A hearty confrontation on common life
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An anxious crowd waiting for the
opportunity to view art on ‘Common Life’
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Pieces of art on display at the museum |
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An exhibition ‘Common Life’, a realization
of Via Via The Meeting Place, took place at the National Natural History Museum
from 17 - 24 January. It was basically a dialogue on art, making art,
living from art in daily life, art as the will to create and art as a way
expressing things. Kathleen Bluekens explains further.
Art on ‘Common Life’
It was quite a surprising exhibition that
was created in the corridor of the National Natural History Museum in Arusha on
the 17th of January. The entrance, a set up of a small eating room
with a painting on life in the villages of Tanzania on the wall, brought us in
the right atmosphere.
The artworks that were displayed were a mix
of different styles and techniques. In an attempt to draw a line between arts
and crafts, this time, no crafts were displayed. About fifteen artists joined.
There interpretation of the theme ‘common life’ varied. Some artists pictured
common scenes out of every day life, like the work ‘Bao’, colored pencils on
paper, from Joseph Laizer or the work ‘Life in Swahili areas’, oil paint on
canvas, from Felix Jacob. The one photographer that joined, made a picture of a
family taking a family picture, ‘It’s all about timing’.
The original work ‘Violence at home’ by
Palladin William, shows in a very colorful way, how people forget their marriage
vows; every day living together and dealing with all kinds of problems, can
create a structure of every day violence in the family.
Some artists, like Charlotte Hill for
example, took things out of common life and turned it into a beautiful piece of
art. Also the Masai and Barbaig necklaces and decorated gourds, or the Barbaig
ceremony clothing, show how some traditional objects, used in common traditional
life, are fine pieces of art.
On this opening day, a discussing between
artists and visitors was held. We brought some beginning artists from Nambala to
the opening ceremony, to give them a chance to see what an exhibition is and to
talk to some artists about art. The main conclusion from the discussion is that
art can be creative or natural, art has to attract and art can give a message.
Living in Tanzania, it is good for an
artist to be able to sell his or her work, and gain some income out of this art
activity. Therefore some knowledge on how to run a business is for sure a big
step forward.
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