Yakhal'inkomo - Black Man's Cry

Some of my readers might remember my previous article on a painting called, "The Spear of Nation". In it I talk about the immature reaction from the ruling ANC party and its leadership to The Spear of the Nation. I also explain how the incident was blown out of proportion and how an artist by the name Ayanda Mabula had already painted Zuma in the nude before Brett Murray.

Well it seems Ayanda Mabula is grabbing the head lines this time. A new painting of Jacob Zuma that was on display at the First National Bank Artfair.... has been pulled as it may offend ANC leadership.

(Before I go onto the topic of the painting I just would quickly like to address First National Bank here. Stop being cowards. This is not the first time that FNB has has cowered to the ANC but hopefully it will be the last. )

It seems whomever pulled the painting from public display has never heard of the Streisand effect. To show the world what FNB and Zuma are hiding here is, Yakhal'inkomo - Black Man's Cry.

Yakhal'inkomo - Black Man's Cry

The artwork as explained by the Sunday Times:

The work, by artist Ayanda Mabulu titled Yakhal'inkomo - Black Man's Cry, was themed around the Marikana shootings in August last year.
The painting reportedly depicted a kneeling miner with horns on his head, metaphorically representing a dying bull.
He was being attacked by Zuma's dog, reportedly signifying the police. Zuma, who was dressed in a suit, stepped on another dying miner's head.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles were also depicted, laughing at the spectacle. They were hosted by ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa.
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema was also depicted in his red beret, shocked by what he saw.
The dying miners were being killed by a matador who used the South African flag instead of a red cape to lure the miners to his sword.

I personally think Ayanda has outdone himself and this is an amazing, thought provoking art piece. I could understand how the ANC leadership could find the painting offensive but at the end of the day, they stand in public office and nothing they do is above criticism.