Internationally acclaimed Botha 0 – Local Bigotry 2
Installation of the elephant at the Field Museum, Chicago, USA For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
Internationally acclaimed Botha 0 – Local Bigotry 2 By Peter Machen
In Durban, Andries Botha's public art works have continued to be plagued with difficulties over the last month. The removal of the artist's newly installed sculpture of Shaka Zulu at King Shaka Airport garnered embarrassing attention from around the world, while the fate of the artist's stone-and-gabion elephants, which were partially installed on a freeway going into the city before the ANC decided they were too reminiscent of the IFP logo is still, after all these months, undecided. Several days after the statue of Shaka – without a spear or shield, and accompanied by a number of cows – was unveiled by President Jacob Zuma, who in his speech championed the non-militaristic revisioning of the Zulu leader, the statue was removed due to pressure from Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini. Zwelithini apparently thought that Shaka looked too weak and was unimpressed with the pastoral nature of the work. Ironically, it has subsequently been suggested that it would be more appropriate if Shaka was depicted hunting elephants.
While the debacle around Botha's elephants and particularly Shaka have received much press coverage in South Africa and around the world – and considerably raised the artist's international profile – Botha is disappointed that there has been so little substantial dialogue around the real issues at hand. For Botha, the removed Shaka work is about reflecting the true heterogeneity of identity and the body in South Africa, yet all discourse around the issue seems to take place in terms of stereotypes and homogeneity. Talking about the statue's removal, Botha said “It is impossible for me to understand it. The question that needs to be asked is why did the ANC acquiesce so quickly to the king.” As for the elephants, Botha, who has been a model and patience and restraint for the past few months, is getting a little weary of all the debate – or lack of it. “I just want to do what I want to do. I don't want to sit everyday with these fuckers. If I wanted to go into politics, I would have done that.” Instead he is increasingly thinking of legal action to prevent what he refers to as “the moral integrity of the artwork” and is talking about taking the matter to the constitutional court. He is particularly unhappy with the suggestion that the elephants become elements in a 'Big 5' work, an idea which he has rejected from the very beginning. Botha has repeatedly stated that he is not a wildlife artist and nor is he prepared to allow his elephants, which are a profound expression of environmentalism, to constitute instead a metaphor that supports “a limited nationalist agenda.” Making the situation all the more absurd, Botha has spent the last few weeks accompanying his rubbertyre elephant Nomkhubulwane around the United States where it has been enthusiastically received. Nomkhubulwane is the 17th in a series of life-size elephant statues crafted from recycled materials
On a happier note, rumours that the artworks commissioned for the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban have all been covered up by Fifa are untrue. The football body did initially erect screens in front of
certain artworks but they have subsequently been removed, and all of the art at the stadium is on view to the public, presidents and football lovers around the world.
Installation of the elephant at the Field Museum, Chicago, USA For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
Elephant on the move: Move to Field Museum For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
Project manager Vance Martin and Andries Botha and reflection For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
Project manager Vance Martin and Andries Botha during installation For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
Andries and Andre Nomkhubulwane at the Illinois Institute of Technology For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
IIT Children's visit to elephant Nomkhubulwane at the Illinois Institute of Technology For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
IIT Round table discussion Nomkhubulwane at the Illinois Institute of Technology For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
Nomkhubulwane at the Illinois Institute of Technology Andries and children during programme For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
Nomkhubulwane at the Illinois Institute of Technology Andries and children during programme 2 For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
King Shaka Durban International For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
King Shaka Durban International For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html
King Shaka Durban International For more see: www.humanelephant.org See some exciting images at: www.humanelephant.org/gallery.html