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SA embassy promoting Malawian art sales
By
Herbert Piriminta - 30-05-2002 |
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The South African High Commission has organ-ised an art exhibition to be held on Saturday in Lilongwe with an aim of promoting art sales in Malawi.
This unique one-day exhibition, which has been called ‘Pabwalo (Open Air) Art Exhibition’, will take place from 10.00AM to 4.00PM at the serene gardens of the South African High Commissioner’s residence, Area 10/339, beside Chilanga Road.
According to the High Commission’s first secretary Maotwe Mokwena, the art exhibition is the second of its kind. The first took place last year in July also with the help of the SA High Commission.
“We want to promote local artists. We realised that there is a lot of potential in Malawian artists and what was required was to expose and promote them,” said Mokwena.
Mokwena said the exhibition is part and parcel of the African renaissance, as African countries have to look for ways of helping one another.
“This is just something to do with helping Malawian artists to grow in time since they are not growing at the moment. If not supported they can not grow. On their own, it’s not easy to organise an activity of this sort. Therefore, the SA High Commission thought it necessary to make partners with them,” said Mokwena.
He said people are expected to come and appreciate the good work that will be displayed.
Mokwena said any person willing to buy any work of art displayed at the scenery will be able to do so.
According to Mokwena, the High Commission will have no financial benefit from the sales. He said, instead, the embassy will provide money to transport art pieces.
The art show-casing will attract 16 Malawi’s best artists, some of them being well known artists Samson Namaomba, Aaron Banda, David Mathotho, Nyangu Chodola and an upcoming artist Lovemore Kankhwani.
Namaomba is known for realistic watercolour paintings, Banda for acrylic birds, Mathotho for market scenes in watercolour, Chodola for pencil drawings, and Kankhwani for oil paintings.
Chodola said the exhibition is expected to have about 100 pieces of art in total.
He thanked the SA embassy for deciding to promote Malawian art, saying no other local organisation has ever done this without demanding a commission from the artists.
Chodola said the artists realised over K100,000 from last year’s sales. He said he expects more money this year because of good organisation by the embassy. |
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