Reflecting on time through art, decay and the impermanence of life

By Andrew Mulenga

In an interview shortly after his Master in Fine Art exhibition titled Time in between on 12 and 13 November at Rhodes University where he was in attendance for two years before returning home to Zambia, painter and art lecturer Patrick Mumba, who is also Head of Education Department (Social Sciences, Art and Music Diploma Programmes), also called upon Zambian professionals in the diaspora to consider returning home to help improve professional standards rather than criticize the status quo from abroad.

Dawn, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 168cm x 260cm
by Patrick Mumba

By style, Mumba is an abstract painter, meaning his work is none-representational and does not intend to mirror reality, so in works such as Dawn, you do not expect to see a picture-perfect image of the rising sun on the horizon, but subtle references to the colours and the mood during that time of day, furthermore, in the context of his latest body of work, Dawn represents the time in between night and day.

“The abstract paintings in my exhibition address ‘in –between time’, engaging with the process of ageing and decaying. In this body of work I have painted various stages of ageing and death in living creatures and in plants, and the decay of objects and materials. I have linked this to the aesthetic process of moving from representational art to abstract art. My practice is concerned not only with the aesthetics of these paintings but also, more importantly, with translating each specific theme into the formal qualities of abstraction,” he explained.

Memories of Mpatamato, acrylic on canvas,
130cm x 168cm by Patrick Mumba

He pointed out that some of the works on display were inspired by notions of colonial greed, environmental concerns and personal experience driven by the concept that life itself is always a temporary situation, an idea he developed as Time in Between, the beginning and the ending, the young and the aged, the new and the old.

“In my practice I break down these dichotomies, questioning how abstraction engages with the relative notion of time and how this links to the process of ageing and decaying and how it affects our life span,” he added. The author was in fact privileged to accompany the artist during field research when he was cataloguing various stages of decay and corrosion which involved taking photographs at dump sites and scrap yards to reference elements such as tone and texture in his paintings.

My brothers wreath, 2015, acrylic on canvas,
168cmx260cm by Patrick Mumba

Independent research, under the observation of two supervisors, one for practical work (painting) and one for theory (writing), were the two main components of his MFA, and designed for substantially experienced artists, the complete study programme itself did not involve course work or the attending of lectures, which in turn demanded a considerable amount of discipline with regards a productive work ethic. Mumba did however attend numerous departmental roundtables as well as inter-university colloquiums as he is also an active member of the Visual and Performing Arts of Africa (ViPAA), a professional body of arts scholars that has its base in the Fine Art Department at Rhodes University.

Concerning his work process, Mumba confessed the challenges of the conditions in his studio space at the university which is situated in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape, where the weather is generally cold and wet all year round, not exactly an ideal setting for painting in acrylic, his preferred medium, more so in the kaleidoscope of brilliant colours that have become the signature of his palette. Therefore his painting process was quite slow and calculated, a layer of paint was only applied over another when it was completely dry to avoid the colours becoming murky and losing their brilliance. Under these conditions, it took him on average, one month to complete a painting, depending on the weather at times it took even longer.

Professor Tanya Poole gives an address on Mumba's
work as he listens on with wife Cynthia and daughter Busuma

Since the academic requirements demand that the exhibition be accompanied by theoretical research compiled in the form of a mini thesis for examination, for this he critiqued the western notion that “Africa abstract art” is not indeed “African” but a mere copy of “western Modernism”.

“Together the exhibition and the thesis analyse in depth abstraction and its role in’ African Modernism’. I have also related the theoretical and practical analysis of abstraction to scholarly debates on abstraction and ‘African Modernism’ arguing for multiple African Modernisms as, the notion of a single African Modernism is too homogenous. I have used a study of abstraction to interrogate notions of so called ‘African- ness’ or ‘Zambian-ness’ whilst simultaneously challenging the Western stereotypical view of African Modern Art”, said Mumba.

Mumba also spent long, late hours writing his
thesis in the Rhodes University library

A good portion of the paintings also address issues that concern global warming and climate change which is timely as according to scientists, the planet has experienced one of the hottest years on record. Similarly, the works also address deforestation in Zambia particularly in line with charcoal consumption as well as the despoiling of the landscape through the copper mining industry on the copper belt province where Mumba grew up.

Reflecting on his type of work and the Zambian art scene, he observed that the scene is relatively small and currently abstract art remains rare. He stressed that there is a tendency for Zambians and foreign collectors to think that abstract art is the preserve of Westerners and that Zambian artists should produce paintings that reflect picturesque scenes of wildlife, market places, landscapes and cultural ceremonies such as the Makishi. However, he cautioned artists against merely assuming an abstract style because it has a some what decorative character, but the work should be theoretically informed by research on issues that concern society at large. Likewise, even for those that paint in a representational manner, he advised them against merely reproducing the favoured market scenes and landscapes, but the work should be informed by key issues that can engage the audience to catalyse social change and promote public discourse across various sectors of society locally and globally.

Mumba shares a light moment with fellow
postgraduates Cassie (PhD) and Chiro (MFA)

He appealed to Zambian artists to make the effort of informing their work with research and try to document it as best as they can if contemporary Zambian art is to provide material for critical theoretic engagement as is the prevailing demand for international art practice not only within academia but on the worldwide art scene.

He pointed this out admitting the many challenges that Zambian artists face such as the lack of professional art critics, forums, journals as well as private and public support structures for their practice stressing for instance that Zambia, since independence in 1964 has had no school of Fine Art at any Government universities, and the highest qualification one can get from a public institution is an Art Teachers Diploma which is offered by his department at Evelyn Hone College  he  is hopeful that returning home, his newly acquired attitude will be placed into good use in trying to improve the situation although he admitted that this cannot be done single-handedly. He appreciated the efforts private institutions such as the Zambia Open University which produced its firs BA Fine Arts graduates last year, but acknowledged that while it was a good start, there is a lot of room for reinforcing the academic staff and improving the training facilities  if the graduates were to meet internationally accepted standards.

With reference to private support of the arts, he said artists will have to reorganise themselves if they are to be taken seriously and they should seriously venture into a door to door lobbying of corporate houses to sponsor exhibitions accompanied by catalogues and art books.

Concerning the latter, he bemoaned the fact that despite contemporary Zambian art being vibrant since independence, there are no books that have been written about it and he therefore faced serious challenges with regards reference material during the course of his research and constantly had to refer to books from West and South Africa which ironically, are mostly written by authors who have not lived on the African continent but have only experienced it momentarily.

Mumba adds his Masters degree to the BA Fine arts with honours he obtained from the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art in London in 1994 and the Art Teachers Diploma he acquired from the Evelyn Hone College in the 1980s. He has been a teacher and lecturer all his professional life, and ever the educationist, he advised artists that it is never too late to further ones studies if he can go on leave for two years and advance his own while in his early 50s, although he will not admit it, there is little doubt that he will pursue a PhD in the next few years, but for now, there is work to be done, in the time in between. Do not miss the two part series “2015 art scene highlights” starting next week.

Kangolo’s bags, furniture and trinkets are tops

By Andrew Mulenga

When jeweller Spider Kangolo was retrenched from the gem company that employed him for several years he was devastated and thought it was the end of the world. But a close friend advised him to capitalise on his creativity and the skills he had acquired.

An assortment of baskets that sell for
anything between K25 (approx. US$3) and K45

However, instead of continuing as a jeweller, seeing he did not have the capital to set up that sort of business, he took to collecting discarded bottle tops, creating them into all sorts of things from earrings to furniture and 15 years down the line he has perfected this skill and has emerged into what is almost a one man manufacturing industry.

“I started in 1998 here in Lusaka this is after I came here from the Copperbelt. I was inspired by Quentin Allen who I used to work with on the Copperbelt when I was a jeweller. But for what I’m doing now first I started with making waste paper bins then I started making anything, hats, and chairs lamp shades”, says Kangolo who has just been on the phone with a client from Livingstone, a backpacker’s lodge that ordered 10 lounge chairs.

He explains that although he does not have any staff working for him, he has an apprentice that helps him puncture the bottle tops that are collected every Monday for small fee from a number of bars and restaurants with which he has an agreement

The bar stools are among
the most popular of his products

“All I use is soft wire, just different sizes depending on what I am making whether earrings or fruit bowls and so on. The designs are also my own, I sketch them first and take these to a welder who does my frames when I’m doing furniture like bar stools which are the most popular”, he says.

He explains that he sells the bar stools for K200 but some of his clients that get them on wholesale are known to sell them for about double the price but this does not bother him.

“Business like any other has its ups and downs but yes otherwise I’m used I am managing. In the crafts market September and October is quite bad, but by the end of this month and up to December it is good because people start buying gifts for Christmas and the end of year,” he explains.

“But I also want to expand into something big because I don’t think I can manage the orders alone if you look at what happened recently someone just approached me to do 40 chairs and I spend about 4 hours on one bar stool and every bar stool takes about 220 bottle tops, so it is a lot of work and sometimes I work around the clock,” says Kangolo.

Kangolo has not invented the use of bottle tops for use in crafts at all but he has taken it to another level making very high quality products and raising standards. Although this kind of craft is common in South Africa and Zimbabwe, he appears to be the only one doing it consistently and so skilfully in Zambia which is why he is getting commissions from as far as Livingstone. One can only hope he manages to expand his workshop and further train his apprentices so that his company can grow and he can probably employ more youths helping to contribute towards job creation and poverty reduction.

His earrings, pen holders, bar stools and basket handbags can all be purchased from selected craft outlets such as Ababa House on Addis Ababa Road, the Art Academy without Walls in the Lusaka showgrounds from where he sometimes operates or the Sunday market at Arcades, and since it is that time of the year, why not visit one of these places and surprise a friend, or loved one with something unusually Zambian. 

Kangolo - December is usually good
because people start buying gifts for Christmas

David Chibwe: painter, printmaker extraordinaire

By Andrew Mulenga

There are a few artists in Zambia that can boast the consistency of David Chibwe, a painter and printmaker that has been active on the Lusaka art scene for well over 40 years, surviving on nothing but the coaching and production of art alone.

Akalela dance,  acrylic on canvas,
by David Chibwe

As focused and uninterrupted as his illustrious career may appear, it started on a rather flippant note when in 1970 as a teenager he left his parents’ home in Lubumbashi, Congo where his father, a Zambian missionary lived for many years.

“When I left the Congo I never went to see my relatives in Zambia, it was an adventure I didn’t even have money for transport but my friend sponsored me. We arrived in Ndola and were supposed to catch a train to Lusaka, by then it was 1 kwacha 18 ngwee per passenger but we only had 2 kwacha,” he recalls.

Luckily Chibwe had a box of watercolours, then they stumbled upon Kingston’s, a popular  stationary shop at the time, seeing the array of brushes, tubes and paper, the excited youths decided to invest.

“I told my friend let’s use the little money we had, when I convinced him we bought assorted material, and went to sit in the park next to the museum, we sat on the benches and I started making small abstract paintings, it was just after new year we were very young and a bit hung-over from a late night,” he recollects wearing a mischievous smile.

David Chibwe working at his home
in Kaunda Square Stage 1, Lusaka, Zambia

“We sold my paintings for two kwacha each, then we went to Savoy Hotel, I sat outside and started making some more, my friend was doing the selling and we ended up making over 30 kwacha which was a lot of money, we were still in the New Year mood so we went to a bar called the Under Tavern at Broadway”.

Having had their fun, the lads eventually managed to catch the train. When he got to Lusaka, Chibwe was able to locate his sister’s friend in Kamwala who took him in. He wasted no time and started selling, his paintings in Madras and Long acres.

“I used to sell door-to-door, I made allot of money, but four months later I went back to Lubumbashi and stayed there for 6 months before coming back to Lusaka,” he says “But in 1972 I met Edwin Manda, a famous actor who was also in charge of running the National Dance Troupe under the Cultural Services Department. He used to take them all over the world to perform but when he saw my work he gave me a job too.”

It was Manda that offered him a place at the Kabwata Cultural Village alongside craftsmen but then he [Manda] thought that it was not the place for the ambitious young Chibwe, who after all had undergone some formal art training at the Athens Royal School Likasi in 1964, the Academies of Fine Arts in 1967 and Artistic Humanities Des Beaux Arts, Lubumbashi, 

Less than a dollar a day, acrylic
on canvas, David Chibwe

Democratic Republic of Congo in 1969. He was clearly a cut above the rest.

“When Henry Tayali came back from studies in Germany, Mr Manda introduced me. Also Mr Tayali told me that the cultural village was no place for me,” he says.

 

It is Tayali who introduced him to the Art Centre Foundation (ACF) at the Evelyn Hone College, where he started working with Patrick Mweemba and Fackson Kulya until they were joined by the Choma-based, Dutch artist Bert Witkamp, Style Kunda and the youngest member of the group Vincentio Phiri. In fact in its day, under the leadership of Cynthia Zukas MBE and the late Bente Lorenz, the ACF was so organized it would host discussions every Thursday where they would invite and engage non-artists and key members of society.

 “We would just sit and talk about art, we even used to invite people like medical doctors and lawyers, so one doctor even gave us a contract to decorate the children’s wing at the University Teaching Hospital when we convinced him that art is therapeutic,” remembers the artist.

Dance to the rythm, acrylic on canvas,
by David Chibwe

Chibwe would later become a founder member of the Lusaka Artists Group which was operating under the Art Centre Foundation, but he explains the group was short lived because it was like having an organisation within an organisation.

He remembers the late 1970s and the early 1980s as being the golden age of art collection in Zambia; these are the days of the defunct Mpapa Gallery founded by Joan Piltcher with Heather Montgomery, Ruth Bush, Gwenda Chongwe and Zukas as board members.

“Mpapa Gallery were very strict and they did not just display anyone or anything, it is not like nowadays at the Visual Arts Council where the gallery is just showing anything,” he declares taking a swipe at the VAC run Henry Tayali Gallery in the Lusaka show grounds.

“In the 80s there was also an Indian who came to the Evelyn Hone College, he is the one who thought of commercialising the artists workshop he thought we should do silk screen, so we went to Lumumba Road and from there we started printing seed bags for Zamseed, but this guy was also a drug dealer he ended up being arrested at Bombay airport and the project died,” he adds.

Market place, acrylic on canvas, by David Chibwe

From his tales in the 1980s he also suggests that when there was a change of government at the turn of the decade those who came into power were simply not interested in art and this was a serious downturn.

“When the new president and cabinet do not appreciate art then that’s the end, there are very few Zambian ministers or even businessmen that can buy a painting from you today, not even for K1, 000 (one thousand kwacha) when you tell them the price they say ah! Even prominent black buyers like Mr Kapotwe it is just because he worked with Mr Sardanis for a very long time”, he alleges.

Vendors, linocut, by David Chibwe

For the most part, Chibwe has had a very illustrious career, enjoying significant commissions over the years. His linocut prints and paintings have been collected all over the world. Perhaps in the evening of his career, he now intends to retire to a small holding in Chongwe where he will teach and produce art, known for knocking from door to door seeking funding for the project proposal intended for an art village he tends to build there. It is sad to note however, that something does not add up, at 66 he appears to be older than he should; he is clearly stretching himself to make ends meet as well as get his project going. One feels he could have done better for himself than wait until he is not getting any younger and visibly weary, but such is life. Unlike many western countries that have retirement packages for aging artists, this is far from being a reality in Zambia.

Nevertheless, Chibwe remains a maestro, one of the Zambian greats his rhythmic brushstrokes still blend perfectly with his musical subject matter as can be seen in the paintings Akalela Dance and Dance to the Rhythm. The soft colour palette and mildly blurred visual effects that lend the artist his signature style will continue to charm us for ages. He lives and works from his home in Kaunda Square stage 1.