Zara Nicholson
CAPE TOWN artist Ronald Harrison, who was persecuted by the apartheid regime for his painting Black Christ, has died – and, in line with his wishes, his funeral service will be held at the church where his famous painting was unveiled in 1962.
Harrison, who had painted since the age of 16, died on Tuesday night at his niece’s home in Mitchells Plain.
He was 71.
Black Christ depicted Chief Albert Luthuli as a crucified Christ, flanked by then prime minister Hendrik Verwoerd and justice minister John Vorster as Roman centurions.
The painting was unveiled in St Luke’s church in Salt River at the height of apartheid.
After the work was put on display, Harrison was arrested and tortured by the security police.
Yesterday, his niece, Desiree Phillips, said: “We are trying to arrange the funeral for Saturday, and it was his heart’s wish to be buried from the St Luke’s, the home of the Black Christ painting.”
Harrison had recently completed a series of five paintings for an exhibition in the Northern Cape later this year.
“He stressed about completing the series and on Saturday he finished the last one,” Phillips said.
“He was so relieved and happy, he told me: ‘I’m so glad I am done, now I can rest’.”
Black Christ was smuggled to Britain by anti-apartheid sympathisers after being banned from public display in South Africa.
In 1997, the painting was returned. It was a “very emotional and proud time” for the artist, Phillips said.
The original Black Christ is kept in the basement of the SA National Gallery, while the replica is on display at the offices of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Harrison had said that, while the painting’s message was “humankind’s inhumanity to humankind”, it was also about the spirit of Luthuli’s love, peace and compassion.
Phillips said that Harrison had suffered from cancer two years ago and was in pain over the past few weeks
.
“We knew something was wrong, but he didn’t want to go to the doctor because it was his wish that he not return to hospital,” Phillips said.
Although Harrison never married and did not have children of his own, Phillips said he was like a father to his nieces and nephews.
“He was very proud of his art. When the Black Christ returned home, it inspired him to get his work into more art galleries and exhibitions,” she said.
“He did his art with sincerity, it was always from the heart. If people complimented him on his work he would be very touched by what they said.”
Phillips said they would send his latest paintings to the exhibition as planned, but she was not sure what they would do with the works after the exhibition.
The only other works that remain at their house are a few pencil sketches of family members.