Mandela is best understood in his own words: “I knew that the oppressor was as enslaved as the oppressed, because he who deprives others of freedom is a prisoner of hatred, prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am not really free if he lacks the neighbor of his freedom, just as he does not it is if my dignity is taken away from me. The oppressor and the oppressed are both robbed of their humanity. I do not feel obliged either legally or morally to obey laws passed by a parliament that does not represent me. We decided to take up arms because the only alternative was to surrender and submit to slaver.”
Italian artist Jorit cites this quote as the inspiration behind his latest piece, “Mandela” which he recently completed in Florence, Italy for the Nelson Mandela Forum. The large-scale mural honors Mandela’s larger-than-life persona and commemorates the one hundred year anniversary of the activist’s birth. Completed with spray paint, the portrait depicts Mandela in Jorit’s hyperrealistic style, and includes the red lines signature to the artist’s work. Here, this touch emphasizes Mandela’s intense expression, which gazes at the viewer with a blend of defiant challenge and deep wisdom.