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Artists celebrate Mandela with paintings

Published:Friday | July 19, 2013 | 12:00 AM
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A child passes a container bearing a portrait of former president Nelson Mandela, set up to collect books for underprivileged children, at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa, yesterday.
Well-wishers carry a large banner of Nelson Mandela as they march up and down outside the gates of the Mediclinic Heart Hospital where former South African President Nelson Mandela is being treated in Pretoria, South Africa, yesterday. South Africa celebrated Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday on Thursday. - AP
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JOHANNESBURG (AP):

With giant portraits of Nelson Mandela and colourful posters, South African artists celebrated the 95th birthday Thursday of the anti-apartheid leader, who remains hospitalised although his condition has improved.

The "father of the nation" has inspired many artists to create works to commemorate the Nelson Mandela International Day, a day declared by the United Nations as a way to recognise the Nobel Prize winner's contribution to reconciliation.

Paintings and posters depicting Mandela have sprung up around Johannesburg in tribute to the life of the ailing icon, some on a very large scale.

Adams and Paul Blomkamp created two of the biggest Mandela paintings in tribute to the iconic leader for his years of public service to his community. They say their paintings reflect the scale of Mandela's global contributions and the exceptional energy of the anti-apartheid leader.

Artist John Adams said his portrait of Mandela - at 4.8 x 4.5 meters (16 x 15 feet) - is the largest that exists of the anti-apartheid leader. The 38-year-old, who painted the portrait at his childhood home in the Johannesburg suburb of Bosmont, said Mandela inspired him as a young artist.

"The moment he was released, schools were opened to everybody," said Adams, who is of mixed race and got new educational opportunities with the end of apartheid. "It was momentous to me because the extra bit of education really impacted my life dramatically ... I started really understanding what art is and the degrees to which you can really extend and improve yourself as an individual."

Adams' painting features Mandela waving with the African continent in the palm of his hand, as people in the background cheer the former president's contributions. It will also include some of Mandela's famous words.

The painting will be exhibited at Johannesburg's concert arena, the Coca-Cola Dome, from July 24 to 27, and then will be auctioned to raise funds for South African charities for abused children, the Teddy Bear Clinic and Sunlight Safe House.