Jabu Named Official Artist of Kennedy24

By Jessica Ashe

Robert F Kennedy Jr. has appointed South African Artist, Jabu, to the role of Kennedy24 Artist, forging a synergy between generations, races and nations.

“Beautiful art is obvious, great art is transformative,” Jabu said, in a recent interview with The Kennedy Beacon. “My creativity is inspired by the voiceless. Art should illuminate deep understanding, as a way to transcend pain experienced by victims, to break the cycle. Art is my tool to heal society’s wounds.” 

As an artist, Jabu is compelled to be an artivist for social justice and social change; he has gone from experiencing Apartheid in Johannesburg, South Africa to defending wildlife through his creations in Southern California and other parts of the world. 

Kennedy is enthusiastic about the partnership because both men are dedicated to helping oppressed and Indigenous peoples overcome marginalization and inequality. One uses law and the power of government; the other, paint and the struggles he brings alive on canvas.

Jabu is equally excited about a US Presidential election that he believes is about the defense of freedom, democracy and peace.

For Kennedy, his objectives are as personal as they are constitutional. When the two men met at a show of Jabu’s works, while standing in front of a painting of Malcolm X and Steven Biko, Kennedy recollected his father's visit to Johannesburg, South Africa in 1966 (RFK Jr. was twelve), where he gave one of his most enduring speeches. 

During his ‘Day of Affirmation Address,’ at University of Capetown, on June 6, 1966, his father said: “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” 

Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s campaign expands his father’s idealism. He stands for civil liberties and sweeping out corruption. He advocates for a cleaner environment and peaceful communities. Jabu is commemorating that promised tsunami of change with his impactful art.

In 2022, Jabu created Butterfly Effect Series because in many cultures the butterfly represents hope and renewal, the chance for new life changes for the better. In 2019, The United Nations Peace Initiative featured him alongside Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet in their silent auction at the prestigious Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. 

Just as the butterfly is a symbol of metamorphosis, his appointment as Kennedy24 Artist is an opportunity for transformation and a symbol for Kennedy’s vision for America. 

In a recent interview on The Breakfast Club, Kennedy told DJ The Envy that as soon as he gets into office, he will prioritize the restoration of schools and the building of businesses and equity in Black neighborhoods. 

When asked for a glimpse of the art he’s working on, Jabu’s laugh reverberated like the crash of a mighty wave. “That will have to be a surprise,” he said.