Presidential Penis Portrait Riles South Africa's National Congress

South Africa's ruling African National Congress threatened to take legal action against a Johannesburg gallery for displaying art which lampoons President Jacob Zuma and accuses the party of corruption.

The African National Congress wants the Goodman Gallery to remove a painting of Zuma called "The Spear", which depicts the president with his genitals exposed, and another work that has a "For Sale" sign superimposed over the party logo.

The picture of Zuma is a facsimile of a famous poster of communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin. In the red, black and yellow drawing, the president is depicted as striking Lenin's heroic stance, except his genitals hang outside of his trousers.

The works are part of a collection called "Hail to the Thief" and are meant to question whether the century-old African National Congress has lost its moral compass.

"I think they [The African National Congress] are angry about defamation, in particular. I think it's related specifically to the president's [Jacob Zuma] image, to how he's portrayed to the public," gallery spokesperson Lara Koseff told Reuters.

The gallery has refused to remove the portrait, or any of the artist's works, and Koseff said the artist was within his rights to express himself.

"The gallery doesn't feel that we are defaming the president in any way, in fact we feel that artist has every right to present this image in this space and we are going to support him."

Anton Harber, chairman of the Freedom of Expression Institute, said the African National Congress's demands were absurd.

"I think like a lot of good art it's provocative, it is meant to get us thinking and talking about very pertinent issues. Issues of corruption, nepotism and these are serious things and the artist is clearly being brave and provocative around it," said Director of Freedom of Expression Institute Anton Harber.

"I can see that some of the pictures might make people uncomfortable but art is not there always to make one feel comfortable."

Since coming into office in 2009, Zuma has been widely regarded as unimpressive on the policy front, while making headlines with his colorful personal life. The president has been married six times and fathered 21 children. He faces a race for re-election as the party leader at the end of this year.

The Spear by well-known anti-apartheid artist Brett Murray has already been sold for R136,000 (16,000 U.S. dollars) to a German citizen.

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[pencilbuck]

Now the ANC calls this racist.. read the constitution, section 16/1c. You Sirs are the Racist.

[BenBezpark]

I don't get what the big deal is? With the number of wives he has half of South Africa has seen it anyway? My god this is why these paintings are made, to make Zuma cry in his cot. FUCK OFF AND DIE YOU RAPIST

[mzberri1000]

the fact that some idiot went and ruined the picture - only reveals more about how we as a country really are. it made it worse. now the world and the country sees that a controversial picture, was blind sided, destroyed, and ignored. zuma was treated like a child by destroying the picture, shoved a sweet in his mouth so that he would shut up. this painting is remarkable and only has an even better story now that someone tried to hide the truth.

[mzberri1000]

in all respect to the children as well as father.. i would have enough of a back bone to stand up and acknowledge what has happened - not sit around saying its okay because he is my father. yes - he has a fathered 21 children. he was also accused of raping a young woman. who is ironically someones daughter, sister, loved one.

[zeferino antonio]

that painting is a beauty of a master,politicians stay away from art

[Khutjo Kganyago]

Maybe u will stnad by and watch as one of our leaders is degraded, but i wont and so are many other black south African youth who refuses to let this go on. What if that was your father, would you just sit at home watch tv and smile about this?



[Thokozile Sithole]

i guess you meant you will fight not we????

[wapitiization]

ANC is party of stupid people. They don't want to look at the reality in their faces about Zuma. A man without manners. Oh my! Where is the wise Mandela?

[wapitiization]

It’s known that Zuma was one of the accomplices in the cheating of the elections made in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Zuma deserves an impeachment. Everybody, including this artist, is free to express his own opinions; otherwise, the ANC which is trying to defend Zuma in this case would look like a dictatorial and an amoral party where leaders like Zuma seem to be allowed in sleeping with 100,000 women and having 600,000 children to be feed by the South African tax payers’ money!

[wapitiization]

When we then saw wise people like Mandela running South Africa, and now we fall down with no manners people like Zuma, we can keep asking ourselves about the destiny of South Africa. Jacob Zuma is the shame of Africa. He is involved in all corruption cases in his country. He also is, with Joseph Kabila, one of the masterminds in the looting of minerals of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

[a9zbv]

Hahahaha!!!!........spear?  Wiener!!

[fedupwitumboth]

What a joke this man is! And ppl continue to support him why?? Because he's black?