Outsider is the third in a series of documentaries by Deepend Films
showcasing the lives and work of South African visual artists. The first two films,
Chickens can Fly and Light and Dark, won SAFTAs this
year.
This 45-minute documentary premiered in May; it featured at the Encounters
Film Festival and there are already talks of a feature film in the pipeline. It tells
the story of one of South Africa’s most colourful and controversial artists, Beezy
Bailey, and his 30-year career.
Bailey received a death threat in 1999 after he dressed the statue of Boer
General Louis Botha, outside parliament in Cape Town, in traditional Xhosa
clothing for a public sculpture festival commemorating Heritage Day. He also
offended Christians with his controversial Dancing Jesus piece,
which had Christ dancing in high heels.
Bailey found himself at the centre of yet another scandal when he set out to
prove that the colour of an artist’s skin played an imperative part in the art
world. He submitted two artworks for a triennial exhibition; one featuring his
own signature, and the other signed Joyce Ntobe, a female alter-ego of Bailey.
The first was rejected while the other was accepted and now hangs in the Iziko
South African National Gallery.
In Outsider, Bailey shares his thought process and reasoning on
these pieces but whether they are plausible is for the audience to decide.
Paulene Abrey, co-producer and co-director of Outsider, explains
that one of Bailey’s beneficiaries is the driving force behind the idea of a feature
film on Bailey’s life. Abrey says: “The beneficiary wants to make the movie about
his (Bailey’s) whole life relating to his art; because he is descended from a
Randlord there are a lot of misperceptions of his lifestyle, Drum
magazine is a whole story on its own and even his mom has a story of her
own.’
Abrey explains that this documentary serves as a feeler to determine whether
the feature film will be profitable.
Celebrating SA artists
The series will comprise 12 documentaries. Abrey explains that the first three
documentaries have a similar style, however the documentaries thereafter will
be handled differently and will focus on the artist alone. Deborah Bell is set to
be the subject of the next film.
Chickens Can Fly tells the story of Pieter van der Westhuizen and
his career in the pre-apartheid era. Van der Westhuizen passed away during
filming, which only makes his message in the film more impactful: “If you wait for
inspiration before you get up in the morning you would possibly spend a lot
more time in bed.’
Light and Dark focuses on Norman Catherine’s protest art and
political reference during apartheid while Outsider shows Bailey’s
struggles as an artist in the post-apartheid era. “The films show where we were
and how far we have come,’ Abrey explains.
The documentaries so far have been well received. Chickens Can Fly
won the 2014 Best Documentary Director SAFTA (Paulene Abrey) and Light
and Dark won Best Cinematography of a Documentary Feature SAFTA
(Paul Kruger). However both films were nominated for more SAFTAs, the former
three and the latter four.
Abrey explains that these artists were chosen as they are vastly different to
each other. The series serves not only to celebrate South African artists but to
understand where the creative source comes from – giving insight into what
happens between an artist and his canvas. “One true expression of art that
cannot be touched or altered visually is a painting. It comes straight from a
source – from up there or down there whatever you want to call it. It is a clean
line of artistic expression,’ she says, adding: “People are scared of the creative
process.
“It is not what we (Deepend Films) are trying to tell the audience but what the
artists are telling the audience and how they see things through their eyes,’
Abrey explains.
Inside Outsider
Outsider was shot on Red One cameras on three locations: Cape
Town, where Bailey is based, Johannesburg and London – where a scene,
showing Bailey’s collaboration with British musician and record producer Brian
Eno, was shot. Abrey wanted to shoot in the US as well, but budget did not
allow for this.
Sean Drummond, writer and co-director, started off the two-year process in
Cape Town, while Abrey did most of the Joburg leg. Abrey and the third co-
director, Luaan Hong, collaborated closely in overseeing the edit. Abrey says all
three directors were working towards common goals, which helped to make the
process easier.
Shaun Harley Lee was the cinematographer on Outsider and Abrey
believes the film “is beautifully shot.’ A scene in which Bailey paints in his studio,
with the David Bowie song “Sunday’ playing in the background, is something to
talk about. Due to Bailey’s relationships with Bowie, as well as Dave Matthews,
no rights had to be purchased to use their music.
Archive footage of Bailey and Bowie collaborating, as well as Drum
archive footage from Bailey’s younger years, are intercut into the documentary.
Abrey explains that Ed Harris’ biopic on controversial American artist Jackson
Pollock was the inspiration for this.
Abrey says that Sky Arts channel has expressed interest in the documentaries
and she sincerely hopes that DStv will one day launch an arts channel, which
would make an ideal platform for the Outsider and the other films in
the series.
