A pop up exhibition 'The last time I saw'

The young girl at the presentation 
by Rehema Chachage

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A bunch of fine artists decided to exhibit their works under one roof recently, in Oysterbay Dar es Salaam. Curiously the ‘roof’ in question, is soon to be demolished and so the inspiration for the theme and title of the exhibition. ‘The last time I saw’ on it’s opening night, which occurred on the 10^th of March, under the steering of Nafasi Artspace with support from Food Lover’s Market.

Guests were first greeted by performances & hors d'oeuvres at the courtyard of ‘Food Lover’s. The turnout was excellent, best I’ve seen for an art exhibition in years. We saw MUDA dancers on that courtyard as well Sam King Kwizera, a dancer from Rwanda he gave a lovely Rwandan contemporary dance. We also saw Grace Matata serenade us with a ‘Sade’ cover ‘Sweetest taboo’; sadly time was running out, so we didn’t get the chance to hear more of her.

My favorite of the artworks by Nicholas 
Calvin at the exhibition 'The last time I saw'

As it was time to see the main event with fine artworks from; Ebony Verbond, Mawila Khamsin-Local, Cloud Chatanda, Rehema Chachage, Amani Abeid, Jan Van Esch, Delphine Buysse & guest artist Miguel Costales. 

Each of these artists had their own designated area in the residential house, opposite Food Lovers Market. So the ambiance was different for each of their presentations, such that one was really seeing several mini exhibitions within the one.

In this the exhibition didn’t succeed in reiterating one theme; some artists like Rehema Chachage & Nicholas Calvin speak to the theme-‘The last time I saw’, however the rest don’t really tie in with it. That aside the body of artworks presented is rich & vivid. Let’s quickly take a look at the ‘mini’ exhibitions in ‘The Last time I saw’.

I was very enthralled by Rehema Chachage’s presentation, you’d think because she exhibits her artworks in a bathroom. That her presentation would be lost by the derogatory connotations of the room, but no she made the space enhance her work. 

The video installation 'Letters to my Bibi' 
by Rehema Chachage in the exhibition
 'The Last time I saw'

On entering you spot a young girl behind a sheet of white see through fabric, herself clad in white, she is motionless. I had to look closely and see her bating her eyelashes; to confirm she was a person not a statue. Adjacent to the young girl is a haunting poem, written on a white sheet on the floor.

 “…traces on your limbs

Akin to the blooming of a creeping vine

Garbs as a sensuous wrapper of modesty

To which you are partially beholden

To the ritual of pleasing a wedge of thriving in a woman’s station” © Demere Kitunga 2014

As you travel the room you’re met with a video installation. Here a woman is sitting on a ‘kigoda’, with a ‘khanga’ around her waist her upper body bare. She has her back to us; periodically hands of another woman knead her back with a towel. The artwork is titled ‘Letters to my Bibi’, next to it is another literary piece. 

Artworks by Jan Van Esch a
t the exhibition 
'The Last time I saw'

This time it’s a letter by Orpah Mchikirwa again I’ll quote a few lines. “…Tell me though grandmother, did I have to wait this long, to know that some lessons take so long to be learnt? Take the mshanga for example. I thought it only helped soothe your hunger pangs. Never knew it centered you. That all women whenever they set off for battle, as they constantly battle to preserve life, even at the threat of losing their own! It centers them in triumph…”-Rumination with Orpah Mchikirwa

 

Rehema’s presentation is in a colorless with strong shades of white & black (from the bathroom, to the video and the literary texts), reinforcing a timelessness, a void. Akin to the journey of an African woman, tracing the lines of her history. As she holds on tight to the wisps of tradition & rituals, that remind her of the compassion & challenges fared by her bloodline past.

Amani Abeid’s presentation left me appreciating the patience & innovation, required to create good art.  Here Amani has challenged himself and gives us artworks entirely using Coffee on Paper, the result is beautiful realist snapshots of everyday life in Tanzania. 

The artwork 'Spine' by Delphine Buysse

“Mimi kama msanii, uwezo wangu wa kufikiria haukai tu kwenye wazo lenyewe; lakini ata kitu gani naweza tumia kufikisha lile wazo…Ni karatasi za ‘water colors’ ila huwa nachanganya na vitu tofauti. Kwa mfano kama hapa, kupata hii ‘pattern’ hivi, inabidi nichanganye na chumvi...”-Amani Abeid at the opening of ‘The last time I Saw’

The pieces are nostalgic in the way the coffee hues usher a romantic lens, some of my favorite include, ‘Waiting’ & ‘Guta Woman’. The details in each are astounding; the subjects are so alive such that they jump out of their confines to lock with your interpretation.

Another strong body of work in this exhibition came from Jan Van Esch. The best way to enjoy his exhibition was to take it a bit a t a time. I recall coming to his room more than once. You see his presentation is intense, the artworks span from years past to very recent. In a sense showing the evolution of Jan’s work since the 2009’s to date. 

Indeed this fine artist, who is also the current director of Nafasi Artspace, will soon be leaving the country. So perhaps this is the ‘last time’ we’re seeing his artworks in Tanzania.

'Waiting' by 
Amani Abeid-Coffee on Paper

His room in this exhibition had the case of a deranged man or stoned teenager, left with a marker and empty walls. There is a lot of sharp, rough texts on the walls; those I could read were angry, revealing frustration with ‘powers that be’. 

In juxtaposition his artworks, are clean and sophisticated. His wood collages come off serene and beautifully abstract, in their seeming hapless arrangement. Whereas the paintings again from different eras; showcase a style that is layered yet simple as the subjects though textured in color & line have a clean structure.

Nicholas Calvin took the subject of this exhibition with a simpler interpreation. He took on the perspective of the home owners of the house. So his photos's were all taken in the house. Where he tries to give 'the last photo album' of memories. And so we see food, we see conversation and a favorite of mine highlights the power of memory. With a shadow of a woman doubling itself as though in retrospect; Nicholas is one to watch for in the world of photographers in TZ. I just love his sensual aesthetic. 

Artwork by Nicholas Calvin 
in the exhibition 'The last time I saw'

Miguel gives a very peaceful aura with his figurines of silhouettes of people on the streets; his love for the beach is evident as is always. With sculptures of women in bikini’s from the 50’s and even a man carrying a shark! 

Its Delphine Buysse’s works that leave me ruffled, but in a good way. As I look at what looks like framed crumpled paper. Her artworks have influences from Japan though she is a native of France. Her presentation has two aspects, the photographs which are few and charming and the mixed media on frame, which in my opinion are the stronger of her works here. 

One in particular titled ‘Spine’, stood out for me. It was the less abstract of her works in this genre, still the description is very encompassing “Every nerve connected to the spine is like a potential way of introspection. You have to arm yourself, with patience to untangle every single link to the way of self understanding.”-Delphine Buysse on her artwork ‘Spine’

Mawila Khamsin a.k.a Local, surprises everyone by venturing away from his normal medium of expression ‘graffiti’; to painting realist images with permanent ink on wood.

Audiences discussing Delphine Buysse's work 
behind-mixed media at the exhibition 'The last time I saw'

It was refreshing to see this artist testing his boundaries, he’s clearly got talent and looking at his works here. It was endearing to still see aspects of Local, as the permanent ink is one also used in graffiti. As well though his subjects are realist, they still veered close to comic illustrations with ink, a style close to the graffiti urban theme. Here it’s refreshing to see Tanzanian subjects depicted in this medium not something you see every day. 

Yes ‘the last time I saw’ gives plenty to savor, you can still catch the exhibition if you’re in Dar es Salaam. It’s running till the 9^th of April…

Artwork by Nicholas Calvin in 
the exhibition 'The last time I saw'

Artwork by Miguel Costales

Photo artwork by Nicholas Calvin 
in the exhibition 'The Last time I saw'

Artworks on canvas by Miguel Costales

Artworks (Sculptures) by Miguel Costales

Delphine Buysse at the opening 
of the exhibition
 'The Last time I Saw'

Artwork by Delphine Buysse-mixed media

Photograph artworks by 
Delphine Buysse at the exhibition 'The Last time I Saw'

Artwork by Cloud Chatanda at exhibition
 'The last time I saw' in Oysterbay, DSM

Artwork by Cloud Chatanda at 
exhibition 'The last time I saw'
 in Oysterbay, DSM

Artwork by Cloud Chatanda at exhibition
 'The last time I saw' in Oysterbay, DSM

'The kind driver I saw' By Clouid 
Chatanda-Charcoal with acrylic on plywood

Artwork by Cloud Chatanda at 
the exhibition 
'The last time I saw' 
in Oysterbay, DSM

Artwork by Cloud Chatanda 
at exhibition
 'The last time I saw' in Oysterbay, DSM

'Love my husband' by 
Cloud Chatanda-mixed media on canvas

'Protection' by Amani Abeid- Coffee on Paper

Amani Abeid posing next to his artwork 
'Guta Woman'-Coffee on Paper 
at the oppening of 'The Last time I saw'

'Free them to play' by
 Amani Abeid-Coffee on paper

Artwork by Amani Abeid-Coffee on Paper

'Bao' by Amani Abeid-
Coffee on Paper at 
exhibition 'The last time I saw'

'The Village' by Amani Abeid-Coffee on Paper

The poem on the floor in the installation 
artwork by
Rehema Chachage in 'The Last time I saw'

Artwork by Jan Van Esch

Wood Collage by 
Jan Van Esch at the exhibition 
'The Last time I saw'

'Blue Square with five red pieces' 
by Jan Van Esch at 
the exhibition 'The Last time I saw'

Artwork by Jan Van Esch 
at the exhibition 'The Last time I saw'

Aerworks by Jan Van Esch-
mixed media on canvas 
at the exhibition 'The Last time I saw'

Artwork by Mawila Khamsin 
a.k.a Local at the 
exhibition 'The Last time I saw'

Works by Jan Van Esch 
at the exhibition 'The Last time I saw'

The slews of writing in the room where
 Jan Van Esch's works were
 in the exhibition 'The last time I saw'

Works by Mawila Khamsin a.k.a. 
Local- Permanent Ink on 
wood at 'The last time I saw'

Works by Mawila Khamsin a.k.a. Local-
Permanent Ink on wood at 'The last time I saw

An onlooker gazes at work by
Ebony Verbond at the oppening of
 'The last time I saw'

Crowds at the oppening of
 'The last time I saw' in Oysterbay, DSM

Crowds at the oppening of
 'The last time I saw' in Oysterbay, DSM

The house to be demolished that
 inspired the name of this
 exhibition 'The last time I saw'

Grace Matata serenading the 
crowd at the opening of 
'The Last time I saw' 
at Food Lover's market in Oyxterbay, DSM

Sam KIng Kwizera, dancing a
 contemporary Rwandan dance 
at the launch of 'The last time I saw'

Sam KIng Kwizera, dancing a 
contemporary Rwandan 
dance at the launch of 'The last time I saw'