From conception to six months old, is the Tanzanian father involved?

Safina Kimbokota & Eltayeb Dawelbait 'Memories of the Unknown'

By Caroline Uliwa

Beauty by Safina Kimbokota
'Memories of the Unknown'

Ambient yellow lights welcomed us in to the showroom at Alliance Francais in Dar es Salaam on the opening night of ‘Memories of the Unknown’. An exhibition featuring artworks by Tanzanian’s Safina Kimbokota and Kenya’s Eltayeb Dawelbait, it was a delight navigating this exhibit such I went in on another day from the oppening. 

I was struck most by Safina’s artworks with several metal sculptures of life size proportions, highlighting a clear statement of motherhood, reverberating throughout the exhibit. Still the paintings lining the walls of the showroom by Eltayeb were also very striking, echoing a strong message of identity and beauty in forgotten spaces.

From left Eltayeb Dawelbait,
Safina Kimbokota and the director
of Aliance Francais
Flora Valleur at the oppening of
this exhibition

The inscription, ‘Often when I am alone without my child, people are fascinated by the art I make. But to be proficient in my work I must practice a lot. When I exercise I must have my baby too. And once I want to breastfeed I want to have that freedom too...’ on the artwork ‘breaking the barrier’ by Safina. 

Ventures into a daring topic as it zooms on the journey that is scant celebrated or aptly publicly discussed in Tanzania. That of women in their conception journey to becoming mothers. 

“Truthfully in Tanzania fathers have still been keeping themselves absent or aloof in the rearing of pregnancies till the baby is born.” Safina shared when I got the chance to find out her headspace while making these artworks. Her artworks in this exhibit ooze a cinematic elegance, with sculptures of steel wires as the predominant medium mixed in with African fabrics, plaster, elastic rubber, even hair.  Pieces like ‘Beauty’ showing a pregnant woman with angel wings, in plaster, steel & a mesh of African fabrics. Speak to the intention from the artist of celebrating the female form in the process of conception.

Spirit of Faces (Hyenna) by Eltayeb
Dawelbait as seen inside
'Memories of the Unknown'
exhbition still currently going
on in DSM Alliance Francais grounds.

Her inscription for the ‘breaking the barrier’ piece, an artwork jutting amicable intricacy with steel wires. Speaks to a worrying trend of women’s bodies being sexualized in Dar es Salaam, as they’re made to feel uncomfortable to breastfeed in public, a practice that wasn’t a norm in past decades.

Breaking the Barrier piece
 by Safina Kimbokota showing
inside the Álliance Francais
grounds in the
'memories of the unknown'
show till 20th Nov 2021

Eltayeb’s artworks, etchings with paints on the bedrock of discarded materials from demolished buildings mostly wood. Oozed a tranquil rugged beauty, with portraits that are distinctly abstract almost violent in their doodling yet oozing a strong personality. Attesting his extensive experience as a notable fine artist from Nairobi, having exhibited extensively in countries like Italy, UK, Germany, Canada and so forth. 

Curator Asteria Malinzi (left)
speaking to a guest at the
'Memories of the Unknown'
opening night

“Our idea is to have thought provoking artworks which is why at our gallery Rangi. We’re happy to exhibit works that we hope to sell but also at the same time bring dialogue and conversations that are meaningful…Our first priority is to give artists a platform to explore ideas freely.” Asteria Malinzi the curator for this exhibition from Rangi Gallery adds. 

Rangi are the co curators of this exhibition together wirh Alliance Francais, so far one painting ‘Spirit of Faces’ by Eltayeb Dawelbait 100cm* 100cm- 4,000USD has been sold. And while the prices are a bit steep for the local market, the curators support their artists’ decision in pricing their works for they are of international quality. 

The director of Alliance Francais Mme Flora Valleur urged the audience present to share news of this exhibition which will run till the 20^th of November. “We would like to thank Safina & Eltayeb for their notable dedication, please enjoy the exhibition.” The artworks by Safina’s were produced within 25 days, a hefty feat indeed. Be sure to visit the showroom at Alliance in Dar es Salaam if in the city in the next couple of days it’s worth it.

Photos by Matei Babu courtsey of Alliance Francais Dar es Salaam

n.b. this article was first published in The East African newspaper with this link theeastafrican Safina Eltayeb Memories of the Unknown