Face
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Date
Authors
Coetzee, Christo
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of the University of Pretoria Art
Abstract
Description
This partial painting of a face was part of the 1978 protest exhibition at the Association of Arts in Pretoria. This
painting was used by Coetzee as a backboard for another painting titled Bridesmaid. It is commonly known that Coetzee
presented three such exhibitions, of which the 1978 exhibition was the last. He took exception to the idea that the
public and art critics appreciated and valued art only for its beauty, as opposed to the quality of the artwork. In protest,
he physically painted them all black, and similarly handed out black bags for the audience to wear. When asked why he
had 'destroyed' the artworks, the reply was that the painting is still there, just not visible and likewise that the beauty
of the artwork should be the focus of the exhibition and not the audience.
Keywords
Painting