“Patriarch” Exhibit at the National Gallery, Cape Town

The work of SAMGI promotes positive representation of gender.  Gender, however, is a very tricky term.  It is often used to designate the traditional binaries of male and female; yet at the same time gender means sexless-ness.  The textual cannon of gender studies in the United States relies heavily on the writings of Michael Foucault and Judith Butler who emphasize a postmodernist fluidity to defining gender; that is, finding the spaces where gender transcends or trespasses cognition in order to create an understanding of the individual beyond biological or sexual definitions that are directly reflective of culture, tradition, religion, politics, etc.  The National Museum’s exhibition “Patriarch: Changing Representations of Male Identity in South African Visual Arts” is an outstanding example of this postmodernist “troubling,” concentrating on dissecting the gendered connotations associated with patriarchy.

 

The exhibit defines patriarchy as referring to a leader, or one who has authority over a territory or grouping, deriving connotations of one who is stern, sober of attitude, controlled and dignified.  These are expectations placed upon the South African male, not necessarily expectations that the individual male chooses or with which he feels comfortable.  Each work is meant to question and deconstruct the stereotypes formed of the expectations.  Inside the door of the exhibit and to the left there are four busts in bronze, a medium normally utilized to portray authority and magnanimity of its illustrious male subject.  These busts, however, undermine such precepts.  One bust is of a male who is quite miserable, perhaps even tragically pathetic in stature.  Another is comedic in characterization; almost cartoon-ish.  The busts give the viewer a contrasting perspective of male-ness that is more unique, more individualized, and more animated than is typically expected or deemed admirable.

 

Patriarch is a mixed array of sculpture, photography and paint.  Wendy Schwegmann’s silverprint, Bodybuilder, which also graces the front of the exhibition leaflet, contrasts ideals of maleness with the concentrated pursuit of idyllic appearance.  Strength is typically associated with manliness; yet, there is something very feminine in such dogged pursuit of the perfect body.  Meanwhile the photograph by Muholi that shows explicit lesbian activity subverts and undermines the primary association of masculinity with virility since it proves women can openly and adequately take possession of their own intimate pleasure.  The traditional expectations of the male and female body are usurped by these two displays.

 

"Butcher Boys" by Jane Alexander

Three full-life figures can be seen immediately upon approaching the exhibit door and are often the reason people are drawn into the room.  These are the works of Jane Alexander which my Iziko guide, Mxolisi, advised are very popular among visitors.  The Butcher Boys on first approach is menacing. The creatures are monstrous in form and frightening.  Their bodies are human-esque and athletic; their heads are adorned with twisting horns.  A closer approach begins to reveal their vulnerability.  The figures have neither mouths nor genitals.  At the back of the piece the creatures’ spines are fully exposed indicating that the forms have been hurt. Walking again to the front there is the realization that these creatures are not mature; their bodies are still in the process of transformation from youth to adulthood.  Their eyes are of a young gazelle – big and glassy – taking in everything around them.  The audience is warned that appearances are deceptive because being alive incorporates many hurts and many feelings that are often disguised during the enactment of gendered expectations.

 

The work by twin brothers, Husain and Hasan Essop is a superimposed photograph entitled Passing By showing the artists tumbling, climbing and jumping.  In some poses a twin is wearing a traditional Muslim robe while in others a twin is wearing the typical jeans and shirt.  These are young traditional men who know that there is joy and freedom in their faith that others do not often see.  Set with an urban backdrop, it portrays the reality encompassed in negotiating tradition with modernity.  It is a scene of boys traversing the influences that pull at their lives.

 

Opposite and to the left of Husain’s and Hasan’s piece is an oil on canvas which is a cacophony of red and black images.  The artist believes there is positive male energy, such as that by the Essop twins, but there is also negative male energy.  The work is snippets of hurt and destructive choices.  Men need to understand the differences in energies in order to make decisions that are good rather than simply masculine.

 

Many of these pieces intimate the presence of possible controversy.  This is the point of just such an exhibit.  It is meant to challenge our notions and to disquiet our expectations.  Greater tolerance for any society must celebrate the individuality of its members.  Only in individuality will a community find creative energy, positive well-being and personal achievement. The exhibit runs through the end of March in Room 9 of the National Gallery. 

A Place for Women in the Democratic Alliance?

 

 

January 29, 2009

 

To:      Editor, Cape Argus

 

From:  Christina E. Mitchell, Intern, SAMGI

 

 

 

The Democratic Alliance announced on Tuesday, January 27, their candidate lists for Parliament and Cape legislature.  Of the 33 candidates listed for the provincial legislature, only 8 are women with only 3 having a chance at occupying a seat.  Of the 34 candidates listed for the national assembly, only 8 are women. The DA commented on the obvious minority of women candidates stating that there simply “were not enough women” who applied for the open positions finding this an appropriate response to public inquiry.  As a party whose mission promotes diversity and disparages a closed, patronage society, it has the obligation to challenge its reliance on open application processes as its primary means of garnering participation from its female ranks. 

 

According to Stats South Africa (www.statssa.gov.za), the mid-year population projections for 2008 (the most recent stats available) lie between 5,18 and 5,30 million people in the Western Cape.  Within the prime vocational ages, meaning ages 20 – 29 during which individuals are actively pursuing their job or career skills and choices, women consistently comprise a majority of the population.  In the ages 30 – 39, ages at which careers have been established and progress, women remain the majority of Western Cape population. Clearly there are enough women to fill the party’s candidate lists. 

 

Developing an active participation and voting base is the survival mainstay of every political party.  However, the DA with its liberal ideology should investigate why women are not actively pursuing political office, why member women do not apply to higher candidate positions, and why women are not meeting candidacy qualifications.  Next, the DA must make efforts to correct the situation.  The DA must recruit and involve the voters of the Western Cape on a platform in which party affiliation affirms that diversity underscores the political abilities of and relevance for women.  The DA must actively mentor and promote the women within its ranks. If women do not feel that they share the successful opportunities of their male contemporaries, if women do not see relevant numbers of role models, they will not see the importance of entering political service.  The voices of women in the Western Cape will thus continue to be underrepresented and, therefore, silenced.

 

Ms Obama is More Than Her Wardrobe

Date:  January 27, 2009

 

To:  Editor, Cape Argus

 

From: Christina E. Mitchell, Intern

            SAMGI

 

The article in the Life section of the Weekend Argus on January 17 by Robin Givhan “First lady fashion from frumpy to foxy” describes the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, in terms of American’s superficial fascination with celebrity wardrobe choices.  Givhan states that the task of dressing for the U.S. population “is her fate as she steps into a role that is ill-defined and largely symbolic”.  Considering the large headline and prominent position of the article, I would counter that the fascination appears to extend far beyond the borders of the United States and, indeed, holds similar esteem in the Western Cape.

 

I cannot dispute that Ms. Obama recruited the efforts of stylists as President Obama’s presidential bid began to pick up speed and seriousness.  It is not unusual for individuals, both male and female, seeking success in America to turn to image professionals in an effort to look appropriately marketable and presentable for the expectations of the circles in which they work and socialize.  First impressions count and require dress “know-how” that complements his/her resume as well as the company or industry he/she is representing.  What is disconcerting is that Givhan’s article reduces a successful, educated, female individual to the success or failure of her clothing choices.

 

Michelle Obama is the third First Lady of 44 total First Ladies in history to hold a postgraduate degree.  Her education at Princeton University graduating with honours in 1981, and her achievement of earning a Juris Doctorate in 1988 from Harvard University are well documented.  Her career history is impressive by any standards of professionalism that includes promotion from Executive Director to Vice President of Community and External Affairs for University of Chicago Hospitals and holding the position Executive Director for the Chicago Office of Public Allies.   Prior positions include of Assistant Commissioner of Planning and Development under Mayor Richard Daly and an Associate at the prestigious law firm of Sidley Austin.  (Sources for resume extracted from the Chicago Tribune online.)  In light of such achievements, it matters little whether she chooses clothing that bares her arms.

 

Such stories as that provided by Givhan are meant soften Michelle’s forthright personality lest Ms. Obama be extended regard that can equal any man’s, including that extended to her husband.  Consequently she is often referred to as a “devoted mother” when referencing her abilities in order to stave off any indication that she may have interests and abilities that lie outside the home.  I propose that Ms. Obama neither needs to be softened in her public image nor upheld for her concentrated devotion to her children.  Both parents laudably display committed importance for their family and both parents have continued to set a strong example of achievement for their daughters to follow.  Change has come to America and it would be wise to extend the execution of this mantra to the Office of the First Lady.  Ms. Obama just may surprise us all.

“Tshepang” – What Does It Mean to ‘Rape’?

On January 31 I had the opportunity to attend the final performance of Tshepang at the Baxter Theatre, Sanlam Studio at the University of Cape Town.  Being from out of country, I had seen the advertisements of the play and was interested in seeing a regional stage work on my relatively short stay in the area.  Through friends and colleagues I discovered the play is a fictionalized account of actual incidents which took place in a Cape township in 2002. 

 

Baby Tshepang was nine months old when she was brutally raped consequently requiring extensive medical care.  Almost immediately six men were accused of the heinous crime, charged and taken into police custody.  It was DNA testing that proved all six men innocent and subsequently found the mother’s former boyfriend guilty. Laura Foot Newton’s stellar play is bound up in the events of this terrible story but her focus is firmly grounded the deconstruction of the words, phrases and beliefs which flow through the events.  Foot Newton gives an open opportunity to traverse perspectives and points of view in order to form a deeper understanding of how individuals, communities, cities and societies are connected and the responsibilities individuals share as members.

 

The set is minimalist.  There is a bed portraying a place of rest, a place of comfort with its blanket and pillow, and a place of joy depicted by the radio hanging from the headboard.  To the far opposite are miniature houses – just shells simply made with no adornment and one looking just like the other.  This is the township portrayed as something created haphazardly and without creativity.  Above the houses are stark tree branches containing various eyeglasses and sunglasses.  These are the eyes which peer in from outside, seeing the township through lenses owned, created, marked, and marred by the perceptions of viewers who do not hold a connection to this place.  The outside sees in the township what it wants to see.  At back centre stage there is a pile of grain.  The pile is simple but denotes the presence of life and work.  The town is not desolate.

 

Mncedisi Shabangu portrays Simon, the full narrator of the production.  He begins by masterfully weaving a jocular portrayal of township life where “nothing much happens” under the constant heat of the sun.  He makes you comfortable, like a welcoming host.  He mixes his dialogue between English and Afrikaans giving the audience a familiar feel in the unfamiliar auditorium.  The intimacy of the Sanlam Studio is a perfect fit for the story he must tell.

 

Nonceba Constance Didi plays Ruth, Baby Tshepang’s mother.  Nonceba does not speak.  She pantomimes the despair of a mother who has a hurt child for whom she is unable to relieve the pain.  She maintains a despondent, unfocused stoicism.  Her movements are deliberate and painfully sluggish.  Her presence haunts the back of the stage.

 

The audience soon discovers that life under the sun is anything but banal.  It is a frenetic weave of human interactions which connect the people to each other.  It is boys who come to their first sexual experience by way of the local prostitute who sets a time limit for each customer based on the turning of three pages of her comic book.  It is the drinking at the tavern where men gather to chat, tease, and commiserate.  It is the commonality among husbands who also have girlfriends.  The obviousness of men’s centrality is realized suddenly.  This is a man’s world encompassing man’s sexuality, man’s enjoyment, and a man’s narrative of events.  Meanwhile Nonceba (Ruth) maintains her place at the back, at the fringes of the action, almost too easy to ignore.

 

Ruth’s pain is understandable.  The mother left her baby girl unattended and vulnerable in order to go drinking.  Who knows how many times she had done this before; but nothing bad had ever happened before.  Why was this time different?  Ruth sits on a pile of grain diligently grinding the tiny particles with concentrated movements attempting to destroy them, to form them into something new – something clean.  She is trying to simultaneously take away and yet rectify the events that hurt her daughter.  She keeps the baby’s bed on her back to remind her of the weight she must carry.  It is the weight of a mother’s great responsibility that is tainted by the responsibility for what happened to her child.  Only when she tires or when the sorrow becomes too much to bear does the bed come off her back.  It is an altar of anguish.  The sorrow never leaves her and she can never leave it.

 

Rape is such an ugly word.  Saying the word gives off foulness to the mouth.  Its various conjugations make it an adjective, a noun and a verb – rape victim, the rapist, a rape, to rape.  Rape is forced, intimate violence.  It is Simon’s purpose to make the audience understand and to feel the many ways rape is instigated.  He explains that when a young man cannot complete the sexual act with the prostitute by the time she finishes her three pages, the male procurer will provide a loaf of bread for a few extra cents which the man can use to reach satisfaction.  A loaf of bread – an inanimate object sexualized by acts thrust upon it.  Is this rape?  He tells the story of a broom violently used as punishment against a young boy, Alfred, by his step-mother.  The attack almost kills the boy taking away innocence and leaving only malevolence.  Is this rape? Rape is not simply localized in the way Alfred grows up to rape Ruth’s child. 

 

The stage lights dim transforming the once inviting set into a menacing, frightening and unfamiliar typography drenched in shadows.  The depiction of the rape is conducted symbolically but violently.  The act brings shutters and gasps from the audience. 

 

When the media arrives to cover the story the various reporters sensationalize the brutality burying the economically disadvantaged township in a stigma and stereotype of degeneracy and shame.  Is this rape?  Six men are falsely charged and immediately become hated entities, losing their families, their community, their livelihoods, even while proclaiming their innocence; yet their lives are demanded in retribution.  Is this rape?  The culture coupled with its religious doctrine places the word and authority of man over woman destroying her individuality, her self-worth and her capabilities.  Is this rape?  A baby, whose name is Sissy, is renamed “Tshepang” or “Saviour” without her knowing, understanding or consent which places the weight of redemption for the sins of others on her innocent and unknowing shoulders.  Is this rape?  Simon demonstrates that the line between victim and perpetrator is not definitive. 

 

Ruth shuffles to the front of the stage and utters the name “Tshepang.”  It is soft sound coming from a strained throat that has not spoken in very long.  She says the name again – “Tshepang” – the only word spoken by Ruth the entire play.  She has found her voice; she has found the courage to speak.  Child rape is a constant reality, not an isolated case in some economically disadvantaged township of a far off country.  Baby Tshepang brought out the truth.  Will we allow the truth of child rape to once again be silenced as a consequence of our disinterest?  Will we allow the voices of the weak to be swallowed up by the invidious dishonesty of the strong?  Will we continue to allow tradition, culture, and religion to determine when we can speak and when we are to remain silent?  Will we allow the media to continue to sensationalize in order to gain market profits rather than demand complete, honest, diverse and unbiased reporting?  Will we continue to rape?

- Christina E. Mitchell, Intern