Thursday, April 1, 2010
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.
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
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
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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.
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.
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.
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