Sight for sore eyes
AN ARTIST fears for his life after the defacing of his controversial artwork Perceiving Freedom, a large pair of sunglasses on Sea Point promenade on Monday night.
Michael Elion has since lodged a complaint of intimidation against a Facebook group named Tokolos Stencils and three fellow artists who he named.
Police spokesman Frederick van Wyk said: “A case of intimidation (was) registered yesterday (Monday) and is being investigated by police relating to the sunglass sculpture on the promenade.
“With regard to the vandalism… the artist has indicated that he will lodge an official complaint later today (Tuesday).”
Elion told The Star’s sister newspaper, the Cape Times, yesterday that he felt threatened after reading posts on Facebook, where one of the artists claimed to be sending a street fighter from Joburg to “settle the matter”.
Asked about the “matter”, Elion said: “It’s to do with the widespread criticism of this piece. I feel there has also been a threat to attack me. The most shocking part is that I’m being threatened personally.”
On Monday night, the sunglasses were defaced, with the words “Myopic Art” stencilled on the artwork.
The piece is part of a public art initiative called Art54 and was created by Elion in partnership with Ray-Ban and the City of Cape Town.
The artwork also has a plaque with a picture of Nelson Mandela wearing a pair of dark glasses. It has been criticised for using public art space as a commercial billboard and for being disrespectful to the former president, who damaged his eyes while working in a limestone quarry during his imprisonment on Robben Island. Other phrases sprayed on the frames read: “We broke your hearts”, “Remember Marikana” and “…is murder”.
Elion said he was perturbed about the slogan relating to murder.
“I will be laying further charges relating to the vandalism later today (Tuesday),” he said.
Tokolos Stencils, which admitted responsibility on its website for vandalising the giant sunglasses, has also owned up to “disrupting” colonial and apartheid statues around the city.
A statement from the group reads: “Ray-Ban Madiba speaks to a society that does not see. A tokolos has given the atrocious piece of art some lasik (laser eye surgery for short-sightedness). May we all remove our myopia. Aluta continua!
“Tokolos Stencils intervenes in white supremacist corporatist art. Myopic art leads to and is a reflection of a myopic society. But on the master’s sunglasses, there is always space to broaden our vision so that we can all see the bigger picture.
“Only the tools of interruption and resistance will ever be able to assist the people in dismantling the master’s house.”
Attempts to reach the group via Facebook and its website proved futile yesterday.
Johan van der Merwe, acting mayoral committee member for tourism, events and economic development, said: “The city condemns any vandalism, whether it is damage of city facilities or private property.
“We are committed to creating inclusive spaces and offering a platform for creative expression for artists. The Sea Point promenade is enjoyed by communities from all over our city and is a popular area for creative expression.
“Public art should spark debate and elicit responses from the community, but vandalism flies in the face of this framework.”