The first intellectual/cerebral’ portrait 'REBIRTH', did not completely satisfy my need to portray the complexity of MAN (dela). Subsequently I felt an urge to conceive and portray, yet another aspect of him: ‘the emotional’ portrait titled: ‘GOD BLESS MADIBA’.
Everyone expressed concern regarding the safety and well being of beloved ‘Madiba’ and I cringed whenever I observed the increasing discomfort he experienced when he climbed steps, walked or got up from his seat.
Not being blind to the fact that the world is filled with fanatics I could not help but entertain the fear that he could ‘disappear’ or be 'removed' from our presence, as magically as he had appeared!
His eyes were also cause for concern and on top of that, we respected his seniority.
27 Years took a great chunk out of his life!
All of these issues compacted and crystallized into ONE deep emotion: CARE. We cared enough to want to protect him at all times, against all foes. Who could do this best?
We humbly ask God to protect this MAN from harm and to bless him……… hence:
'GOD BLESS MADIBA’.
Because the name ‘Madiba’ is used in a very loving way and we use our hands to caress and protect the vulnerable, I conceived the imagery of ‘GOD BLESS MADIBA’ as follows: Madiba is surrounded and ‘protected’ by two giant cupped hands. The artwork is executed in colored pencil, a very gentle and translucent medium if applied sensitively.
My subject usually dictates the medium in which it would like to manifest and this is a perfect example of my honest response. I virtually ‘caresses’ the paper when I apply the pencil strokes, the delicate movements of my hand hardly visible as I take care not to ‘disturb’ my subject.
When I us this medium, the white paper which is left untouched, becomes as important as the parts that are. This technique was used to great advantage to suggest some shimmering light or ‘halo’ surrounding him, by simply leaving the area directly around his head, untouched. ‘GOD BLESS MADIBA’ is saturated with light and charged with emotion.
Provenance
2014 Pretoria Art Museum
2013 November 5, Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria
1994 October United Nations Headquarters New York USA.
- Subject Matter: portrait
- Collections: MANDELA