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Sue Clark
THE GODS OF PRETSHWANE
Loftus Rugby gods
Loftus Versfeld Stadium’s The unknown rugby player’s statue (1978)[1] and Guy du Toit’s Rabbid (2016)[2] are juxtaposed in collages and an animation commenting on how events and people are remembered. The rugby player’s statue reflects rugby’s aggressive white masculinity of PreTshwane’s past. The sport is now considered a national unifier under the captaincy of Siya Kolisi and South Africa’s 2019 World Cup victory. Guy du Toit’s Rabbid is an ageless genderless nonaggressive rugby player/student hybrid aiming to neutralise and democratise memorials.
The hare featured in these sculptures is aligned with the African myth of the hare as a trickster. The hare becomes a gentle, gender-neutral and humorous way to attract attention although.
[1] The Unknown Rugby Player (1978) Eben Germishuizen (Bolsmann 2016:110)
[2] Rabbid (2016) Guy du Toit. A Re Yeng artwork at stations. https://www.tshwane.gov.za/sites/areyeng/Lists/LatestNews/FullView.aspx?Id=58
Loftus rugby gods 2021
Collage, 70 x 51 cm
Animation
Process
The run cycles stages of the rugby player were created by cutting up photographs of the two statues and using the components to recreate the different body positions. They were then animated and placed into the collaged image of the game tunnel leading onto the field at Loftus Stadium using Adobe Premiere Pro and After effects.
Rugby Player collaged run cycle
Animation workstation
Animated collage run cycle
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