HALF ART
CHRIS THURMAN: Dialogue between works sets unmarked beauty against preoccupation with history
In recent months, I have encountered a fatalistic but nonetheless persuasive view about our national quagmire. It holds as follows: President Jacob Zuma and his cabal haven’t "broken" SA; instead, the Zuma presidency can be seen simply as a continuation — an inevitable consequence — of four centuries of brutality and venality that have served to define our country. No free and true and good thing, according to this logic, can be identified in the South African story. Natural beauty? A daily reminder of displacement from the land. Our cities, our industries? Built on the backs of exploited labourers. Our revolutionaries who fought against oppression? Either unsuccessful in their lifetimes (struggle martyrs), tainted by messy political compromise (Nelson Mandela) or utterly corrupted by power (almost everyone else).There is, of course, a more hopeful counternarrative. According to this interpretation, we are a plucky little country, still a postapartheid fledgling really, holding out ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.