Here is a brief run down of the themes for exhibition fillers until June 2010. Filler exhibitions are showcases of work from the Henry Tayal archive of works. They are not new pieces but are exhibited when there is a hiatus between more high profile exhibitions and still very much worth visiting. There are no firm dates as yet.
January - Market Scenes
February - Romance
March - Sanitations and Environment
April - Harvest Time
May - Harvest Time
June - Traditional Ceremonies and Rituals
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
1 Call for Residency Applications:
THE TULIPAMWE ARTS TRUST is a community empowerment project organized under the auspices of the VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT at the UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA Professional, self-reliant, dynamic artists who work in any traditional or new visual arts media are invited to apply for the Tulipamwe Residency in Namibia from 12 April – 12 May 2010. Tulipamwe’s residency program offers the artist-in-residence an opportunity to live and work in Windhoek , capital of Namibia for a period of 4 weeks, giving the visiting artist the opportunity to integrate in the local artistic community and to respond to the local situation in his/her work. Tulipamwe endeavors to facilitate cultural exchange and creative dialogue in support of the international Triangle artists’ network, to which it is affiliated. Therefore the artist is welcome (but not obliged) to collaborate with Namibian artists during the residency. Artists are also encouraged to respond to their individual experience of the Namibian cultural environment in their work. Designed as an opportunity to grow creatively and to expand cultural horizons, the residency does not offer any kind of financial remuneration. However, Tulipamwe will endeavor to cover self-catering accommodation and basic materials, plus a daily allowance for meals and local transport. Tulipamwe will also, depending on the route of travel, attempt to cover international travel costs. However, artists who are able to attract financial assistance for their travel to/from Namibia (or part of it) will enjoy priority. (Applications can be submitted to ArtMovesAfrica who may assist with traveling costs of African artists). The artist-in-residence will be invited to offer a visual presentation and/or practical demonstration of his/her work to Namibian artists, students and the general public, thereby contributing to general education. Digital or analog equipment will be available for this presentation. Towards the end of the residency, the artist-in-residence will be invited to hold an open studio day, while the residency will culminate in an exhibition in a Windhoek gallery. Application details: Only email applications will be considered. The following need to be submitted: * A brief Curriculum Vitae, detailing your nationality, country of residence, training, specialization, exhibition record and workshop experience. * A letter motivating your intent * A recent photo of yourself * 5 jpeg images of your recent artworks, not older than 2 years * Names and e-mail address of two referees. * NB: your email must not exceed 1MB, including attachments. If you cannot include everything in 1MB, please send more than one email.
Application deadline: 19 February 2010For further information
contact: Nicky nickyma@mweb.com.na or Hercules hviljoen@unam.na
Website: http://www.artshost.org/tulipamwe 2
2 Call for Community Workshop 1 applications
TULIPAMWE VISUAL ART COMMUNITY WORKSHOP IN NAMIBIA 2010 THE TULIPAMWE ARTS TRUST is a community empowerment project organized under the auspices of the VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT at the UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA Self-reliant, dynamic Namibian artists who work in any traditional or new visual arts media are invited to apply for the opportunity to offer a Tulipamwe Community Art workshop from 7 – 13 March 2010. Tulipamwe’s community outreach program offers the workshop artist an opportunity to work in a selected disadvantaged Namibian community for a period of 1 week, sharing knowledge and visual art techniques with local artists of that community. Tulipamwe supports the concept of artistic growth and learning through interaction, sharing of knowledge and skills, and active participation. Therefore the workshop artist will be encouraged to work closely with local community artists during the residency. The workshop artist is also encouraged to respond to the local environment in his/her choice of theme, material and technique. Apart from covering the workshop artist’s accommodation, meals, transport and basic workshop materials, Tulipamwe offers a daily honorarium (fee) to the workshop artist. Depending on the outcome, selected artworks created at the workshop may be exhibited in a Windhoek gallery. The workshop artist will also be invited to offer a visual presentation of his/her work to artists, students and the general public, following the workshop. Digital or analog equipment will be available for this presentation. Application details: Only email applications will be considered. The following need to be submitted: * A brief Curriculum Vitae, detailing your training, specialization, exhibition record and workshop experience. * A letter motivating your intent * A recent photo of yourself * 5 jpeg images of your recent artworks, not older than 2 years. * NB: your email must not exceed 1MB, including attachments. If you cannot include everything in 1MB, please send more than one email.Application deadline: 5 February 2010For further information contact: Nicky nickyma@mweb.com.na or Hercules hviljoen@unam.na Website: http://www.artshost.org/tulipamwe
THE TULIPAMWE ARTS TRUST is a community empowerment project organized under the auspices of the VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT at the UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA Professional, self-reliant, dynamic artists who work in any traditional or new visual arts media are invited to apply for the Tulipamwe Residency in Namibia from 12 April – 12 May 2010. Tulipamwe’s residency program offers the artist-in-residence an opportunity to live and work in Windhoek , capital of Namibia for a period of 4 weeks, giving the visiting artist the opportunity to integrate in the local artistic community and to respond to the local situation in his/her work. Tulipamwe endeavors to facilitate cultural exchange and creative dialogue in support of the international Triangle artists’ network, to which it is affiliated. Therefore the artist is welcome (but not obliged) to collaborate with Namibian artists during the residency. Artists are also encouraged to respond to their individual experience of the Namibian cultural environment in their work. Designed as an opportunity to grow creatively and to expand cultural horizons, the residency does not offer any kind of financial remuneration. However, Tulipamwe will endeavor to cover self-catering accommodation and basic materials, plus a daily allowance for meals and local transport. Tulipamwe will also, depending on the route of travel, attempt to cover international travel costs. However, artists who are able to attract financial assistance for their travel to/from Namibia (or part of it) will enjoy priority. (Applications can be submitted to ArtMovesAfrica who may assist with traveling costs of African artists). The artist-in-residence will be invited to offer a visual presentation and/or practical demonstration of his/her work to Namibian artists, students and the general public, thereby contributing to general education. Digital or analog equipment will be available for this presentation. Towards the end of the residency, the artist-in-residence will be invited to hold an open studio day, while the residency will culminate in an exhibition in a Windhoek gallery. Application details: Only email applications will be considered. The following need to be submitted: * A brief Curriculum Vitae, detailing your nationality, country of residence, training, specialization, exhibition record and workshop experience. * A letter motivating your intent * A recent photo of yourself * 5 jpeg images of your recent artworks, not older than 2 years * Names and e-mail address of two referees. * NB: your email must not exceed 1MB, including attachments. If you cannot include everything in 1MB, please send more than one email.
Application deadline: 19 February 2010For further information
contact: Nicky nickyma@mweb.com.na or Hercules hviljoen@unam.na
Website: http://www.artshost.org/tulipamwe 2
2 Call for Community Workshop 1 applications
TULIPAMWE VISUAL ART COMMUNITY WORKSHOP IN NAMIBIA 2010 THE TULIPAMWE ARTS TRUST is a community empowerment project organized under the auspices of the VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT at the UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA Self-reliant, dynamic Namibian artists who work in any traditional or new visual arts media are invited to apply for the opportunity to offer a Tulipamwe Community Art workshop from 7 – 13 March 2010. Tulipamwe’s community outreach program offers the workshop artist an opportunity to work in a selected disadvantaged Namibian community for a period of 1 week, sharing knowledge and visual art techniques with local artists of that community. Tulipamwe supports the concept of artistic growth and learning through interaction, sharing of knowledge and skills, and active participation. Therefore the workshop artist will be encouraged to work closely with local community artists during the residency. The workshop artist is also encouraged to respond to the local environment in his/her choice of theme, material and technique. Apart from covering the workshop artist’s accommodation, meals, transport and basic workshop materials, Tulipamwe offers a daily honorarium (fee) to the workshop artist. Depending on the outcome, selected artworks created at the workshop may be exhibited in a Windhoek gallery. The workshop artist will also be invited to offer a visual presentation of his/her work to artists, students and the general public, following the workshop. Digital or analog equipment will be available for this presentation. Application details: Only email applications will be considered. The following need to be submitted: * A brief Curriculum Vitae, detailing your training, specialization, exhibition record and workshop experience. * A letter motivating your intent * A recent photo of yourself * 5 jpeg images of your recent artworks, not older than 2 years. * NB: your email must not exceed 1MB, including attachments. If you cannot include everything in 1MB, please send more than one email.Application deadline: 5 February 2010For further information contact: Nicky nickyma@mweb.com.na or Hercules hviljoen@unam.na Website: http://www.artshost.org/tulipamwe
The Essence of Art
The following is a mini-essay by Zenzele Chulu one of our contributors.
Art is applicable in everyday life, society needs art all the time without realizing it. We need road signs for direction to move from street to street, town to town, place to place. We have digital billboards or murals, street and road names, house numbers and city planning involves design of roads , landscaping, public parks ,office blocks, housing and industrial. It took artists and designers to create the cloths we wear, the houses we live in, the car or bus or bicycle we use, all manmade items are conceived through design. We want our houses to be decorated with crafts and other artistic elements, rooms such as kitchens or sitting rooms come in color scheme. In fashion we want designer gowns, slippers, suits, skirts, shoes, including the art of cosmetics, life is artistic. Talk about uniforms used in all fields of human activity. Consumer products are designed to attract its customers with colourful packages.
Furthermore Art for art’s sake, contemporary paintings , sculptures, prints , drawings can be classified in many ways. Art as representation allows us to keep a record of life, reminding us of past events, emotions, beliefs, good or bad. Art as a means of communication means institutions have used art and artists to depict much needed information on issues that affect society on a large scale, creating murals, banners with visual messages ranging from human rights, HIV/AIDS prevention, child abuse or gender violence or inequalities, advocacy, war, corruption, sanitation, deforestation, including millennium development goals. Art has a beneficial impact on general literacy skills. Educators, psychologists and pedagogical theorists all agree that art benefits young peoples sensitivity to the physical environment, cognitive development as well as social and emotional development.
The more artistic an item is, the more it costs. So you see the design element influence in our daily lives is inescapable and unavoidable. In sports we need ‘state of the art’ infrastructures like stadiums, sports halls, racing tracks, design of team jerseys. Art is here to stay, society can exist live without these elements, hence the role of art in development is overwhelming. Artists have designed the traditional artifacts used in high ceremonies, they have for time immemorial designed the regalia of authority, design of symbols of power, the crown and throne for chiefs, kings , queens, princesses and all royalty of bygone civilizations and artists still design today’s symbols of power. Art in Africa has always been central to the needs of the society , traditionally seen to represent the cultural totems of that particular community in ceremonies and rituals from ancient days to the present day. Art has been an important medium of preserving cultural values.
The role of art as a witness of life around each community is evident in its quest of documenting social life cycle from a variety of angles. Visiting an art gallery is must option for tourists to have an insight of each society and its ways of life by looking at contemporary art. For those who are left behind by advanced people who can read and write, visual literacy provides a third way of learning and expression, it has the impact to give voices to those who are kept silent by established educational methods and encourages self expression. In countries such as Zambia, it also encourages self employment in the face of high unemployment, as most artists are either self taught or trained but live on art, through production of various arts and crafts.
The value of art as a means for communicating across cultural boundaries and as a vehicle for interrogating issues related to identity, culture, human rights and conflict resolution and social transformation is a very important function art has to society and in this case the depiction of the theme for this year’s Womens cerebration; Equal Rights , Equal Opportunities – Progress For All.
Kenneth Zenzele Chulu
Coordinator
Insakartists Trust
Art is applicable in everyday life, society needs art all the time without realizing it. We need road signs for direction to move from street to street, town to town, place to place. We have digital billboards or murals, street and road names, house numbers and city planning involves design of roads , landscaping, public parks ,office blocks, housing and industrial. It took artists and designers to create the cloths we wear, the houses we live in, the car or bus or bicycle we use, all manmade items are conceived through design. We want our houses to be decorated with crafts and other artistic elements, rooms such as kitchens or sitting rooms come in color scheme. In fashion we want designer gowns, slippers, suits, skirts, shoes, including the art of cosmetics, life is artistic. Talk about uniforms used in all fields of human activity. Consumer products are designed to attract its customers with colourful packages.
Furthermore Art for art’s sake, contemporary paintings , sculptures, prints , drawings can be classified in many ways. Art as representation allows us to keep a record of life, reminding us of past events, emotions, beliefs, good or bad. Art as a means of communication means institutions have used art and artists to depict much needed information on issues that affect society on a large scale, creating murals, banners with visual messages ranging from human rights, HIV/AIDS prevention, child abuse or gender violence or inequalities, advocacy, war, corruption, sanitation, deforestation, including millennium development goals. Art has a beneficial impact on general literacy skills. Educators, psychologists and pedagogical theorists all agree that art benefits young peoples sensitivity to the physical environment, cognitive development as well as social and emotional development.
The more artistic an item is, the more it costs. So you see the design element influence in our daily lives is inescapable and unavoidable. In sports we need ‘state of the art’ infrastructures like stadiums, sports halls, racing tracks, design of team jerseys. Art is here to stay, society can exist live without these elements, hence the role of art in development is overwhelming. Artists have designed the traditional artifacts used in high ceremonies, they have for time immemorial designed the regalia of authority, design of symbols of power, the crown and throne for chiefs, kings , queens, princesses and all royalty of bygone civilizations and artists still design today’s symbols of power. Art in Africa has always been central to the needs of the society , traditionally seen to represent the cultural totems of that particular community in ceremonies and rituals from ancient days to the present day. Art has been an important medium of preserving cultural values.
The role of art as a witness of life around each community is evident in its quest of documenting social life cycle from a variety of angles. Visiting an art gallery is must option for tourists to have an insight of each society and its ways of life by looking at contemporary art. For those who are left behind by advanced people who can read and write, visual literacy provides a third way of learning and expression, it has the impact to give voices to those who are kept silent by established educational methods and encourages self expression. In countries such as Zambia, it also encourages self employment in the face of high unemployment, as most artists are either self taught or trained but live on art, through production of various arts and crafts.
The value of art as a means for communicating across cultural boundaries and as a vehicle for interrogating issues related to identity, culture, human rights and conflict resolution and social transformation is a very important function art has to society and in this case the depiction of the theme for this year’s Womens cerebration; Equal Rights , Equal Opportunities – Progress For All.
Kenneth Zenzele Chulu
Coordinator
Insakartists Trust
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Black History Month and the Tiyende Pamodzi Art Project
After some discussion the proposed Black History Month exhibition has been moved from the originally planned location of COMESA to the Lusaka National Museum. The exhibition will not only honour those key people of colour from history through the arena of the visual arts, but will also act as a launch pad for the new Tiyende Pamodzi Art Project.
This project is in conjunction with several art bodies - VAC, the Lechwe Trust, Insaka Artists and Twaya Art (located in the Intercontinental hotel). These bodies will be called upon to decide on an artists or groups of artists to exhibit for free in the Lusaka National Museum, the exhibit will change quarterly.
This will be an important springboard for artists to gain more coverage and the Lusaka National Museum has been very generous in offering this space. We will keep you posted on the exhibitions that will follow. 5th February is the start date of the Black History Month exhibition.
This project is in conjunction with several art bodies - VAC, the Lechwe Trust, Insaka Artists and Twaya Art (located in the Intercontinental hotel). These bodies will be called upon to decide on an artists or groups of artists to exhibit for free in the Lusaka National Museum, the exhibit will change quarterly.
This will be an important springboard for artists to gain more coverage and the Lusaka National Museum has been very generous in offering this space. We will keep you posted on the exhibitions that will follow. 5th February is the start date of the Black History Month exhibition.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Kanyama Youth Project
The Kanyama area of Lusaka is a bustling, crowded, dirty and vibrant area. In Nyanja, a local language often used in the capital, nyama is meat and Kanyama was historically where meat was slaughtered. Tucked away behind the market is the Kanyama Youth Project, a small NGO that aims to provide training for young people in a number of areas including catering and mechanics, but we went to meet with Albert Kata who is running an art project here.
Albert runs art workshops for children and young people in this deprived area. He’s been running the project since he founded it ten years ago. Albert showed us the studios and a new building funded by the World Bank that will be used as an exhibition space. We met some of the artists who help run the project but also help raise funds through small odd jobs like sign writing and selling their own artwork.
The art section of the Kanyama Art Project receives almost no outside funding and has to look for money to buy materials for their workshops. Hopefully through increased networking with VAC they will be encouraged to write proposals for more funding for their workshops in the future.
Albert runs art workshops for children and young people in this deprived area. He’s been running the project since he founded it ten years ago. Albert showed us the studios and a new building funded by the World Bank that will be used as an exhibition space. We met some of the artists who help run the project but also help raise funds through small odd jobs like sign writing and selling their own artwork.
The art section of the Kanyama Art Project receives almost no outside funding and has to look for money to buy materials for their workshops. Hopefully through increased networking with VAC they will be encouraged to write proposals for more funding for their workshops in the future.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Artist Focus - Stary Mwaba
Stary Mwaba says it was being exposed to the work of Mark Rothko that revealed to him the possibilities in straying from a realistic form of painting to something more abstract. Indeed Mwaba’s paintings seem to be a marriage of realism with the a freer more abstract style, figures, rendered meticulously with intensely expressive faces are often found surrounded with more expressionist figures and backgrounds, representing a kind of internal dialogue or inner consciousness. Or perhaps it is the other way around; Mwaba’s subjects look pensive, deep in thought while the world around them fades into an abstract mesh of colour and form.
It is this technical and contextual duality in Mwaba’s paintings that make his work so intriguing and rewarding.
The catalyst for Mwaba’s talent came while he was a peer educator more than thirteen years ago. He found it easier to express what he wanted to say through illustrations and when facing extreme difficulties at home, painting became a useful escape and outlet for his feelings and thoughts. An artist friend eventually made him aware of the Visual Arts Council of Zambia, and Mwaba found himself surrounded by artists and art that have been crucial in his somewhat informal art education. At VAC and another art collective, Rockston, Mwaba learned that once the rules of art have been learned, they can be broken and boundaries pushed. Mwaba talks of the importance of learning the ‘language or art’ and that being an artist is more than being technically skilful with a brush or pencil.
Since his beginnings when he taught art in a private school and often slept in the local gallery, he has exhibited all over the world including: Gallery Momo in South Africa, The Watermill in New York City and a German expo in Hanover. In 2004 Mwaba won the Commonwealth Arts and Crafts award and consequently worked in Trinidad and Tobago along with artists Peter Doig and Chris Ofili.
Amongst his influences, Mwaba cites Klimt and Picasso and a Mozambique artist Malangatana. The fluid and graceful figures of Klimt can be seen in some his work giving his subjects of everyday people a powerful dignity. Being Zambian has been both a help and hindrance to Mwaba’s work. There is a distinct lack of role models for young artists in Zambia and very little opportunities within the education system to study art. Zambia’s art scene is still trying to find a secure platform and is little known internationally. It is also unfortunate that works of art by local artists do not get as much interest as they could from tourism and the ex-pat community. It seems that visitors prefer the more ‘typical’ souvenirs that comfortably represents the outsiders image of sub-Saharan Africa – African masks, for example or baskets, clay pots and wooden big game animals. They are also cheaper and easier to transport in your back pack. Despite this Mwaba’s work is without bitterness and refuses to adhere to African stereotypes, while portraying everyday life in Zambia with vision and originality. The everyday life and condition of people here Mwaba feels, has attuned his sense to the small moments that are full of meaning.
It is this technical and contextual duality in Mwaba’s paintings that make his work so intriguing and rewarding.
The catalyst for Mwaba’s talent came while he was a peer educator more than thirteen years ago. He found it easier to express what he wanted to say through illustrations and when facing extreme difficulties at home, painting became a useful escape and outlet for his feelings and thoughts. An artist friend eventually made him aware of the Visual Arts Council of Zambia, and Mwaba found himself surrounded by artists and art that have been crucial in his somewhat informal art education. At VAC and another art collective, Rockston, Mwaba learned that once the rules of art have been learned, they can be broken and boundaries pushed. Mwaba talks of the importance of learning the ‘language or art’ and that being an artist is more than being technically skilful with a brush or pencil.
Since his beginnings when he taught art in a private school and often slept in the local gallery, he has exhibited all over the world including: Gallery Momo in South Africa, The Watermill in New York City and a German expo in Hanover. In 2004 Mwaba won the Commonwealth Arts and Crafts award and consequently worked in Trinidad and Tobago along with artists Peter Doig and Chris Ofili.
Amongst his influences, Mwaba cites Klimt and Picasso and a Mozambique artist Malangatana. The fluid and graceful figures of Klimt can be seen in some his work giving his subjects of everyday people a powerful dignity. Being Zambian has been both a help and hindrance to Mwaba’s work. There is a distinct lack of role models for young artists in Zambia and very little opportunities within the education system to study art. Zambia’s art scene is still trying to find a secure platform and is little known internationally. It is also unfortunate that works of art by local artists do not get as much interest as they could from tourism and the ex-pat community. It seems that visitors prefer the more ‘typical’ souvenirs that comfortably represents the outsiders image of sub-Saharan Africa – African masks, for example or baskets, clay pots and wooden big game animals. They are also cheaper and easier to transport in your back pack. Despite this Mwaba’s work is without bitterness and refuses to adhere to African stereotypes, while portraying everyday life in Zambia with vision and originality. The everyday life and condition of people here Mwaba feels, has attuned his sense to the small moments that are full of meaning.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Black History MonthFebruary 2010 - “ The African Connection”
Every year for many years now, February has become synonymous with the celebration, commemoration and salutation to inspiring African American icons , the heroes and sheroes and all the surrounding connections of contribution to the advancement of the African people and influencing human development the world over. In Zambia the African American community and its Zambian friends have organized past events together to express the solidarity of this connection. Separated by history, united by the future, the present connection is a testimony of things already happening, at individual , societal , or institutional and government.
The evidence of this deep inspiration African American achievements have had across the African continent is obvious to see in many forms of lifestyle. Be it in art, music, film fashion, beauty industry and even language the influence of African American history on ordinary citizens is a full circle of that African connection. Jack Menke a Doctor working with Kara Counselling on HIV / AIDS and Zenzele Chulu , Vice Chairperson of Visual Arts Council , have organized an art exhibition, " The African Connection" focusing on the theme of Black History Month as part of a series of educational and social activities in the month of February 2010 in conjunction with the US Embassy in Lusaka.
Jack Menke's work is executed in black and white , grey scale portraits of icons in the hall of fame in the African American and African history, medium size and large than life size all gaze at the viewers with sense of achievements in their various fields of activity. Zenzele Chulu on the other hand has an assemblage pieces of paper , entitled Wall of Fame , with eyes of African and African American heroes and sheroes only drawn on paper.
Other artists featuring are from Art Academy Without Walls with mostly Obama and Mandela portraits in various medium.
. – Zenzele Chulu
Monday, January 11, 2010
New Year News
After something of a hiatus, Lusaka Art Scene is back with news of upcoming events in the fair capital.
For January things are pretty quiet at the Henry Tayali Gallery with their exhibitions startin next month. That doesn't mean you shouldn't drop by and see paintings from the previous Insaka Artists' Exhibition and works by established artists.
The Alliance Francaise frequently has cultural events from music, cinema to the visual arts. On 22nd January there is a concert featuring 'African Pride', 'Jimmy Guitar and the Spirit of Africa Band' and 'Stephan Nsofwa'.
We at Lusaka Art Scene are working hard to publicise any art events going on in Lusaka, if you know of something please get in touch. At the bottom of the page is a list of other events coming in February. Happy New Year!
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