Amid the floods of criticism and plain common or garden rain currently pelting the Spier Contemporary show, I'd like to pay tribute to one piece which caught me off guard and very gently blew me away. It looked like a projection of a turgid brown 17^th century portrait, and then the mouth opened and very softly it began to sing.

Although the piece subsequently won a prize and has been the talk of the town, I am pleased that I discovered it afresh with no introduction, and was able to be touched by it so directly. We know by now that the work is about Maria Delle Quellerie singing a lullaby to Krotoa, her adopted Khoikhoi child. Apparently many artists have made work around this story, which makes it even more of an achievement that Andrew Putter managed to reconvey it with such impact.

The work is also satisfyingly thorough and consistent in its conception and its relevance for our society which is still riddled with racial tension. As the stolid portrait, replete with the stereotypes it conveys, is interrupted by the small movements of the mouth and the infinitely fragile tenderness of the singing, so the 'counter-tale' of the anomalous relationship of these two historic characters is one of enthrallment and affection which differs from the stereotypes of racist antipathy that burden our society.

As the strain and tension of being South African continue to hurt us every day, I would like to thank everyone who was involved in this project for the moment of gentleness they have created.

Labels: andrew putter, Krotoa, Spier Contemporary