood to have been from the Victor Ivanov poster Lenin Lived, Lenin is Alive, Lenin Will Live. Lenin was a Russian communist who was a power hungry womaniser. Murray had taken this well known iconic poster and created his own twist to it. It is believed that people in power attract woman and cannot resist temptation. Murray uses the same pose and clothing as Lenin in the poster.

The public's perception of Zuma also influenced Murray. Zuma is involved in the act of polygamy with his many wives and children, this is often the reason why he is the center of scandal in our country's media. As well as the comment he had made in his rape trail where he explained that taking a shower after having sex would reduce the risk of contracting HIV.

In 2012 , 'The Spear' was defaced.

Murray's intention

Murray is not attacking the ANC as a political party but rather placing emphasis on the leader of the party. He is not questioning the ethos and rules of the political party either. Zuma is the President of the ANC and the President of the country but he essentially is the ANC's symbol too. Whenever we think of the ANC, Zuma is the first person that comes to mind. Zuma's acts influence society's views on the whole party. Murray only wants to bring attention to the people who have lost their way and have forgotten what they fought for in the apartheid era. Before, those leaders were our heroes and presently they appear to be involved in corruption, are greedy and power hungry. The Spear is a metaphor for these unjust character traits. Murray intended to evoke the public's thoughts of what South Africa was, and what it has become. Murray says, "What satire can do in a political context is that it can be seen as a political contestation as it opens political debate"

Elements and Principals

There was a negative reaction to the 'The Spear' by Barend la Grange and Louis Mabokela, who were members of the public. They had smeared paint over the controversial painting on display at the Goodman Gallery in Joburg. The two men weren't particularly fans of Jacob Zuma but they both felt that our President was insulted and humiliated in the following portrait. Mabokela said, “It’s an insult. He is a parent”. this defacement increased the painting's value.

• colour- the colours used are mainly known as communist colours. The colours are yellow, black and red.

red - power, danger, aggression

yellow - wealth, gold, value

black - secretive, evil, unhappiness

• focal area - the focal area is Zuma himself as he is the only subject in the painting but his genitals are exaggerated and emphasized as the light falls on it.

Symbolism

• tone and form - the painting is simplified as Murray only uses 3 main colours. This creates a contrast between the colours and creates the form and tone. The painting is 2 dimensional.

• pose

• penis

• composition - there is no sense of space in the painting as there is no background and the simplicity draws more focus to the subject. Its simplicity makes us believe that there is more meaning behind what the eyes can only see.

Materials and Techniques

Zuma's pose is an exact replica of Lenin's pose. This body language depicts POWER. The slight lift of his hand from his side, looking up into the sky, no background and the expression on his face emphasizes this power hungry character.

Murray has exaggerated and distorted many aspects of the painting. He over simplifies the painting and uses acrylic paint, which is a cheap medium. This is ironic because he intends us to recognise that Zuma is a simple minded being and plays on the idea of a cheap print. The painting looks like a stencil and stencils can be mass produced , this may symbolize the excessive amount of children he has and could still produced.

Murray exposes Zuma's genitals as he is well known for having many children. Murray also names this piece 'The Spear' because it is believed that a man's most powerful weapon is his private part. A spere can be described as powerful, a weapon and dangerous. Indirectly we can assume that Zuma is a dangerous man and not a very fatherly figure.