What’s in a logo?

By Andrew Mulenga

Following the death of incumbent Zambian President Michael Chilufya Sata, the unprecedented presidential by-elections scheduled for 20 January 2015 are in full swing and it is during politically animated moments like this that the public is continuously bombarded with competing political party slogans, colours and branding.

Forum for Democracy and Development

Simple logic suggest that political parties operate on the premise of serving the people, but in order to do this they have to attract the multitudes and obviously when it comes to graphics it would not be advisable to do so by designing a sophisticated emblem that will confuse them, but this is not to say that what is on offer is any easier to read.

Nevertheless, it is also during times such as these when one really gets the opportunity to take a closer look at these party logos. Close scrutiny will show that the emblems of most of the country’s popular political groups (if not all of them) are extremely amateurish by design and execution.

They are obviously formulated in the minds of the political leaders and founders of the parties, individuals and perhaps groups whom possibly have no idea of graphic design but intend to encapsulate their vision in a symbol that can be easily recognised and printed on anything from posters, flags, t-shirts, caps, headed-paper and as seen in more recent times, condoms, as was the case in Rupiah Banda’s presidential failed campaign of 2011.

Movement for Multi-party Democracy

But without isolating any out or casting too much judgement on their aesthetics and of course with all due respect to their creativity, the designers that execute the final work on many of these emblems seem to break all the basic rules of logo design.

First, a logo should not lean too heavily on background colour to lessen the complication of reproduction such as printing in large quantities for black and white newspaper production. Second, the draughtsmanship on all them is pitiable to say the least. Third, a few of them are a little too wordy, with entire slogans and party agendas inserted in them.

Nevertheless, let us forget about judging the professional design of the logos or the creative abilities of those who created them. Let us just have some fun, let us play a game, just for jokes, whether you are a card or panga (machete) carrying member of any of the parties.

Let us look at the logos provided here, we obviously know to whom they belong, but do we all know what they mean or signify? In no particular order of preference or importance, one of them has an open palm set against a yellow backdrop as the main feature,; one has two people in a banana boat with a dove flying towards them, one has a hand with its index finger raise up, one has a valentine or perhaps a heart on the silhouette of an upper human torso, one has a hand bearing a torch whose flame is aglow with the national colours, one of them has its party initials set against the backdrop of the Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender (LGBT) flag, or perhaps it is just an ordinary rainbow.

United National Independence Party

Anyway, test yourself, how much do you know about the symbols in your party’s or the next parties logo? If you are on the bus, at home, work, in church or your favourite bar ask the person next to you how well they can interpret a party logo, chances are they cannot, which begs the question, do you really know what these political parties stand for if you do not know what their emblems represent?. Chances too, are that even the collective leadership of Zambia’s political parties cannot interpret their own logos, after all, a good number of them have been members of all parties in existence and may get things messed up along the way.

But also returning to the professional execution of these emblems or lack thereof, something is quite telling. If the logos seen here can pass for good design, it speaks volumes of the party’s care for aesthetically pleasing artwork which in turn suggests a considerable disregard for the visual arts and in turn does any of them really have a vision or passion for the arts beyond hidebound campaign songs. Meanwhile enjoy the guessing game with the logos.

Artists should embrace technology - Chiyesu

By Andrew Mulenga

He may be a graphic designer by profession, but Danny Chiyesu continues to juggle many hats which include those of an art teacher, photographer, painter, illustrator, arts administrator, music producer and magazine editor.

Kuomboka, 2014, (digital painting) by Danny Chiyesu

But of late, he has taken a liking to what he calls “digital painting”, which is basically producing computer aided artworks that he at times paints from scratch or composes by manipulating the photographs that he has taken in and around Ndola on the Copperbelt where he lives and works.

Printed on paper or canvas and framed behind glass, the works depict snap shots of street scenes, children at play, traditional dances and ceremonies as well as village and township life.

The single point perspective he applies in the work Firewood Carriers for instance implies movement, a forward motion that sucks viewers into the image giving them the feeling that they are among this group of three women carrying firewood on their heads on a long rural road. This also applies to Memories of Nsobe that depicts a mother and child on a bicycle and a long winding dirt road in the middle of a forest. It references an area outside the city of Ndola where one of the country’s youngest privately owned safari sites was established as Nsobe Game Camp in 2001. Kuomboka, a rendition of the Nalikwanda, the Royal Barge of the Lozi People of Western Province is just a blurry series of smudges and sweeping brush strokes but it is instantly identifiable as the familiar vessel that ferries the Litunga (king) from his compound at Lealui in the floodplains of the Zambezi River to Limulunga on higher ground every year.

“Ever since I moved away from the light table (illuminated desk used for graphic design), dropped the Rotring ink pen, embraced the digital camera and computer, I have never looked back. I have always looked forward and want to move with time. Today I am able to illustrate my comic strip Lole for the Speakout magazine using CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator (software),” explains Chiyesu “I do some of my paintings using computer programmes such as Painter Classic and Adobe Photoshop. I have found digital painting fascinating and fun to do. As a method of creating an art object, it adapts traditional painting medium such as acrylic paint, oils, ink, watercolour, etc. and applies the pigment to traditional carriers, such as woven canvas cloth, paper, and polyester and so on”.

Firewood Carriers, 2014, (digital painting) by Danny Chiyesu

Lole (pronounced Lol-ay), is a cartoon character that he developed for Speak Out a long running Catholic funded magazine, a monthly publication mainly targeted at school-going youths that focuses on the inculcation of wholesome lifestyles and spiritual values.

“Lole has been around since 1991. He comes from the name Lawrence. I developed him from my encounters with people I met on the streets”, he says of the popular character who is a staple on the magazines back page.

Chiyesu surely has an advantage of understanding the youthful mind-set because he taught art at Kansenshi Secondary School for close to a decade before he quit to join Mission Press as a full time Graphic Designer in 1999. Among his notable students at Kansenshi he counts Robert Kudlacs an architect now based in South Africa and Nsofwa Bowa the sculptor behind the David Livingstone statues at the Victoria Falls and the Livingston Museum.

But he too looked up to a few artists in his formative years namely Lawrence Yombwe, and his two art lecturers from the defunct Africa Literature Centre (ALC) in Mindolo, Kitwe the late Emmanuel Nsama the artist behind the 44-year old Njase Girls Christian murals in Choma and Aquila Simpasa the enigmatic and legendary artist to whom the original designs of the Freedom statue in Lusaka is attributed.

Memories of Nsobe, 2014, (digital painting) by Danny Chiyesu

“I went to ALC because I felt the training I had at Evelyn Hone College was not enough and it was strictly for teaching. Soon after Graduation in 1989, I was offered a job as assistant editor and artist for Speakout. While at ALC we were taught graphic design, photography (shooting and developing), print-making and painting,” explains the artist who holds two diplomas from the mentioned institutions “I emerged Best Student of the 1990-91 intake. The late Bishop Dennis de Jong paid for my studies at ALC but its Lawrence Yombwe a former student of the ALC encouraged me to enrol there, I met him at Evelyn Hone College. By the way, I was in the same class with his wife Aggie together with William Miko”.

He laments the closure of ALC describing it as a sad development for the nation in general and Copperbelt province in particular highlighting the fact that the school attracted students from as far as Canada and India through the World Council of Churches.

“My experience with Mr Nsama was great because it opened my art eyes more than ever...the man was humble and patient, he taught with passion, he led by example, he brought his own works to class for us to see. My painting with oil paint improved i began painting freely. I also enjoyed his print making tuitions,” he recalls of his years at ALC “We did silk screen printing, lino printing, block printing, tie and dye. We enjoyed his stories too, particularly his experiences in Canada. Mr Nsama remained my inspiration even after graduation. We would also meet during the National Arts Council meetings and workshops in Kitwe and Ndola. I was lucky to have met Akwila despite his mental status... he showed us a few tricks here and there.”

Chiyesu is also a co-founder of the Mukuba Arts Awards on the copperbelt, which was helped set into motion by the late art patron and outspoken champion of equal opportunity Father Miha Drevenšek, however, the awards have been facing challenges of late.

Tomatoe Vendors, 2014, (digital painting) by Danny Chiyesu

“Mukuba Awards are still on but we could not hold them last year due to lack of funds. Father’s (Miha) demise was a blow to the organization. Sponsors were hard to come by. They range from Mining & hiring companies, mobile phone providers, individual businessmen and NGOs involved in HIV/AIDS. Mission Press has played a big role too,” he says “Father Miha loved the arts so much that he dedicated his life to it. I started the Mukuba Awards alongside my fellow visual artist Davis Sichinsambwe. We told Father about the idea of hosting our own Copperbelt art awards, he was over the moon, and he loved the concept. He wasted no time and looked for sponsors from his friends in Europe. By the way Father died hours after helping organize Rabecca Malope’s show in 2011 in Ndola.”

Nevertheless, as much as the art scene in Ndola is thriving, Chiyesu explains that more needs to be done in terms of support structures for the artists.

“Slowly many people are becoming aware of art than ever before, I can say so far so good but we could do better. We rarely hold exhibitions, ever since the Ndola City Council re-possessed the Village Green amphitheatre, we have had less exhibitions. We depend on other places such as the Savoy and Mukuba Hotels, the International Trade Fair and Castle Lodge. But it is also very tough you rarely get new customers to buy your art,”

Dream Truckers, 2014, (digital painting) by Danny Chiyesu

“Shops selling art materials are urgently needed from paper, canvas, paints to brushes. We need art literature. We also need decentralization. Art should not only be centred on Lusaka. The Copperbelt just like many other provinces deserves to have art centres and exhibition galleries built, we also need more art schools and our young artists lack exposure as well.”

For sure, over the years, Ndola has been the home to a good number of prominent artists such as Adam Mwansa, Lawrence Yombwe, Friday Tembo, William Miko, Hughes Mwansa, Tom Mbumba, Jones Muna, Angela Kalunga and the more recent crop of Caleb Chisha and Emmanuel Chibaye proving that the city does have a pulsating spirit of creativity and an art gallery or centre like Chiyesu suggests should be well positioned.

Nevertheless, since 1988, the 48-year-old artist has exhibited in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Ndola, Kitwe, Lusaka and Livingstone. His work is featured in the Bank of Zambia, Lechwe Art Trust and the Villa Lucia collections.

As a graphic designer he has also been commissioned to design several logos including those of the Mulungushi University, the Northern Technical College (NORTEC), MARKS Motorways, Aquavita Mineral Water, Ndola Lime Company ltd and the Patents and Companies Registration Agency – Zambia (PACRA). He has also been running a registered art agency called Digital Majik since 2008.

Chiyesu lives the full life of a graphic designer, because by definition, a graphic designer is an art director, interface designer, web designer, layout designer, illustrator, painter, logo designer, photographer and visual journalist all in one. He urges fellow artists, particularly those in signage and outdoor advertising not to shy away from technology.

Danny Chiyesu

Artwatch announces cultural rights, creative freedom indaba

By Andrew Mulenga

Artwatch Africa, a project the Arterial Network (a continental network of creative practitioners with 5,000 members from 50 African countries) that “aims to assert, promote and defend artist rights and freedom of creative expression for artists and cultural practitioners in Africa” will from next week Monday hold a 3 day workshop at the ZAMCOM Lodge in Lusaka.

Artwatch Africa, which has its base in Cape Town South Africa, appointed two Zambian ambassadors for the project early this year namely award-winning filmmaker Musola Kaseketi and seasoned songbird and arts activist Saboi Imboela.

Targeting individuals and organisations within creative and media sectors, the workshop will focus on “Cultural rights and freedom of creative expression”, in a statement to Andrew Mulenga’s Hole In The Wall this week, one of Artwatch Africa’s two Zambian Ambassadors Musola Kaseketi stated “The purpose of the workshop is to enhance and deepen the understanding of Human Rights in the artists and media people.”

A project of Arterial Network, a continental network for artistic practitioners: “Artwatch Africa sets out to promote and defend the freedom of creative expression on the African continent. Through human rights training, public seminars, writing of articles and blogs, monitoring and reporting of censorship and repression, Artwatch Africa aims to empower local civil society actors within the arts, cultural, human rights and related sectors to defend the rights of artists and contribute to democracy building with-in Africa”.

According to the statement, the lead facilitator in attendance will be Nforchu Mabelle from Yaoundé, Cameroon, a thought-shaping human rights activist who works for the Human Rights Commission of her country.

Kaseketi - The purpose of the workshop is to enhance
and deepen the understanding of Human Rights
in the artists and media people

Kaseketi confirmed that participation will be drawn from a broad spectrum, namely NAMA-Film and Radio Association, Shakarongo Arts and Youth Academy, Yezi Arts Theatre and productions, International Film Festival Zambia Children In Media, Zambia Association of Musicians, Zambia Women Writers Association, Zambia Media Women Association, MISA-Zambia, Albinos National Association, Child Exposure in Zambian Arts (CHIEZA) Trust, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporations and Ministry of Tourism and Arts, Ministry of Information and Labour.

In an online media post early this year, shortly after her appointment, former Shatel songbird, Imboela reminded artistes that it was their right and duty to lobby government to ratify and implement international laws that relate to their freedom of creative expression.  

“Remember that Zambia is party to many International and regional human rights conventions that guarantee the protection of artistic expressions. Though some of these have not yet been domesticated, we can still draw on the rights or freedoms of expression, assembly, etc., that are guaranteed by our Republican Constitution. But like most African countries, while the Constitution provides for protections of freedom of expression, it places limits on what can be expressed. This has led to many radical songs and artists being banned or intimidated across the continent. Some artists have been kidnapped, tortured and even killed in different countries due to their artistic expressions,” stated Imboela in part “Like all other groups of people that advocate for the domestication of various ratified instruments that improve their wellbeing, artists in Zambia can also dialogue with government to domesticate some of these treaties. So far, Zambia adopted the definition of culture enshrined in the UNESCO Mexico City Declaration of 1982 on Cultural Policies to which Zambia is a signatory. The declaration was domesticated through the National Cultural Policy of June 2003.”

She indicated that being a member of the United Nations since 1964, Zambia recognizes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). In addition to the UDHR, Zambia is a signatory to the following international instruments; The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified in 1984; and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, also ratified in 1984. To date, Zambia is NOT party to the following instruments; UNESCO’s Recommendations concerning the Status of the Artist; The Rome Convention on Intellectual Property; and the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression.

Imboela - Remember that Zambia is party to many
International and regional human rights conventions
that guarantee the protection of artistic expressions

“However, Zambia is a signatory to the African Charter on Human and people’s rights, which is a regional instrument that was yet again ratified in 1984. From the above ratified instruments, it is clear that artistic and cultural rights are guaranteed in general human rights treaties, as all specific artistic conventions seem not to have been ratified by the country,” continued Imboela “Artwatch Africa aims to empower local civil society actors within the arts, cultural, human rights, and other related sectors to defend the rights of artists and contribute to democracy building in Africa.”

Artwatch Africa is premised on the understanding that freedom of expression is an essential condition for creative practice in the arts, and that to promote freedom of expression is to advance democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms on the continent. This is the first of many activities in Zambia, Kaseketi and Imboela make a formidable team which looks set to champion the projects cause fittingly.

Kaseketi has been a well-known activist since she was a Human Rights Advocate at Columbia University, she has founded Pachibwanse Corner, a future village and project to enhance the lives of women and girls with disabilities her award winning film Suwi also looked at the plight of the girl child and as CEO of the annual Shungu Namutitima International Film Festival (SHUNAFFoZ) she has seen to it that advocacy in the arts remains a staple. Imboela’s vast experience on the Zambian music scene since her days under Mondo Music’s Zambian popular music’s revival in the late 1990s backed by her degree in political science from the University of Zambia hold her in good stead, furthermore, she is Advocacy and Communications Coordinator at Save the Children “a child rights organization with a dual mandate that seeks to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children.”

Also helping to co-ordinate the forthcoming workshop are members of the Zambian chapter of Arterial Network, Clive Kawana a seasoned poet, author and educator and Betty Ngoma a screenwriter whose work on the popular television series Love Games has landed her a nomination for  The Graig Lungu Award for the Best Screen Writer at the National Association of Media Arts Awards scheduled for the Zambia Film, Television and Radio (ZAFTAR) week to take place from Sunday 7th to Friday 12th December, 2014.