Godzilla guards SA's highest court
Mamello Makgana
15 July 2005It trekked 500 kilometres from Limpopo to make its home in Johannesburg.
The Angry Godzilla, a three-metre high wooden statue carved from a single tree, is now standing guard at the foot of the Great African Steps at the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein.
It's the latest acquisition of the Constitutional Court art collection, which, with more than 200 local artworks, is fast becoming one of the premier collections of contemporary South African art.
Assembled by Constitutional Court Judge Albie Sachs and his colleagues, most of the artworks are donations from artists, gallery owners and patrons of the arts in South Africa and abroad, with funding and donations managed by the Constitutional Court Trust.
The Angry Godzilla was selected for the collection after Sachs saw the statue at the opening of the Mashamba Art Gallery and Museum in Venda. He chose to buy it, he said, because it represented the unique carving tradition of the area.
Created by sculptor John Baloyi from lead-wood or mbambangoma, the Angry Godzilla took 10 months to complete.
"I started to carve the monster in September from a big tree that was destroyed by floods," said Baloyi. "I finished it at the end of June."
Baloyi, a former pupil of artist Jackson Hlungwani, said he was inspired by the Japanese legend of Godzilla. "I wanted to carve something no other artist has done."
Baloyi, who abandoned his delivery business 10 years ago to focus on his craft, describes art as a spirit that communicates with him through his dreams and thoughts.
"That's why I have made it my life," he said.
The artworks at the Constitutional Court form an integral part of the space, both physically and in the context of its history.
All the works on display play a role in contributing to the image and ambiance of the Court as a place that welcomes all people.
Source: City of Johannesburg
