This article presents an interpretation of the nun-like figures in Ian Marley and Wessie van der
Westhuizen’s artist’s book Nunology. The nun-like figures, all with names that suggest puns of some
sort, comprise the cast of characters in this book. We interpret aspects of the characterisation of the
character Ranunsel, and also reference the characters Nunguni and Mununtant as examples of a
whole array of these characters that appear in the book. The article makes use of an interdisciplinary
approach in which the narratological concepts of character and characterisation are applied towards
a visual narratology, which is a branch of postclassical narratology. The theoretical exposition of
character and characterisation is presented both with reference to their literary narratological
definitions, which are expanded into possible visual application. This is followed by an interpretative
section where the concepts are applied to the selected nun-figures or characters. Identity through
character narration and portraits as a facet of character guide the discussion, as does the notion
of a mental representation both of character and of storyworld. This article contributes towards
the expansion of visual narratology, and also towards the scholarship pertaining to the practice-led
research project Reflective Conversations of which Nunology formed part.
Hierdie artikel bied ‘n interpretasie van die non-agtige figure in Ian Marley en Wessie van der Westhuizen
se kunstenaarsboek Nunology. Die non-agtige figure het almal name wat ‘n tipe woordspel aandoen,
en wat elk ‘n hoofkarakter van hierdie boek uitmaak. Ons interpreteer aspekte van karakterisering
in van die karakter Ranunsel, en verwys ter toeligting ook na Nunguni en Mununtant as voorbeelde
van ‘n hele rits karakters wat in die boek verskyn. Die artikel het ‘n interdissplinêre benadering
waarin die narratologiese konsepte van karakter en karakterisering aangewend word in die konteks
van ‘n visuele narratologie, wat op sy beurt deel uitmaak van die breër postklassieke narratologie.
Die teoretiese uiteensetting van karakter en karakterisering word aangebied in die letterkundige
narratologiese definisie daarvan, en verder uitgebrei na visuele toepassingsmoontlikhede. Hierna
volg ‘n interpretasiegedeelte waar die konsepte van toepassing gemaak word op die geselekteerde
non-agtige figure of karakters. Identiteit en karaktervertelling sowel as portretkuns as karakterfaset
rig die bespreking, terwyl die idee dat die leser ‘n beeld deur die geestesoog konstrueer van die
karakter en haar storiewêreld ook inspeel op die interpretasie. Die artikel dra by tot die uitbreiding van
visuele narratologie, sowel as tot navorsing met betrekking tot die praktykgeleide navorsingsprojek
Weerspieëlings en weerklanke waarvan Nunology deel uitgemaak het.
