Etikettarkiv: art

Väggkonst i Gambia

Wide Open Walls (WOW) är ett konstprojekt i Gambia som startades av Lawrence Williams och Njogu Touray för cirka sju år sedan. Njogu är en av Gambias största konstnärer och arbetar heltid med konst. Han har även haft utställningar runt om i världen. Lawrence har varit bosatt i Gambia under 22 år och han är också en av grundarna för Makasutu Culture Forest / Mandina River Lodge som vi har skrivit om tidigare HÄR! Själva målningarna är häpnadsväckande och unika och väcker uppmärksamhet för alla som ser dem.

DSC_0918
Väggkonst i Banjul Foto: Fatou Lusi, Afropé

Wide Open Walls har i huvudsak målat i byarna Kubuneh, Galloya, Makumbaya och Bafuloto. De har även målat i mindre skala i byarna Kembujeh och Gunjur.

Målet med projektet är att göra om byarna till levande konstgallerier och ta inträde för att se målningarna. Pengarna kommer att gå till samhällsprojekt såsom utbildning, hälsovård, skogsbruk, återvinning och vattenresurser.

”Nästa år har vi en konstutställning på ett erkänt toppgalleri, Street Art Gallery, i London. Alla pengar som samlas in kommer att gå till att bygga ett allaktivitetshus / besökscenter i byn Galloya”, berättar Lawrence Williams när afrope.se kontaktar honom.

Citat från WOWs hemsida:

”Wide Open Walls är ett demokratiskt och interaktivt gatukonstprojekt som för konstnärer från olika håll i världen att manifestera gemensamt genom konsten, alla bra saker i livet, miljömedvetenhet, fred och respekt för våra kulturella värden. Som gambisk konstnär är det inspirerande att arbeta tillsammans med och dela med mina internationella vänner som gör en lång resa för att uppleva Africa. Samhällsandan kommer att leva vidare genom den här typen av projekt. Afrika och hela världen-förenas!Njogu Touray, Gambian artist”

Bildspel med WOWs målningar i Galloya:

 

 

Detta bildspel kräver JavaScript.

Bildspel med diverse olika målningar (Street art) i Gambia:

 

 

 

Detta bildspel kräver JavaScript.

 

 

Mer:

Makasutu – Naturens Mecka

WOW (Wide Open Walls) hemsida

WOW på Instagram

Wide Open Walls på Facebook

WOW på Mandina

Unurth om ROA in The Gambia

ROA runt om i Världen

Streetart Utopia

fatou Lusi dec 2013
Fatou Lusi

 

 

Gambia’s Isha Fofana prepares for Europe art exhibitions

Accomplished Gambian international artist, Isha Fofana, is currently intensifying her preparations ahead of her string of planned art exhibitions in several European countries.

Isha Fofana, known as “Mama Africa” is currently in Europe preparing for exhibitions in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Isha Fofana
Isha Fofana

The cultural ambassador is expected to work together with other artists from the International Artist Organisation and will hold workshops. In September, she is expected to participate in an international conference to be organised by the Women’s Museum Network. Fofana, according to her office, will deliver a speech and discuss with the participants from all over the world about the situation of women in West Africa, the role they are playing in the society and the chance African women have to improve the life of their families and their countries in general as well as the role art and culture can play towards the empowerment of women.

“This invitation is another great honour and a milestone in my life. I will represent my country and all women in West Africa. May the Almighty give me the power to show the world what women in Africa are capable of achieving,” she said in a press release issued by her

Award

Meanwhile, the artist also received an award from the Switzerland-based Gambia Friends Association. The accolade that was handed over to Isha by the director of The Gambia Friends Association, Madam Madeleine Lehmann, in Bern, Switzerland, recognised “her humanitarian and selfless work for the benefit of people, particularly women”.

“With her commitment and motivation she has helped so many people. We thank her especially for her noble work caring for the health of so many Gambians – and at the same time for her dedication with which she has supported our work as homeopaths and naturopaths. May she be a model for many other women in The Gambia and beyond,” read the citation of the award.

The charity has for the past 10 years been supporting social and health projects in The Gambia.

Reacting to the award, ‘Mama Africa’ said she felt excited receiving yet another prestigious award in recognition of her work.

She remarked: “Everything that I am doing is coming from my heart. I can’t see people suffering and that’s why I always try to help as much as possible. Sometimes my options are limited, but with the help of friends and associations like The Gambia Friends, we could solve a lot of problems. I’m very surprised but also very proud that I am the first person to have received this award not for my artistic work, but for my effort in trying to help our people. I am very grateful for this honour. Wherever I go, I will spread the news of the power of West African culture and the vision of Gambian women for a brighter future”.

It would be recalled that, six years ago, Isha Fofana returned to The Gambia after almost a 10-year international career abroad. During her time in Europe, she held many exhibitions, amongst them; the one staged alongside the UNESCO music awards ceremony for Youssou N ‘ Dour of Senegal and Oumou Sangaré of Mali. Her gallery in Germany was a cultural centre for people interested in arts and culture from Africa.

Many top-notch personalities in the field of art have vouched for her talent and skills, among them, the director of the museums in Aachen, Germany, Dr. Adam Öellers. She is expected back in The Gambia at the end of the year.

Hatab Fadera
Hatab Fadera

 

Prominent American artist pledges to promote tourism

Chez Guest & ObamaProminent American artist pledges to promote tourism, cultural exchange in Gambia
Renowned American artist who suggested the renaming of the famous
James Island to now Kunta Kinteh Island appears to be living no stone
unturned when it comes to fulfilling his role as the country’s
Goodwill Ambassador in the United States, pledging to ”promote tourism and cultural exchange in the country.”

Chaz Guest, a talented artist with many years of excellent
professional career, who visited The Gambia three years ago, has just
been named by the African Diaspora Tourism as the United States
national spokesperson for the upcoming 2014 International Roots
Festival taking place in The Gambia, West Africa from May 9-17.
The Organisation said Guest was chosen ”because of his notability, his
creative genius as an artist and because of his love for The Gambia
and its cultural heritage.”

But in an exclusive interview with TheGambia.nu Magazine, Guest, who
took part in the last International Roots Home Coming Festival, affirmed his commitment to sell The Gambia overseas and Chez Guest 1promote its rich cultural heritage.

”I am truly touched and deeply moved by this position. I take it very
seriously,” Guest reacted to this new appointment.

”I promote for people to come to the Smiling Coast, to enrich one’s
self in the culture. My role is to encourage tourism and cultural
exchange. I intend to do this in a very open way,” he reiterated.

A dedicated artist, Guest also shared his experience on African culture
when he first visited The Gambia and had the opportunity to attend a
rich cultural extravaganza as part of the 2011 International Roots Festival.

”I found it missing from my very existence. There is sadness to that,
but also in finding one’s self, it is a celebration as well. I found
African culture there in The Gambia, necessary to bring to the rest of
the world; such a little country with the biggest heart,” he noted.

The highly celebrated artist said even before his first Africa visit,Chez Guest 2
he always had that strong conviction that Africa was ”magic and
wonderful.”
” I was invited to what would be the changing aspect of my life. So my perception was that I was coming home,” he said.

With his experience and influence, Guest believes he can somehow
encourage others like him, who are completely disconnected with their
roots, to discover theirs as well. His argument is that when he
visited The Gambia, he found his own self completed.

”I want this for others because I see that they are lost. Looking for
the answer, you will find it here. We have been taught only negative
things of Africa, but now I see why they needed to keep such awesome
people apart!!! We are awesome! So this gap must be bridged,” he
concluded.

Hatab Fadera
Hatab Fadera