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Catalog Data

Maker:
Rudzani Nemasetoni, born 1962, South Africa  Search this
Medium:
Etching on paper
Dimensions:
H x W: 25.8 x 28.0 cm (10 3/16 x 11 in.)
Type:
Print
Geography:
South Africa
Date:
1995
Series:
5/25
Label Text:
"Apartheid Scrolls, pages 2-3 (Bantu Authorities Tax)" was inspired by Nemasetoni's father's passbook, the official identification document that black South Africans had to carry. It was used to restrict their movement within the country, particularly in urban areas where they were allowed to work but not reside. Nemasetoni saw the irony of the passbook, which had beautifully decorated pages but was used for the ugliest of purposes. Its transformation from an object that was witness to the injustice of the apartheid system to artworks underscored the absurdity of ideologies and social systems based on the differences of race, religion, gender and culture.
Description:
Etching on paper of a worn and tattered passbook.
Exhibition History:
Body of Evidence-Rotation 1, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., June 14-October 15, 2006
Published References:
Kreamer, Christine, Mary Nooter Roberts, Elizabeth Harney and Allyson Purpura. 2007. Inscribing Meaning: Writing and Graphic Systems in African Art. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution; Milan: 5 Continents Editions, p. 219, no. 18.20.
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests:
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
Credit Line:
Museum purchase
Object number:
95-13-1
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
Copyright:
© 1995 Rudzani Nemasetoni
See more items in:
National Museum of African Art Collection
Data Source:
National Museum of African Art
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7d94befaf-966f-4dfd-b187-6b011c2c5ddc
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmafa_95-13-1