Peet Pienaar
Encyclopedia
Peet Pienaar is a South African performance artist, most famous for having himself video
taped while undergoing circumcision
in 2000. The discarded foreskin
, displayed in a small perspex case, was part of an installation with a three-monitor video showing the circumcision operation in excruciating close-up.
He studied fine art
at the University of Stellenbosch graduating in 1993.
Pienaar was first noticed by a wider public in 1996 when he (once a provincial rugby union
player), the son of Afrikaans
speaking farmers, dressed as a Springbok rugby player
, stood motionless for hours in venues ranging from the South African National Gallery
to shopping malls.
Rugby union
is the national obsession among many white, mostly Afrikaans
speaking South Africans, and Pienaar wanted on to explore the homoerotic
aspect of the myths and hero-worship
with which players are treated, and the constructs which define masculinity
in a patriarchal society.
"I'm using art as an excuse to live a very interesting life - it allows you to be whoever you want to be, do whatever you want to do, go where ever you want to go. It's like a free ticket" http://www.artthrob.co.za/00dec/artbio.html.
Peet Pienaar is also the editor
and co-designer of Afro Magazine with its main aim to celebrate the outstanding creativity and designs of the African continent. The magazine is the brainchild of his collaborative association with other artists called Daddy buy me a pony, and won a Golden Clio
for its innovative design.
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
taped while undergoing circumcision
Circumcision
Male circumcision is the surgical removal of some or all of the foreskin from the penis. The word "circumcision" comes from Latin and ....
in 2000. The discarded foreskin
Foreskin
In male human anatomy, the foreskin is a generally retractable double-layered fold of skin and mucous membrane that covers the glans penis and protects the urinary meatus when the penis is not erect...
, displayed in a small perspex case, was part of an installation with a three-monitor video showing the circumcision operation in excruciating close-up.
He studied fine art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
at the University of Stellenbosch graduating in 1993.
Pienaar was first noticed by a wider public in 1996 when he (once a provincial rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player), the son of Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
speaking farmers, dressed as a Springbok rugby player
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
, stood motionless for hours in venues ranging from the South African National Gallery
South African National Gallery
The South African National Gallery is the national art gallery of South Africa located in Cape Town. The collection began in 1872 with the donation of Sir Thomas Butterworth's personal gallery....
to shopping malls.
Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
is the national obsession among many white, mostly Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
speaking South Africans, and Pienaar wanted on to explore the homoerotic
Homoeroticism
Homoeroticism refers to the erotic attraction between members of the same sex, either male–male or female–female , most especially as it is depicted or manifested in the visual arts and literature. It can also be found in performative forms; from theatre to the theatricality of uniformed movements...
aspect of the myths and hero-worship
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
with which players are treated, and the constructs which define masculinity
Masculinity
Masculinity is possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man. The term can be used to describe any human, animal or object that has the quality of being masculine...
in a patriarchal society.
"I'm using art as an excuse to live a very interesting life - it allows you to be whoever you want to be, do whatever you want to do, go where ever you want to go. It's like a free ticket" http://www.artthrob.co.za/00dec/artbio.html.
Peet Pienaar is also the editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
and co-designer of Afro Magazine with its main aim to celebrate the outstanding creativity and designs of the African continent. The magazine is the brainchild of his collaborative association with other artists called Daddy buy me a pony, and won a Golden Clio
Clio Awards
The Clio Awards are annual awards bestowed to reward innovation and creative excellence in advertising, design and communication. The categories include work in nearly all types of media, and the judges are advertising professionals from around the world....
for its innovative design.