Cape Town artist Brett Murray has spoken out for the first time about his controversial portrait, The Spear – which depicts President Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed – saying he did not intend to cause any “hurt or to harm the dignity of any person”.
The artist said the work was “an attempt at humorous satire of political power and patriarchy within the context of other artworks in the exhibition and within the broader context of South African discourse”.
In a responding affidavit to Zuma’s application to have the portrait taken down, the owner of the Goodman Gallery, Liza Esser, included a statement from Murray. Until now, he has been silent on the divisive debate.
“In the apartheid years, I created satirical images which attacked abuses of power. For many years I have used, and continue to use, symbols with sexual connotations representative of political power and patriarchy,” Murray said.
Last week Zuma filed an urgent application in the Johannesburg High Court for an order to have the gallery remove the portrait as well as the City Press newspaper remove images of it from its website.
Both have refused, saying this would be censorship.
The matter will be heard on Tuesday.
In his affidavit, Zuma said the portrait infringed on his constitutional rights to dignity and privacy.
Zuma said he had felt “shocked, personally offended and violated” when he saw a copy of The Spear for the first time.
He said it depicted him as “a philanderer, a womaniser and one with no respect”.
Murray added: “I continue to create artworks which attack abuses of power and corruption through satire and parody in the exercise of my right to freedom of artistic expression under section 16 of the constitution.” He said the portrait was a parody of the well-known image of Lenin.
Murray said he was affirming his right to express himself artistically without fear or favour.
In her affidavit, Esser said she was opposing the application on the basis that the gallery was known as a neutral space “that embraces voices of dissent, presenting work that confronts the contemporary socio-political climate”.
She admitted that Zuma had a right to express his opinion of The Spear and accepted that he might well be outraged by the work.
Esser said the gallery had no intention to cause him or his family any “hurt or offence”.
The Star