RESISTANCE ART (QUESTION 4) segregation (now called apartheid)
became official policy.
1976 - 1993
Read Grade 12 Textbook, pg. 109 – 121.
RESISTANCE ART: A form of art that
emerged in South Africa in the mid-1970s
after the Soweto uprising that focused on
resisting apartheid and celebrating
African strength and unity.
ART AS SOCIAL PROTEST
Many laws were passed to enforce the
Art is a powerful means to critise unjust policy of separate development of the
political systems. Art has the important races, such as the Prohibition of mixed
function as social protest marriages Act, Group Areas Act, Bantu
• to make people aware of the Education Act, etc. Black people had to
injustices in society. carry a pass book at all times.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
(SA prior to 1976)
Most South African
art before 1976 was
non-political and
consisted of mainly
white artists.
Artists painted and
This led to political instability, protest
sculpted
and…
landscapes, still-
lives, figure studies
By 1960 there were strong anti-pass
and abstract works
campaigns. This led to the Sharpeville
mainly following
massacre in 21 March 1960 where the
European
people from the Sharpeville Township (in
tendencies.
Vereeniging) took to the streets in a
protest against the pass laws - 69 were
What was Apartheid?
killed and 178 were wounded as the
police opened fire on a group of people
In 1948 the National Party under D.F.
peacefully protesting oppressive laws.
Malan came to power and racial
, apartheid could no longer be defeated
peacefully. In 1963 he and others were
charged at the Rivonia trial and Mandela
was sent to Robben Island.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
(SA after 1976)
1970’s was a period of great civil unrest in
South Africa.
• The 1976 Soweto uprisings
• and the brutal deaths of two
heroic anti-apartheid struggle
icons: Steve Biko (anti-apartheid
activist) AND Chris Hani
(Secretary-General of the SA
Communist Party)
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/soweto-riots-the-day- - brought about a turning point in
our-children-lost-faith/rgXRWni4ZpOiLA
attitude towards politics.
The carnage made world headlines. Today
we remember this tragic event and
the importance of the right to life and
dignity on Human Rights Day (21 March).
The ANC and PAC were banned by the
South African government after the
Sharpeville incident. The international
community condemned the Sharpeville
incident and SA became very much
isolated as many overseas countries
started boycotting SA. Nelson Mandela
adopted the armed struggle feeling that
,What was the Soweto Uprising? The Soweto uprising marked the
beginning of social change in South
The Soweto uprising was a massive Africa.
protest led by school children in the
streets of Soweto protesting the law that The art AFTER THE 1976 SOWETO-RIOTS
enforced them to be taught only in are called RESISTANCE ART in its
Afrikaans from the 7th Grade. It was also resistance against apartheid.
a protest against Bantu education.
Resistance Art had the important
• The police opened fire killing function as social protest to critise
hundreds of students. unjust political systems and make people
• Hector Pieterson, a young boy aware of the injustices in society.
was shot and killed.
• A news photograph by Sam Nzima
of the mortally wounded How did the socio-political events in SA
Pieterson being carried by during apartheid affect the artists?
another Soweto resident while his
sister ran next to them was • In the 1960’s any artwork that
published around the world. questioned the existing social and
political order was censored
which resulted in the closure of
exhibitions and performances
limiting the artists freedom of
speech.
• The apartheid regime led to SA’s
cultural isolation, so artists
worked in isolation (no
participation in international
exhibitions).
• In the 70’s and 80’s, artists
became more aware of the
concept of human rights.
• Artists took a unified stance in
The anniversary of protest actively contributing
Hector Pieterson’s towards social awareness and
death is designated social freedom.
Youth Day, when • Artists began using their works to
South Africans make public political statements
honour young people regarding the political situation in
and bring attention South Africa.
to their need.
, • Challenging symbols were used &
art forms like grafitti, murals,
t-shirts, banners, posters (that
were public) became popular as
terms of cultural protest.
• Political messages in these art
forms were confrontational and
focused on the realities of life in a
segregated South Africa
ECC, Troops out of the township poster,
Silkscreened in black and red.
Cape Youth Congress (CAYCO), June 16:
Viva the Youth, c 1986.
Silkscreen poster produced and printed at
CAP, Cape Town. Artist(s) unknown.
became official policy.
1976 - 1993
Read Grade 12 Textbook, pg. 109 – 121.
RESISTANCE ART: A form of art that
emerged in South Africa in the mid-1970s
after the Soweto uprising that focused on
resisting apartheid and celebrating
African strength and unity.
ART AS SOCIAL PROTEST
Many laws were passed to enforce the
Art is a powerful means to critise unjust policy of separate development of the
political systems. Art has the important races, such as the Prohibition of mixed
function as social protest marriages Act, Group Areas Act, Bantu
• to make people aware of the Education Act, etc. Black people had to
injustices in society. carry a pass book at all times.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
(SA prior to 1976)
Most South African
art before 1976 was
non-political and
consisted of mainly
white artists.
Artists painted and
This led to political instability, protest
sculpted
and…
landscapes, still-
lives, figure studies
By 1960 there were strong anti-pass
and abstract works
campaigns. This led to the Sharpeville
mainly following
massacre in 21 March 1960 where the
European
people from the Sharpeville Township (in
tendencies.
Vereeniging) took to the streets in a
protest against the pass laws - 69 were
What was Apartheid?
killed and 178 were wounded as the
police opened fire on a group of people
In 1948 the National Party under D.F.
peacefully protesting oppressive laws.
Malan came to power and racial
, apartheid could no longer be defeated
peacefully. In 1963 he and others were
charged at the Rivonia trial and Mandela
was sent to Robben Island.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
(SA after 1976)
1970’s was a period of great civil unrest in
South Africa.
• The 1976 Soweto uprisings
• and the brutal deaths of two
heroic anti-apartheid struggle
icons: Steve Biko (anti-apartheid
activist) AND Chris Hani
(Secretary-General of the SA
Communist Party)
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/soweto-riots-the-day- - brought about a turning point in
our-children-lost-faith/rgXRWni4ZpOiLA
attitude towards politics.
The carnage made world headlines. Today
we remember this tragic event and
the importance of the right to life and
dignity on Human Rights Day (21 March).
The ANC and PAC were banned by the
South African government after the
Sharpeville incident. The international
community condemned the Sharpeville
incident and SA became very much
isolated as many overseas countries
started boycotting SA. Nelson Mandela
adopted the armed struggle feeling that
,What was the Soweto Uprising? The Soweto uprising marked the
beginning of social change in South
The Soweto uprising was a massive Africa.
protest led by school children in the
streets of Soweto protesting the law that The art AFTER THE 1976 SOWETO-RIOTS
enforced them to be taught only in are called RESISTANCE ART in its
Afrikaans from the 7th Grade. It was also resistance against apartheid.
a protest against Bantu education.
Resistance Art had the important
• The police opened fire killing function as social protest to critise
hundreds of students. unjust political systems and make people
• Hector Pieterson, a young boy aware of the injustices in society.
was shot and killed.
• A news photograph by Sam Nzima
of the mortally wounded How did the socio-political events in SA
Pieterson being carried by during apartheid affect the artists?
another Soweto resident while his
sister ran next to them was • In the 1960’s any artwork that
published around the world. questioned the existing social and
political order was censored
which resulted in the closure of
exhibitions and performances
limiting the artists freedom of
speech.
• The apartheid regime led to SA’s
cultural isolation, so artists
worked in isolation (no
participation in international
exhibitions).
• In the 70’s and 80’s, artists
became more aware of the
concept of human rights.
• Artists took a unified stance in
The anniversary of protest actively contributing
Hector Pieterson’s towards social awareness and
death is designated social freedom.
Youth Day, when • Artists began using their works to
South Africans make public political statements
honour young people regarding the political situation in
and bring attention South Africa.
to their need.
, • Challenging symbols were used &
art forms like grafitti, murals,
t-shirts, banners, posters (that
were public) became popular as
terms of cultural protest.
• Political messages in these art
forms were confrontational and
focused on the realities of life in a
segregated South Africa
ECC, Troops out of the township poster,
Silkscreened in black and red.
Cape Youth Congress (CAYCO), June 16:
Viva the Youth, c 1986.
Silkscreen poster produced and printed at
CAP, Cape Town. Artist(s) unknown.
