Textual Textiles: Gender and Political Parodies in the Work of Lawrence Lemaoana

Abstract

Lawrence Lemaoana is a male artist working with cloth and embroidery, using feminist tactics to interrogate contemporary masculinities. In his exhibition, Fortune Telling in Black, White and Red (2008), he humorously employs floral printed cloth “cutouts” of a dancing Jacob Zuma in such a way as to subvert what he considers an outdated construct of masculinity personified by Zuma and ratified within a patriarchally inclined South Africa. He also uses the historically complex Kanga cloth to create parodies of newspaper headlines and posters. The pithy statements in these works question the propagandistic role of the media in supporting certain mechanisms of power and gender politics in South Africa. The 2008 exhibition coincided with Thabo Mbeki’s recall and the beginning of Zuma’s rise to power, which made it particularly relevant at the time. In the light of recent developments surrounding the controversial status of Zuma, it is contended that the critique of both politics and hegemonic masculinity in these artworks might be more pertinent now than when they were originally exhibited. In this article, it is revealed that Lemaoana’s parodies might function as an insightful commentary on the current political state of South Africa and the sense of masculine entitlement that underpins South African men in positions of power.

Keywords:

• Lawrence Lemaoana
• Jacob Zuma
• Kanga cloths
• traditionalism
• masculinity

Notes

1. Fortune Telling in Black, White and Red was shown at Art Extra, 373 Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall Park, October 8–29, 2008.

2. Kanga cloth is a rectangular cotton fabric, approximately 1.5 × 1 meter, usually brightly colored and printed and worn as a garment in African countries. The particular Kanga cloths utilized by Lemaoana in his artworks are the red, black, and white printed cloths normally worn by sangomas (traditional healers) as markers of their identity in South Africa.

3. There is mention of cloths used by Lemaoana in Buys (2008), Anon (2008), a post on a blog by Laurice Taitz (http://todoinjoburg.co.za/2008/10/artist-lawrence-lemaoana-takes-jacob-zuma/), as well as in the texts on the artist on the websites of Afronova

(http://www.afronova.com/artists/lawrencelemaoana2/) and the Michael Stevenson Gallery (http://archive.stevenson.info/exhibitionsbs/lemaoana/index.htm).

4. Anitra Nettleton (2000, 33–34) notes that the gendering of needlework as female has been imported into Southern Africa by Western European missionaries; whereas in West Africa there is a strong tradition of weaving and needlework which is still dominated by men. In a contemporary South African context, there are a few men who have, like Lemaoana, embraced techniques that were formally associated with women, but they are in a minority. For example, see the catalogue which accompanied the eponymous exhibition titled Pointure (2012) that was curated by Ann-Marie Tully and Jennifer Kopping. The exhibition included stitched and woven works by both male and female contemporary artists; however, the works by women far exceeded the contributions by male artists.

5. Brenda Schmahmann has discussed these issues in relation to the community embroidery projects in Southern Africa, particularly the Mapula Embroidery Project and the Keiskamma Art Project. See, for example, Schmahmann (2007, 2010, 2011, 2013).

6. For further discussion of masculinity in Lemaoana’s works, see von Veh (2013).

7. Metrosexual is a term that is derived from metropolitan and heterosexual and was originally coined by the British journalist Mark Simpson in an article published in The Independent in 1994. It is often applied to flamboyant, somewhat narcissistic young urban men, and the term became more familiar after Simpson described David Beckham as a metrosexual icon in an article published in Salon.com in 2002. As Simpson (2002) explains: “The typical metrosexual is a young man with money to spend, living in or within easy reach of a metropolis – because that's where all the best shops, clubs, gyms and hairdressers are. He might be officially gay, straight or bisexual, but this is utterly immaterial because he has clearly taken himself as his own love object and pleasure as his sexual preference.”

8. “Hegemonic masculinity” is seen to exist in an arena of wealth and power, where men are able to “legitimate and reproduce the social relationships that generate their dominance” (Carrigan, Connell, and Lee 2002, 112). Connell and Messerschmidt (2005) explain that hegemonic masculinity is demonstrated and perpetuated through institutions (like government and church) as well as through cultural practices and persuasion.

9. See http://www.parent24.com/Teen_13-18/Fun/so-who-are-zumas-22-children-20151122. Accessed October 30, 2016.

10. PACSA stands for ‘Pietermaritzburg Agency for Community Social Action’ and is one of two NGOs closely involved in gender transformation work, the other being the Sonke Gender Justice Network. PACSA’s Gender Desk, formed in 1996, established a Men and Gender Project in 2005, having recognized that gender injustice is best addressed by working with both men and women. Sonke, formed in 2006, works widely with many partners in Africa and South Africa to prevent domestic and sexual violence, reduce the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS, and promote gender equality and human rights (Gennrich 2013, iv). This article by Lindani Hadebe is based on his masters in theology dissertation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, in 2010. Hadebe’s interviewees were Zulu men ranging from 21 to 50 years old living in the peri-urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal. Their identity makes this study particularly relevant for a consideration of the type of masculinity espoused by Jacob Zuma, who is Zulu and was also raised outside the main urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal.

11. Zuma tended cattle and goats as a child and was illiterate until he went to prison as part of the struggle against apartheid (SAHO 2011 [O]).

12. In the light of Zuma’s popularity due to his stance on traditional culture, consider, for example, the trajectory of his career. He went from his election as president, despite many difficulties he was facing which included charges of corruption (which were never disproved), to his re-election for a second term to the presidency after the ANC won the general elections in 2014, largely due to political support from those living in the rural areas of South Africa.

13. Mhkwanazi (2008) points out, however, that his statements did not go uncontested: “Many people, some of whom identified themselves as Zulu, challenged the idea that Zulu culture dictates that an aroused woman needs to be sexually satisfied. They draw attention to the idea that culture is not static nor is it homogenous. In other words, that what is defined as Zulu culture constantly changes and that there are multiple understandings of what constitutes Zulu culture which are themselves contested.”

14. The roles and rights of women within marriage in traditional or rural societies are also implicated in the spread of AIDS amongst many married and monogamous women, and are responsible for their specific vulnerability to the disease. Schmahmann (2010, 39) explains that unequal power relations result in women being unable to refuse sex or enforce the use of condoms, even if they suspect that their husbands may be HIV positive. The reasons for this are complex and include the problem of men who work in large cities and only come home erratically to their wives, often with the hope of fathering more children. Also, a husband may interpret the request of a condom by their wife as proof of her infidelity and possible HIV status. Wives are therefore afraid to make such a request because of the real threat of retribution. These and many other aspects of traditional life relating to gender inequalities that have impacted on this problem are discussed by Schmahmann (2010) in her article.

15. An extreme example of this lack of tolerance can be found in Uganda, when a bill was proposed in parliament in 2010 to impose the death penalty for homosexual acts. Instead of condemning this suggestion, President Jacob Zuma sent an “acknowledged homophobe,” Jon Qwelane, to Uganda as South Africa’s ambassador. As was noted in a post by M. Jones on the Change.org blog in a post on January 19, 2010, Zuma’s actions in this instance suggest “a tacit endorsement of the repressive stance Uganda is taking on homosexuality”. http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/how_south_africa_might_endorse_ugandas_anti-homosexuality_bill (accessed January 20, 2010).

16. See http://buzzsouthafrica.com/top-7-ancs-disturbing-quotes-deputy-jesus-suffers-congress-hangover/ (accessed April 27, 2017), for example.

17. The blue checked pattern used as the substrate for this image is comprised of a cloth called Salempore, or Palu. According to Simmons in a personal communication to me (February 25, 2017) this is one of the oldest cloths used in healing ceremonies by sangomas and has an aura of prestige due to it being relatively expensive to buy (unlike the Kanga cloths discussed in this article.)

18. Toyi-toyi is defined in the Macmillan dictionary as: “a high-stepping dance, usually performed at protests and political meetings in South Africa.” http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/toyi-toyi_1

19. Fiona Simmons, email correspondence to author, August 28, 2016.

20. Fiona Simmons, email correspondence to author, August 28, 2016. These cloths are sold all over South Africa today, but they were developed in Eastern Mpumalanga and Swaziland. The reason that they have disseminated all over the country is because so many initiates came to this particular region to train as sangomas. Simmons explains that one of her sangoma informants, Ngwazi, alone trained over 3000 initiates in her career, from all over the country. These students then perpetuated the aesthetics they were taught relating to cloth when they later taught other initiates (Simmons, 2016 [sp]).

21. Fiona Simmons, email correspondence to author, August 28, 2016.

22. Lawrence Lemaoana, email message to author, May 18, 2010.

23. Alfredo Mirande (2001, 46–49) explains that macho is usually identified in a negative way as “exaggerated masculinity” that demonstrates authoritarian or aggressive behavior, although positive connotations of courage, honor and integrity (as identified often in sporting heroes) can be identified as the other side of the macho coin.

24. An image of this work can be found on the Afronova website in the lower left hand corner of the page on Lawrence Lemaoana (http://www.afronova.com/artists/lawrence-lemaoana-2/). It can also be found on the Michael Stevenson Gallery website, http://archive.stevenson.info/exhibitionsbs/lemaoana/index.htm.

25. Reproductions of Power to the People and a Tale of Three Jacobs, two works parodying newspaper headlines, can be located on the Michael Stevenson Gallery website, http://archive.stevenson.info/exhibitionsbs/lemaoana/index.htm.

26. This image can be found on the Michael Stevenson Gallery website, http://archive.stevenson.info/exhibitionsbs/lemaoana/index.htm.

27. Ndumba is a round architectural space used as a shrine house for the Nguni or Amandawe Amadloti. This area is used as a sacred space, and for divination, and has precedent as a burial chamber.

28. Because the Njeti cloth is usually used in private ceremonies, mostly within the Emandzawe Ndumba, the cloth is not seen in public as often as the Kanga cloth, which is worn publicly by most sangomas (Simmons 2008, 90).

29. The amalgamation of the Emandzawe healing tradition into our own (South African Nguni) is rooted, according to oral history, somewhere in the mid-1800s. The psychological impact of increased foreign intervention along the east coast of Mozambique in the mid-1800s, resulted in a proliferation of interest in the Emandzawe cult, originating in the Ndau people of Northern Mozambique and Zimbabwe, which were assimilated into the local healing tradition (Simmons 2008, 61).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Karen von Veh

Karen von Veh is associate professor of art history and head of the Visual Art Department at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

[email protected]