Mandela lithographs

In 2003 Nelson Mandela attended the launch of his lithographs on Robben Island. Over 200 people attended and a dinner was hosted in the former games room of the prison. Guests were invited to view the Mandela lithographs on Robben Island, which had once been home to those who spoke out against apartheid. 

During the event Gallery Director Anna Hunter spoke about the Mandela lithographs and how well they had been received around the world, and Nelson Mandela also spoke about his art including the Hand of Africa and all of the Nelson Mandela Art he had created. Here is his speech from that evening:

“I was born in the Eastern Cape. It is a very beautiful part of our land. It is rich in vegetation and in folklore.

As a small child I stood on the outer edges of the evening campfire on more nights than I can remember. I listened many times to the stories of the tribal elders. There would be long silences in between. They spoke of our ancestors. They spoke of a land of plenty, of fat cattle and of grain in abundance. They also spoke of hardship and drought. They spoke of wars and poverty that wars cause. Many of these wars were started by those who felt greed and the need to enrich themselves. Some simply started wars because madness has touched them. 

As I listened to them, images of colour were conjured up in my mind.

As I looked up into the clear, crisp, night sky I saw millions of stars. I wondered how they shone. I did not know that the largest of them all was simply reflecting the light of the closest star. As the moon moved across the dark sky, it changed colour from silver to a bright red as it reached the horizon. It was a beautiful sight.

As a young shepherd, I looked after cattle and sheep. There was time to reflect and to enjoy colour. I watched in wonder at the sight of the rainbow. I understood little of how a tiny raindrop could reflect such a beautiful range of colours. I experienced the very rich colours of nature through the four seasons.

I travelled through the rich countryside of the Eastern Cape between different villages and towns and enjoyed the rich tapestry of colour that is so special in that area of South Africa. I return to it whenever I can. Sadly, it is not as often as I would like to return. I am not being allowed to retire.

Some of you may remember that I left the countryside to retain my bachelorhood.

The experience of my young adulthood in the big city was very different. Colour was no longer the natural colour of the countryside. The colour of the city was robust, vibrant and explosive. It was very different to that colour that I experienced in the gently countryside. I loved this new experience. 

Then came the wasted prison years. A great hood descended over my eyes. Grey became a primary and paramount colour. The paint on the interior walls and the gates and the cell doors were grey. The outside walls had grey slate. The watchtowers were grey. Even the roads which we built with a mixture of lime and crushed seashells were grey in colour. White appeared as a relief.

The prison clothing was a dull khaki. Even the prison guards wore khaki. Even Table Mountain, a symbol of freedom for us, was grey in the distance. Exposure to the other colours was limited and very brief.

For a little while, at Pollsmoor prison, I was allowed to grow vegetables. When tomatoes turn red from their early green, it became a special colour in a grey environment. It was the same rich experience when I saw my first banana in 20 years. It was yellow in colour.

Twenty seven long years it took with an occasional glimpse of the vibrancy of colour which enriches the lives of all normal sighted persons. It makes it especially poignant for those who have limited vision or no vision at all.

Then came freedom and the lifting of the dark hood from my eyes. It was not merely the miracle of freedom but it was the miracle which I experienced of a person who had regained the power of sight. I could not get enough of looking at, feeling, touching and experiencing this new recovery of the experience of colour.

When it came to recreating visions of Robben Island, I needed to share this rich experience of colour which to me has a very special meaning. 

When I initially did the sketches in black chalk, the images looked quite bleak.

I then thought that it should be a celebration and introduced the bright and cheery colours which I understand has become a new art form and I hope that it will give you as much pleasure as I have had in creating these images.

I thank you.

Nelson Mandela, 7^th February 2002

Robben Island

Launch of Mandela lithographs, Mandela Hand Print and Nelson Mandela Art