Posted on 05/20/2012 10:34:08 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
OHANNESBURG — A portrait of President Jacob Zuma posing as Lenin with his genitals hanging out has sparked outrage in South Africa, but the gallery on Friday refused demands from the ruling ANC to take it down.
Zuma's African National Congress has demanded that the private gallery in Johannesburg withdraw the "distasteful and vulgar" portrait by satirical artist Brett Murray.
But the gallery won't budge.
"They (the ANC) feel its so-called depiction of our president has been defamation towards his character. Our lawyers have written back to them saying we will not remove the painting," Goodman Gallery spokeswoman Lara Koseff told AFP.
The red-yellow and black painting entitled "The Spear" depicts Zuma mimicking a pose by Vladimir Lenin in a Soviet era propaganda poster, but with his penis exposed.
The polygamous president generated national debate when he married his fourth current wife last month. He has 21 children, including several out of wedlock.
Zuma's office on Friday said it was "shocked and disgusted at the grotesque" piece of art.
"We are amazed at the crude and offensive manner in which this artist denigrates the person and the office of the president of the Republic of South Africa," Zuma's office said in a statement.
It said Zuma was an architect of the freedom of expression enshrined in the country's laws but that such rights were "not absolute."
"Nobody has the right to violate the dignity and rights of others while exercising their own," the statement added.
The ANC also said it was "extremely disturbed and outraged by the distasteful and indecent manner in which Brett Murray and the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg is displaying the person of comrade President Jacob Zuma".
It vowed to go to the courts for an order to censor the painting.
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How about the Crucifix in a jar of urine or the Madonna painting with Elephant sh*t all over it?
Mmmm. . . Sorry. That's not possible.
Theres going to be a run on gasoline & used tires very shortly - they had best watch their collective step
“How about the Crucifix in a jar of urine or the Madonna painting with Elephant sh*t all over it?”
Why, the artists should receive huge grants; and the works should be made permanent displays in national museums. /leftist raving
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