...but has no qualms with polygamy
By
Andrew Mulenga
Women
and child abuse, polygamy and environmental awareness. A complex thread with which
Livingston-based artist Agnes Buya Yombwe weaves a rich tapestry in an
exhibition entitled Social Issues
that is now showing at the Livingston Museum.
Police Commissioner, Southern Province Brenda Muntemba with artist Agness Buya Yombwe at the openning of her art exhibition at the Livingston Museum |
Officially
opening the exhibition as guest of
honour last week, Commissioner of Police Southern Province, Brenda Muntemba says
looking at the art work she could see the artist simply reaching out and saying
abuse and gender based violence are wrong and should be stopped.
“You
have to go beyond the pictures, what I like is that she is talking about things
we are usually ashamed to talk about, things that we want to ignore and pretend
do not occur or exist,” said Muntemba in an interview “But the exhibition
itself goes beyond abuse because it challenges silence.”
Muntemba,
a strong advocate of non-violence against women added that we are brought-up in
a culture that says it is okay to suffer abuse as a woman.
Stop Women Abuse (mixed media) 75x60cm by Agness Yombwe |
“Sadly for us as police, one day she (the
wife) will wake up on the wrong side of the bed and stab her abusive husband
then for us the law will have to take its course regardless of the obvious
abuse that was a build up to the final act. We therefore need more people like
Agnes to come out and stop the silence.”
As
Muntemba says, Agnes’ message is loud and clear, stop the abuse. However, what
is thoroughly absorbing in her work is the playfulness with which she handles
material on such complicated and serious matters like wife batter.
A
typical example is a painting entitled “Stop Women Abuse”. It shows a woman in
stitches with a disfigured face depicted in a rudimentary and playful manner. Agnes
however explains the playfulness in some of her works.
“There
is an inner-child that is released when I am working, it just jumps out. That
is why I enjoy the times when I am working with children. I play; there is that
freedom I am able to bring out emotions freely without worrying too much.
Because the children themselves are sincere and true. “She explained after the
opening night.
She
also explained that she sees her work as a constant work in progress pointing
at a work entitled Rythms of the Heart she said it is a painting that she had
changed twice over the past two years.
“look
at this work for instance at first it had tears painted down its face, this was
a time when I was taking care of a relative who was admitted to a mental
hospital. But I rubbed them off... when things improved, the patient became better,
“she said.
Polygamy
constantly pops up in her work, and when asked to explain, Agnes gives a
somewhat controversial answer.
Polygamist (acrylic on canvas) 125 x 104 by Agness Buya Yombwe |
“I’m
Tumbuka by tribe, it’s in my family. One of my uncles has 14 wives. My own dad
was once encouraged to get another wife after having too many daughters and no
son. But he stood his ground and later had two sons and eight daughters”
“I can
say I sometimes support polygamy, because if a man can be honest and sincere
that he is not satisfied with one wife that is better than having several
girlfriends. It’s better that people
know where he is if he doesn’t come home, if you see most of my work it is just
one man and two women... it should never go beyond two women.”
Agnes
needs no introduction on the Zambian art scene. She is the feminine half of the
artistic couple Lawrence and Agnes, the duo set up shop in Livingstone opening WayiWayi Gallery and Studio after serving
as teachers for over 10 years in Botswana. A painter, sculptor, printmaker,
textile artist, administrator and jeweller. At 46, she is a mother of two
teenagers who splits her time by also being a wife and running classes and
workshops at the gallery.
She
graduated from Evelyn Hone College in 1989 and has attended training in the US,
Norway and the UK. She is viewed by many as being responsible for inspiring an
entire generation of young female artists in her wake.
Her current
exhibition could be best summed up in the words of “fellow artist and Lechwe
Art Trust Chairperson Cynthia Zukas:
I was
very lucky to be in Livingston so i can catch this wonderful exhibition by Agnes
Yombwe. I’m so impressed, her work about the abuse of women and children are
quite profound... and also her lighter works full of design and colour i really
wish her every success.”
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