High Fine Art visits Mlimani City Mall in DSM

By +Caroline Anande Uliwa

'My Dream' by upcoming fine artists Happy Robert
exhibited inside Mlimani City Mall last month in DSM

The skin takes on different shades perfumed by moods from the analysis of thought; I am looking at a painting by Happy Robert titled ‘the dream’. It’s captivating though simple a portrait of a modern African woman, this painting glides past cheesy with its realist tailored chaos of acrylic on canvas.

This end of year new year season, there was a riot of orchestrated colors inside one of the biggest shopping centers in Dar es Salaam, namely Mlimani City Mall.

“The country still doesn’t give enough support for fine artists; we don’t have enough galleries and or museums that regularly allow fine artists to showcase their works to the public. 

We then thought to join forces, ‘14 artists +’ was established early last year as a band of more than 14 Tanzanian fine artists, ranging from veterans with over 25 years experience like Raza Mohammed to new comers like Happy Robert. We’ve been to Kenya and other parts of Africa, in these two days we’re bringing our artworks to a bigger Tanzanian audience. So far the response has been good, audiences are asking questions on how we do it, where they can find us, they are even commissioning for new artworks.”

 mixed media on canvas the 'origami like birds'
by Masoud Kibwana shown at Mlimani City Mall
exhibited by 14 Artists + recently

Lutengano Mwakisopile shares, as chairman of ‘14 Artists +’, which hosted this Art Fair that saw more than 10 artists from Tanzania showcase their works.

Walking down the mid isle of the mall you’re stopped mid stride, as you keep noticing scintillating pieces on canvas. Among these was the origami like birds shown on canvas by Masoud Kibwana. This man’s star has been rising, currently having showcased his works in the Comoros, Seychelles, China, Kenya among others with artworks sold in the US through the UN. I was taken by the painting of birds in this exhibit, they looked to be flying out of the canvas.

Artwork by Muzu Sulemanji
exhbited inside Mlimani City Mall recently

His use of mixed media to include glue, canvas paper, acrylics was very clever. The painting has great contrast nuanced expertly in texture and color. https://www.masoudkibwanaarts.com/the-artist/ Talking with him he added “You know much of our work don’t end up with the local market, as our citizens don’t have the habit of seeing artworks in public spaces for appreciation analysis or critique. This was becoming a challenge, so we saw it’s necessary to combat this by trying to penetrate the local market...”

One can attest to his views as much of the local fine art exhibitions in the city are held inside cultural foreign embassy spaces, ensuring many of the consumers are foreign expatriates.

Painting by Evarist Chiakawe exhbited at
Mlimani City this month under
the '14 Artists +' exhibit in DSM

It looks like 14 Artists + intention of reaching more of Tanzania’s local audience was working as according to this Tanzanian man, “It’s a strategic move; I can see how they will attract the attention of millennials like me. Who often frequent M City and have never seen this. I am amazed by the extensive use of color and detail in these paintings. Like this one (pointing to a Vita Malulu), it looks like this guy hasn’t sold fish since morning.” adds Stefan Mgina.

Another onlooker going about her business had this to say “It’s exciting to see actually people very interested in these paintings. I can see people thinking, mmmh maybe I can put this in the new house I am moving into, I can see people thinking maybe if I move my furniture this will dad a da. It’s always great to meet the artists themselves like the legendary Raza Mohammed who I just bumped into.” Miss Tunu.

Realist paintings by Johnson Mnjindo
exhibited inside Mlimani City Mall in DSM

“It’s not like something we’re used to but art has always been here in the country, we have incredible artists. It was a coincidence for me to be here today, I normally don’t come to Mlimani City but I’m glad to just pop up here and find this amazing art. I have a great passion for art so I am very inspired we should encourage more of stuff like this… My favorite has been an artwork done by Haji chilonga, it’s a painting of a lady and a man called ‘zawadi’...” Brian Mushi another local onlooker shared his thoughts on this exhibition.

Artwork by Haji Chilonga exhibited inside
Mlimani City Mall under 14 artists +'recently

Johnson Mnjndo was another artist whose works caught my eye, his realist depicts are of an experts hand, exuding a grace that stains your memory. Another painter whose works gave off that gravitas which keeps you looking on, were pieces fine artist Evarist Chikawe. He has been in the industry since the mid 90’ s an apprentice of ‘Nyumba ya Sanaa’. In this exhibit his artwork of a woman seated on her limbs was a favorite of mine, true to his style of African abstract cubism if at all you can pin it. The harmony in color and sentiment sang off the canvas keeping me glued.

It’s commendable that these artists are forging a market on their own, still they’re challenges they should consider tackling like ensuring gender balance. There was only one female fine artist in this exhibit. Another challenge is the qualm of ‘artist becoming curator’, for instance the pricing for these artworks averaged 600,000 Tshs, with a few in the thousand dollar range.

'Expectations' by Happy Robert exhibited inside
Mlimani City Mall in DSM recently by '14 artists +'

Now some paintings were underpriced and some priced due to the name but not necessarily worthy in standard. You see if we had competent curators and the sponsors behind the business of art exhibiting properly incentivizing and critiquing these artists. Well perhaps we would have seen a theme explored by all the artworks present, which would further aid the audience in appreciating fine art by seeing a subject explored so diversely.

Painting by fine artist Thobias Minzi, \
mixed media on canvas with acrylic in his cubist realist style
as shown at Mlimani City Mall recently

Second we wouldn’t be met with the subtle but in my opinion real tragedy of having great experienced fine artists, showcasing artworks that are rushed or just short of the artists afore records. We also may not have seen repetitive now glaring off points in some artworks with tremendous effort given the scale of the paintings; a factor that a curator could have stopped midway. Well overall this was a super showcase given the circumstances, this exhibit was for two days 14th-15th Dec you can find out more from the 14 artists + by visiting https://www.facebook.com/The-14-PLUS-1912055682360749/

A realist impressionist artwork by 
Moses Luhanga exhibited inside
Mlimani City Mall recently

Picha hizi ni za kazi za wasanii na vivyo zina hatimiliki ya wasanii wa kazi hizo kama zilivyoandkwa kwenye maelezo. ALl these photos are of artworks which are copyrighted