JOURNAL ARTICLE

Natural Mythology and Cultural Imagination: Three Portraits of Bessie Head.

  • Published In: English in Africa, 2023, v. 50, n. 3. P. 11 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Shinners, Keely 3 of 3

Abstract

This article explores three portraits of Bessie Head: a photograph by George Hallett, a painting by Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi, and a sculpture by Claudette Schreuders. It argues that these portraits each symbolise Head to a certain degree: Hallett wanted to capture the Artist in Exile; Nkosi wanted to capture a Struggle Hero; and Schreuders wanted to capture a Fellow South African. This paper is interested in how all three of these artists –although to different ends and effects–each mythologise Bessie Head, and how this relates to a broader project of national mythology. In this way, this analysis hopes to contribute to a greater understanding of Bessie Head in the cultural imagination of South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:English in Africa. 2023/11, Vol. 50, Issue 3, p11
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:0376-8902
  • DOI:10.4314/eia.v50i3.2
  • Accession Number:177127962
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of English in Africa is the property of Institute for Study English in Africa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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