‘They say Venda is winning, but we can't see how’: Artists from the north‐eastern Transvaal and the struggle for nationhood

This article considers the position of selected artists from what was the north‐eastern Transvaal in the context of current attempts by a range of art institutions to project the existence of a representative ‘New South African’ national culture. The benefits and drawbacks of their fame are examined, and it is concluded that while these artists have profited in certain ways, they have been disempowered in others in that they have little control over the marketing of their works. Their rise to fame has done little to redress the generalised poverty in their home areas. It has even, in some instances, given rise to resentment and outright hostility on the part of neighbouring residents. This in turn raises questions about the extent to which these artists are full participants in defining the terms on which this ‘national culture’ is being built. I conclude that conditions for full participation in a national culture can be created only in the context of a general, comprehensive programme of social development.