Outspoken political artist Ayanda Mabulu was not censored in Cape Town.
His new painting depicting the legendary photographer David Goldblatt was successfully exhibited at the Cape Town Art Fair. How can there be calm, when the storm is yet to come?sold on the first day of the fair.
Last year at the Joburg Art Fair his work Yakhal'inkomo (Black Man's Cry) was removed from the walls before the opening to avoid offending sponsors. It depicts the Marikana shooting and President Jacob Zuma is seen standing on a dying miner's head.
After Goldblatt removed his special exhibition in support of Mabulu, the work was rehung.
The new work is a 175cm by 185cm mixed media painting on canvas depicting miners wearing gold helmets. A dying miner lies under a tank while Goldblatt documents the scene.
Mabulu said yesterday that in this work he is questioning the role of the media and wants to inspire a revolution.
"What is the media doing to document real life? Once there were photographers who worked as documentary photographers, like Goldblatt. Now they are just documenting sex in the city," Mabulu said.
"It is time to stand up and fight for what is right."
Goldblatt gave a presentation at the Design Indaba on Friday for which he got a standing ovation.
Mabulu's new work was created especially for the Cape Town art fair and will now go to a private collection.
Mabulu will have his second solo exhibition at Commune.1 in Cape Town later this year.
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