Caught with his Strauss-ers down

It has been an interesting week in the news.  The recent sexual assault case in America involving a Guinean chambermaid and the now former Managing Director of the IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, came from completely left field. The important difference between this and the concurrent revelation about Arnie's love child  with a member of his household staff is that even though both these men abused their powerful positions, Mr. Schwarzenegger's affair was consensual in this instance, though he has admitted to non-consensual sexual activity in the past.

I have voiced before my view on what people do in their private lives and particularly in their bedrooms, especially with stars, sportsmen and those in public office.  If it doesn't affect their jobs, which for the most part I think is usually the case, that is a private matter between the parties involved frankly.  However,  Strauss-Kahn's situation is completely different. If he is indeed guilty, no one is above the law, and such conduct should not be swept under the carpet.  France's stance on the sexual antics of its public figures, that has been considered lax by many in the world, is now under such scrutiny. Is this changing as as the French press uncharacteristically focus on this story by revealing an unprecedented amount of detail about his sex life? If you would like the salacious details I leave that for you to find. Should the media hold public figures accountable for what they do both in the office and in their bedrooms? Does France's strict privacy laws have a part to play in how Strauss-Kahn felt he could behave when he was not on official duty?

I am rather disturbed as a global citizen and as an African woman about women's sexual rights and how they are regarded.  I do not think that anywhere in the world has gotten it right.  This week a debate in the UK had me quite perturbed when the Justice Secretary seemed to trivialise certain instances of rape and failed to understand that whether it is stranger or someone you know, whether it is a first encounter gone wrong or after several consensual encounters it is still rape.  I have commented on rape in Africa before and believe African men need to step it up and treat women better but it is important to acknowledge education  for BOTH genders is still desperately needed all over the world about such issues.

On a lighter note, yes I am very proud of the very cheesy title to this post :}

Art Is The Theme It seems

It seems that all that I am seeing right now pertains to Art.  Maybe like Angola, I am looking to heal with creativity as I keep seeing horrible headlines about fighting between Marocco and Western Sahara, of violence after the polls in Guinea, a couple killed on their honeymoon in South Africa and something going on in Egypt! If it bleeds it leads is really being applied to Africa this week :(.

So I am going to focus on more happy things.  Catching up on blog reading exposed me to more Angolan art and also alerted me to a huge art exhibition in New York at the Museum of Arts and Design called The Global Africa Project that starts tomorrow. All facets of African creativity are showcased in both old and traditional forms and new hybrid ones.  The exhibition seeks to show the varied dimensions of work that Africans worldwide have produced and have organised The Global Africa project "around several thematic ideas.  These include: the phenomenon of intersecting cultures and cultural fusion; the branding and co-opting of cultural references; how art and design is promoted in the international market and the creative global scene; the use of local materials; and the impact of art-making on the economic and social condition of local communities.  In addition to providing a broad framework for the exhibition's organisation, these themes will encourage audiences to discern how global African artists grapple with the commodification of art production and the meaning and value of art in society - an increasingly significant issue for nations in a rapidly changing global context."

 

For a better and more knowledgeable analysis of the exhibition, as well as images of the exhibits, read Afri-Love's post and the Museum's blog. I am happy to see our creativity being showcased both in Africa and around the world :)