Teboho Mokhothu

Emancipation

Emancipation series derive from the ongoing concept of “liberation of Mind”. In liberation of mind concept, slavery is used as the metaphor to comment on current South African education system. The South African education system, used in schools, shapes the mind of students to behave in an extremely competitive manner and to prepare them for certain economic expectations that benefit the South African government. Students do not learn to be creative in an individual way or in a refreshing way that promotes unity. However, the Emancipation series, influenced by Thomas Ball’s artwork of “monument of Emancipation”. In the monument of emancipation, Abraham Lincoln captured holding a copy of his emancipation decree freeing a male slave. The structure in the human form at “Emancipation” artwork is wearing a graduation gown, the hat and the tyre on the neck as graduation belt, to symbolize the graduation ceremony. One can say the graduation ceremony is the events that has more influence and give pressure for students to be stereotype. Many students want to obtain the degrees so that they can graduate and get better positions at work. In the artwork, “Emancipation” the object is holding a weep act like a master. The artwork suggest that graduated students either become a master to emancipate others from slavery or oppress others with the system.