Abstract
M.A.
The purpose of this study is to analyse the nature of the relationship between
politics and art in South Africa during the period 1960 to 1996. The discussion
is limited to the performing arts, which includes music, theatre, musicals and
dance.
The relationship between art and politics in South Africa manifested in two
ways. Firstly, art was used to convey a specific political message and
secondly, it served as an external political instrument with which the
international community forced South Africa to put an end to apartheid. The
latter was achieved by enforcing sanctions which included the cultural
boycott.
This study states clearly that art cannot be separated from society and
constitutes that art is an important element sociologically speaking. It can
thus be influenced by society and it can influence society in many ways. The
artist, as a member of society, produce his/her art in accordance to his/her
experience of a certain society. The artwork is therefore an "image" of
society, because it reflects the artists' perspective of society.
There is a relationship between art and politics in South Africa, because both
the white and the black South Africans used art to create their own identity.
Through art they could form a solidarity, and in the long run they could either
sustain or gain political power. The whites wanted to sustain their power and
therefore used the arts and art structures as a vehicle to maintain their
Western(white) values. The blacks wanted to gain political power and,
through the black consciousness movement and their anti-apartheid
campaigns, they strove to gain political power.
Art was therefore not only used by the blacks as a political weapon against
the white apartheid regime, but also by the international community as a
means to punish South Africa for the violation of human rights.