Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Friday Art Talk

Artistic Interventions Presentation
By
Morten Traavik, Artist/director
A documentary film entitled "Miss Landmine"
www.traavik.info
&
Sissel Mutale Bergh, Artist
Film "Formule Norvegienne"
@ Henry Tayali Visual Arts Centre
15:30 - 17:00 hrs
16/07/2010

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Roots of Expression

Alliance Francaise will be hosting this sculpture exhibition opening tomorrow 18:00 hrs (CAT).

A full review will appear in The Art Pages next month

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Wednesday Cartoon



Here's our cartoons series, resuming after a brief hiatus. We are all pretty busy right now at the gallery working on the new paper amongst other things. Check back later for news updates.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The Art Pages – An Update

Work is going well, we already have two articles currently being edited as well as photos. So far contributors have been respectful of deadlines and been attending our meetings.

The key work right now is to look for funding for subsequent issues of the paper. We have managed to scrape together enough to publish our first issue but after that we need another source of funding. We are looking into some grants from embassies that have a keen interest in supporting the arts, but these grants can take some months to be approved. So we are have to be creative. We have a possible idea for raising some money but this idea is still in its early stages, stay tuned for more!

Despite these financial issues we are so heartened by the amount of support we are receiving from artists who feel this kind of newspaper is long overdue. For them and many others, we will continue the work.

We are also working on a website that will help promote The Art Pages, this is still very much under construction and we have to make allowances for our temperamental internet, but it is definitely getting there.

Friday, June 4, 2010

The Birth of The Art Pages

I was jetlagged and decidedly underwhelmed at finding myself back in Lusaka. Nevertheless I dragged myself into the gallery as I had promised. And this was a good thing.

We had a great deal to catch up on as I had been away for over two weeks, and I was full of stories of the art community in Asheville. I was especially eager to tell them about all the great free art and culture magazines I found in the area.

After much discussion we came to the conclusion that our blog, although nice in its way is simply not reaching local people. This is unsurprising considering how expensive the internet is here – no fibre optics and it is slow as can be. My good colleague Zenzele happened to have with him an art newspaper called 'Art Bakery' that he had picked up during a residency in Cameroon with Goddy Leye. It was a simple, 4 page publication in black and white.

With my inspiration from Asheville and Zenzele's from Cameroon, we realised we had a very special opportunity. And so our art paper idea blossomed.

To be continued...

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Roots of Expression – New Exhibition


"THINGZ and TIMEZ" is the theme for an exhibition by Lusaka based Artists from the 'Roots of Expressions' -(ROXS), an affiliate to the Zambia National Visual Arts Council. This show runs through from 25th to 29th June at the Alliance Francaise in Lusaka, Zambia. It is a reflection of how their work has changed over time, taking experimentation as a guide when approaching nature for inspiration. Roots of Expressions has shown its creations at the National Museum, the Henry Tayali Gallery, the Alliance Francaise in 2008 and some of its works can be seen at Iseni House in the Dutch church in Kabulonga.


ROXS objectives are to collaborate with other art organizations locally and internationally with the aim of stimulating the Development of Art.

Contacts can be made by e-mailing studios.rootsofexpression@gmail.com or visit roots of expression on facebook.





Friday, May 21, 2010

Insaka Artists' Open Day




The Insaka Artists' workshop in Livingstone drew to a close last week with the artists who participating showing their work at the Henry Tayali Gallery. As evidenced by the work, the workshop was a clearly a great success.












Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Notes from the gallery - Getting 'out there'


Things are quiet at the Henry Tayali gallery at the moment. Many artists have been in Livingstone for the last two weeks taking part in the workshop and will be returning soon full of ideas and motivation.


While the cats have been away, we mice have been not really playing but using the time to think about ways to push the gallery forward as well as the art scene here in general. Despite the plethora of artists working in Lusaka, the community is sometimes fragmentary as each group gets on with the business of working and trying to sell their work. As a result, it is often a challenge for the blog team to keep up to date with events that are going on. So our first aim is to try and bring together collaborative elements that will be willing to report back to 'Lusaka Art Scene' so we can share with you all what is going on.
Using the internet for communication between artists here is a learning curve too, especially since internet access is expensive and slow. We're persevering and hope other artists will too. In a country with no art school and limited access to resources, the internet is an invaluable tool for artists to develop contacts outside of Lusaka and to find out about what is happening in the art world internationally. In order to point artists in the right direction as well as providing a platform for artists and supporters alike to network, we started our Ning network. Unfortunately this was days before the announcement that Ning is beginning to charge for this service, we hope that May 4th's anouncement of new prices will not be a shock and that we can somehow find funds to keep it going. http://lusakaartscene.ning.com/

Monday, May 3, 2010


"Insakartists 2010
5th Insaka International Artists Workshop. No Name Camp. L/stone.Zambia
'OPEN DAY'
Sunday 09hrs - 17hrs, 2nd May, 2010.
@ NO NAME CAMP, Kazunugula Rd
Mosi O Tunya City- Livingstone
ZAMBIA
+260 977 531 335 / +260 977 978 850
26 artists 14 days 7 countries
egypt.nigeria.bahamas.botswana.zimbabwe.kenya.ethiopia.zambia


'Insakartists 2010 EXHIBITION'
Friday 07th May, 2010, Henry Tayali Visual Arts Centre, Lusaka Showgrounds, Lusaka."

Monday, April 26, 2010

News Updates

AAW studios and Barefoot are collaborating on a project on art installations that will be seen all over Lusaka in outdoor spaces. The subject is 'The environment and climate change' and the workshop will culminate in a festival. More to come.

The Insaka workshop has started in Livingstone and is going well. We hope to get a report from the artists involved. the workshop will continue unil May 5th when there will be an open day.

The Henry Tayali Gallery is working on a proposal for funds that will be used for a merchandise workshop. Artists will be trained in screenprintng and lino printing and some principles of graphic design in order to sell their work at the gift shop that is also planned.

The New Lusaka Art Scene Network

We have started a new network on Ning in order encourage supporters, but also as an online space in which to discuss and share events, resources and ideas. Whether you are based in Lusaka or not, we still need your help and involvement. Feel free to join:



Visit Lusaka Art Scene

Friday, April 16, 2010

This month of April marks the 42nd anniversary of the death of Dr. King and an organization in the US is commemorating his life and work by creating a memorial in the nation's capital. The Washington, DC, Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial will honor his life and contributions to the world through non violent social change.

Please check out the following link for more details - there are videos, photos, banners, and even a web toolbar that, when used, donates money to the creation of the memorial:

http://mlkmemorialnews.org

After many years of fund raising, the memorial is only $14 million away from its $120 million goal.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Al Jazeera English - Focus - 2010 World Cup not for all Africans

Please read this important article
Al Jazeera English - Focus - 2010 World Cup not for all Africans

Lechwe Trust Exhibition

Venue: Lusaka National Museum (open Monday to Saturday)

Dates: March to May 2010

Admission fees apply


 

Walking through the new exhibition of the Lechwe Trust's collection is like walking through time.


 

Since 1986 the Lechwe Trust has been collecting artwork by Zambian-based artists in order to prevent paintings and sculptures of importance from being removed from the country. Through their work, they have put together an extremely impressive collection of local art as well as sponsoring several artists to go to University or art school. Now some of these artworks are on display at Lusaka National Museum.


 

The collection is truly comprehensive with works by Henry Tayali and Patrick Mumba, as well as works by more contemporary artists like Zenzele Chulu, Stary Mwaba and David Chirwa. The space has been transformed into a white, minimalist gallery which displays the works beautifully. It is clear that great care has been taken in the selection of these pieces and the body work shows successfully the breadth of subject matter and techniques used by artists in Zambia today.


 


 

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Wednesday Cartoon Day



We are pleased to be posting a cartoon by Nasalifya, one of Zambia's young and talented artists and writers. We hope to be showing at least one of his cartoons every Wednesday.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Missing Painting At The Henry Tayali Gallery


We are sad to report that a painting has gone missing from the Henry Tayali gallery. If anyone has information on its whereabouts please contact us: lusakaartscene@googlemail.com

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

News and Events

Congratulations to Danny Chilyapa on a very successful exhibition at the Alliance Francaise.

We must thank British based non-profit Alive and Kicking for commissioning a sculpture for a fundraising auction back in the UK. Alive and Kicking make footballs locally in Zambia using local materials and manpower. Several artists have put forward bids and a decision on which will be auction is due in the next 3 weeks.

Welcome back to Zenzele Chulu who has been in Cameroon at the Art Bakery. Pictures and an account of his experience will be posted soon.

A piece of art has gone missing at the Henry Tayali Gallery, more on this will come on a separate posting.

The Lusaka National Museum is currently hosting an exhibition of paintings from the Lechwe Trust. The exhibition will continue until May and a review of the exhibition will be posted soon.

The Insaka Artists' residence program will be taking place from the 22nd April Livingstone and will end with an exhibition there on 6th May. The exhibition will then move to Lusaka. Our blogger Elizabeth Watkin will also attend part of the workshop to report and record.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Zenzele in Cameroon

Zenzele Chulu is currently in Cameroon as part of artist Goddy Leye's Art Bakery residency programme.

Below follows an update on his experiences...

Arts Collaboratory.

Cameroon and Zambia.

VISA FREE AFRICA

The meeting of Goddy Leye and Zenzele Chulu at the Art Bakery Open Studio in the night was a milestone of how important exchange programme works. The two discussed for the first time in almost three hours of information exchange , sharing information concerning their networks which they are pioneering, they shared at great length the skills of managing the networks, with different but similar experiences of artists development in the local setting.They shared the bitter experience of the VISA story, they analyzed it in socio – political and in artistic terms.

Zenzele missed the very important email which could have avoided the Douala International Airport stress. Before departure from Lusaka he had to go the bank, attend a women’s art exhibition planning meeting and handover key Insakartists responsibilities to Vincentio Phiri and Mulenga Chafilwa. Broadband internet had stopped working at Henry Tayali Visual Arts Centre, so it was followed that Zenzele could not even check his email all the way through to Addis Ababa and then to Douala, as the travel plan was based on the earlier email of getting VISA upon arrival at the Airport advised by Goddy, but not knowing that VISA application had changed. He had to go and get forms from Yaounde, the Cameroon capital city.

Knowing things wont be easy, Goddy quickly sent Zenzele email to explain the new complex procedure of getting a VISA, but it was too late because Zenzele was aleady in Cameroon as Goddy was half way to Yaounde to get VISA authorization letter from Ministry of Home Affairs offices. Zenzele arrived at Douala at midday , he spent over two hours wondering where Goddy was, he did not have his phone number on only if he could access his email account which had Goddy’s mobile phone and telephone details. By fate line of events, there was no internet even at Douala International Airport, “ the economical capital of Cameroon”. It was second day for Zenzele without access to internet because of traveling connecting flights from Zambia to Ethiopia and the Cameroon. The panic and concern grew wide and far beyond Douala and Yaounde. He tried to call Alessio at Triangle Arts and he was not available, he then called back to Zambia ask Mulenga Chafilwa and Vincentio Phiri to open his email account and get Goddy’s contact details and text them by mobile phone, Chafilwa managed to send Goddy’s cell number by texting.

It was then that Zenzele called Goddy whilst detained in the Commissioners office at Douala airport after two hours of struggling to get his cell number. Until that time he understood the reason why Goddy was not at the airport to welcome him, Justine Gaga came after an hour later, but could not succeed solving the issue, another two hours was spent trying to reason and negotiate the release of Zenzele from stress of being at airport. Permission was granted way into the dark side of the evening and finally Zenzele and Gaga were on Douala yellow taxi on the way to the village of Bonendale, leaving the passport in the commission office, though the air ticket transcript was given back to him. He made himself home with humble hospitality of Justine and Estella, with a meal of roasted fish from near by Wouri River and miondo a local cassava paste strips wrapped in banana leaves. Man has to endure the offerings of social encounters and survive for the next day.

Zenzele ‘s prime destination, Art Bakery, is a small but dynamic art centre, has grown with the community of Bonendale village from the very beginning and is seen as the community friendly art institution, bringing artists from inner city of Douala and beyond and enrich the village full of creative spirit hovering around. It has existed within the neighborhood for six years with its own inspirational history as a centre for community based art synergy, has stimulated the growing interest in this artistic humble retreat . The village has over ten artists settled in it , including the first contemporary artist to set up a studio near Art Bakery, Joel Mpah Dooh whom Zenzele Chulu met in Abuja, Nigeria in 2007 during the first ARESUVA Conference and Exhibition. Artists have the responsibility to develop the culture of Bonandale by restoring many abandoned houses and using the artistic advantage of transforming them into art studios, residency, library, and cosy garden harmonizing with the aggressive forest, the natural force is so strong that it can engulf an entire building with trees and grass, pushing the cemented floor out of their way.

Goody Leye a well known Cameroon video artist, who decided to claim the present day Art Bakery building from the embracing forest, he is the pioneer of the Art Bakery idea, It was a tough hard working effort to transform abandoned structures. These houses were built in colonial days by wealthy Africans who benefited from the riches brought in by Wouri River merchants, some by Portuguese stock, who created a fresh water stop over for their wide sea voyages, Germans, French and other sea adventurers made Bonendale a prosperous village hence its no ordinary village. Today, history can be seen through the tired looking old houses, most being brought back to life by artists. Art Bakery is one of the them. Bonendale will in future become one of the world’s best known renowned art centres, a foremost artists colony in the country. It has a rich historical heritage which blends well with artists ambition. One day, one out of every five people there will be an artist in Bonendale.



Compiled by

Zenzele Chulu

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Artist Focus - Chilyapa Lwando


Chilyapa Lwando is a busy man these days. Not only does he work full time for the Henry Tayali gallery, he's an active photographer and painter. Currently he is working double time to get ready for his exhibition at Alliance Francaise next month. Lwando is prolific and has a large body of work from which draw his pieces. Consequently the exhibition will be something of a retrospect.

The themes of traditional culture and society figure most in his work, though Lwando has been focusing on traditional culture in particular. He feels it is important to preserve and promote Zambian culture as he fears it is being eroded. However his paintings are not merely to educate but to celebrate and reinforce his own sense of identity as well as a way of exploring and critiquing some of the traditional ways found in Zambia and Africa more broadly. For Lwando his art and cultural identity are very closely woven together.



Other aspects of Lwando's work address social issues such as HIV/Aids and the role of women. He draws inspiration from the everyday activities of children and women.


Lwando's paintings are vivid and he likes to use fibres or sand to give his paintings texture. If you are in the Lusaka area on March 19th, stop by Alliance Francaise to see Chilyapa Lwando's paintings 'in the flesh' so to speak, and experience their vibrancy first hand.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

News Updates

Lusaka Art Scene Blog Well Recieved: Flyers for the new Lusaka Art Scene blog were given out at the recent exhibition for Black History Month at Lusaka National Arts Museum. As a result we have had great positive feedback.


Workshop for Busines Training for Artists: This week the Henry Tayali Gallery is hosting a workshop on entrepreneurship for artists, in the hope this will help them support themselves through what they create. More on this on the blog later this week.

Photography Exhibition Opens This Week: Zambian based photographer Fabrice Palacio will be showing his work from Tunisia at the Alliance Francaise in Lusaka, the exhibition opens on Friday 12th February at 6pm and will run for one week. Fabrice Palacio Site.

Art Bakery, Cameroon: Later this month, Zenzele Chulu will be travelling to take part in a workshop called 'Art Bakery'. This project was set up by Goddy Leye, the well known artist from Cameroon, in 2003. Goddy Leye Site .

New Exhibition for Danny Lwando: Lusaka based painter and photographer Danny Lwando has been given space at Alliance Francaise here in Lusaka to exhibit his paintings in March.

New Art Guide in Progress: Elizabeth Watkin and Zenzele Chulu are working together to produce a map of all artistic places of interest in Lusaka that will be published on this site. From this there is also a plan to expand it into a guide booklet for visitors to Lusaka and Zambia.

Black History Month Exhibition Opens











The opening of the Black History Month Exhibition at Lusaka National Museum was a huge success with even the esteemed Kenneth Kaunda attending.

More pictures and accounts of the exhibition are to follow, meanwhile here are a few snaps.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Upcoming Filler Exhibitons at Henry Tayali Gallery

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

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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!