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The Damaso artwork demonstrates the Mandela autopsy under guidance
of Nkosi Johnson (famous deceased AIDS orphan) with political figures Thabo
Mbeki, Helen Zille, Trevor Manuel, Jacob Zuma, FW de Klerk, Desmond Tutu
and Cyril Ramaphosa paying close attention. Damaso claims that he has
received complaints from Mandela family and friends accusing the artwork of
being insensitive and in bad taste, considering that the family is still in
mourning of another family member who had recently passed away. 21 At first
glance, one may also be disgusted by the idea of portraying a living political
groundbreaker as a cadaver but this artwork, similar to the Victor etchings,
requires deeper thought and interpretation.
Damaso told the BBC that the painting conveys the massage that
Mandela’s inevitable death is a reality which people worldwide will have to
21 CBCNews (2010) ‘Artist’s Mandela autopsy painting draws ire’ http://
www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/story/2010/07/12/mandela-autopsy-painting.html
(accessed 19 November 2010).