Art and Activism: The Interrogators

What event inspired the creation of The Interrogators?

What concept did the artist aim to portray through The Interrogators?

Who took the original photographs that inspired The Interrogators?

How many white security officers' portraits are depicted in The Interrogators?

What followed the creation of The Interrogators?

Steve Biko and The Interrogators

Steve Biko was a pivotal Black Consciousness leader whose death occurred in 1978, igniting artistic reflections on racial injustice.
The Interrogators is a renowned triptych created by an artist in response to Biko’s death, featuring portraits of three white security officers involved in his interrogation.
These officers were part of the nine security personnel who interrogated Biko while he was in custody, ultimately leading to his fatal outcome.
The artist aimed to depict these individuals as "terribly ordinary-looking" to highlight the concept of the "banality of evil," emphasizing the commonplace nature of such atrocities.
Original photographs that inspired the triptych were taken by Mike McCann, a photographer for the Rand Daily Mail, capturing the security officers as they left court after an inquest into Biko's death.
Following the triptych, the artist produced a subsequent series of 20 drawings further exploring the themes surrounding Biko's death and legacy.

Explore the powerful triptych 'The Interrogators' inspired by the life and death of Steve Biko. This quiz delves into the artwork that portrays the ordinary faces of the torturers, highlighting the concept of the 'banality of evil.' Discover the implications of art in social justice and the portrayal of historical events.