A Richards Bay pastor has caused a stir on social media by posting a video online drawing attention to a ‘demonic’ art display.
In the video clip of just under six minutes in length, Pastor Andrew Anderson shows the display at Grantleigh Curro school, where his children have been educated.
The artworks appear to mock Christianity, by incorporating images of what appear to represent demons as well as clowns (the latter being an apparent depiction of the McDonald’s mascot, Ronald McDonald). Pages of the Bible had also been ripped up and used as material for the pieces.
Pastor Anderson said that he had had very positive experiences with the school and its staff. However, he was upset that this display had been allowed. He said he felt as though he was at the crucifixion, and stated that ‘my God is no clown, my God is God Almighty.’
He called for parents to protest at the school, saying that Christians tended to accept assaults on their faith. Had this been directed at Islam, he said, the response would have been more robust.
He further called on prospective parents not to enrol their children at the school since it allowed ‘things like this’.
Parents, staff and students at the school were reported to be divided over the latter.
Grantleigh Curro bills itself as a Christian school, whose motto is ‘To God be the Glory’. The school has said that an internal investigation is underway.
The identity of the artist has not been made public, but he has reportedly told the Zululand Observer that the message of the project was to ‘[demonstrate] organised religion’s preoccupation with making money and its exploitation of those with blind faith’.
Artistic expression is a perennially contested matter around the world. In South Africa, cartoon depictions of the Muslim prophet Mohammed have caused outcries, as have paintings of political leaders – notably Brett Murray’s 2010 work, The Spear, which showed former president Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed.