Beyond words

The image on the left-hand-side of the advert, which was published in Photo District News Stock Guide USA, is a black and white photograph of two Soweto youths kneeling in front of the police, their hands up and fingers raised in peace signs. It was taken by photographer Jan Hamman and won press photograph of the year in 1977.

This is juxtaposed with a colour photograph taken on 27 April 2004 at the second presidential inauguration of Thabo Mbeki and is of Mbeki alongside former President Nelson Mandela with their arms upraised in triumph.

Superficially the two images depict four black South Africans in similar poses; however, when viewed in an historical and chronological context, they exist as polar opposites: On the left is oppression. On the right, liberation.