Tag Archives: namibia

Kiddo & Shiwoohamba exhibit in Berlin

Works by Paul Kiddo

Barely in Berlin and already I had the pleasure to view an exhibition by two Namibian artists, Paul Kiddo & Elia Shiwoohamba. On top of that, I could witness some of the positive results of the ‘shared experiences’ project, which I have co-founded four years ago and co-managed till the end of 2010.

Both artists have been on a two-month ‘shared experiences’ artist residency in Berlin in 2010, all expenses paid. During this time they got to know the exciting city of Berlin and its lively art scene, created new artworks and were able to make many valuable contacts. One such contact happened almost by chance when Paul Kiddo walked into a small gallery in Rigaer Str (Friedrichshein) and got talking to the owners, Lars & Ingolf Neumann. Later also Elia Shiwoohamba presented his works to the gallery. And now, only a few months after this meeting, the Grafik Studio Galerie is presenting the exhibition: Paul Kiddo & Elia Shiwoohamba – Grafik und Malerei aus Namibia (11May -13 June 2011)

The tastefully curated exhibition shows numerous works of both artists in their respective signature styles. Paul charms the audiences with his naïve realism oil-paintings of Namibian landscapes, Kolmann’s Kop buildings, wild animals and the tongue-in-cheek homestead sceneries, while Elia, who works mainly in cardboard prints and lino cuts, uses people and Namibian animals as his subject matter, with many interesting renderings of owls. The works are for sale at very reasonable prices (between 35€ and 420€).

If you are in Berlin anytime before the 13^th of June, do plan in a visit to this exhibition. The gallery can easily be reached with the public transport system, situated only a short walking distance from the Frankfurter Alee S-Bahn Station.

What great achievement for these two artists! I hope you make it even more worthwhile by supporting them with your visit and hopefully by buying one (or more) of their works! Also a warm Namibian “Thank you” to Mr Neumann of the Grafik Studio Galerie, who made this exhibition possible and for promoting Namibian art in Berlin.

: Opening Speech

: Guests at opening event

: Works by Elia Shiwoohamba

: Works by Paul Kiddo

Still Weeping – Four Years Later

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Shortly after completion 2007 – still standing tall

Transformation, change and a tribute to an old myth were the central topics of my land-art installation “Weeping Women” (2007). Based on the San myth about the origin of the huge salt pans at the famous Etosha National Park in Namibia, the artwork consisted of seven tall figures made out of rock-salt. The figures, representing the women who have cried so much for their murdered men and children, that their tears collected into a huge salt-lake, which eventually dried out, were intended to symbolically cry every time it rains. The pure raindrops would mix with the salt and create a natural tear solution, while at the same time also wear away the figures. The “Weeping Women” were meant to cry for all the sadness of the world and slowly wash away. Once they are gone, I hope, enough tears have flown and the world will be a better place.

By recreating the myth through my artwork, I hoped to raise the awareness about the myth, the violence we inflict on our fellow human beings and the pain and sadness of this world in general. But I also hope to offer a solution: although we need to be aware of the history, we should not get stuck in it with blaming and revenge, as this continues the vicious cycle. And just like the Christian myth of Lot’s wife, who could not let go of her past, we will turn into rigid, dry and bitter salt-pillars, unable to move forward. Through acknowledging our pain and emotions and releasing them through the salty tears we cry (and not through calls for or acts of revenge), we can mourn and heal.

The “Weeping Women” have now mourned for four rainy seasons, most of which were unusually heavy rains, with record rains recorded in Namibia during the past four months…. Maybe the world needs to cry a lot in our current times? Most of the “Weeping Women” have “done their duty” and have transformed, cried away and returned to the soil. One is still standing about 50cm high, hopefully crying her last tears during the next rainy season, after which the artwork will have disappeared and with it, hopefully also the need for further tears. I know, I am an eternal optimist and idealist…., that’s just me, but maybe I am not alone?

The last “woman” standing (17 April 2011)

To see more pictures of this work and its transformation, please click here.

Missing Artwork

Please help! This artwork of mine was last seen in October 2010 at my joint exhibition with Silke Berens “New Works” at Studio77 (Windhoek, Namibia). Unfortunately it has since disappeared (lost? stolen?) and I have never received it back.

Missing Artwork

Has anyone seen this work anywhere? I would really like it back and would be very grateful for any information about it!

A reward is offered to any information leading to the successful recovery of this artwork. Please send me a message on Facebook, my blog or twitter.

Would anybody steal an artwork in Namibia? That seems very unlikely. But on the other side, it seems very strange that it just disappeared into thin air… so I am still hoping that it will be found somewhere.

The work has a special story to it… ok, most of my artworks have, but this one is even more so. If I have time, I will write it down and share it with you on my blog soon.

Rainmaker

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Making rain???

Rain, rain, rain…. Namibia has not seen this much continuous rain in many years. I even hear some Namibians whispering softly, with guilty and apologetic looks, that maybe now it is enough rain… Too much of a good thing, is maybe also not that good. Even with flooding in the north, huge potholes in the roads and a yearning for some familiar sun and warmth, we dare not break the lucky spell by complaining. In Namibia we always want and need rain, we have seen too many droughts, been tormented with heat, water rations and desertification.

That is what I thought last year in May, when I was pondering about a motive for my next artwork: “In Namibia we always want and need rain.” It was a hot and sunny early afternoon at the Waterberg. My boyfriend and I were hiking on the mountain slope of the Waterberg Wilderness Lodge and I wanted to do a spontaneous site-specific (temporary) installation. So the easy solution was to make an image of a cloud and then to let it rain. Thought and done, this is how the “Rainmaker” artwork came into being. View more images here.

For some time I am contemplating the power of manifestation through art (either through music, dance, words or images) like for instance the “Rain Dance” preformed by many tribes for centuries and sadly often ridiculed and slowly being forgotten. What if the energy, which is set free through the creation of art – in whatever physical manifestation – is indeed a power much greater than we can imagine. And what if we can use art to manifest things we desire, like peace, love, happiness, health, wealth and…. rain?

And slowly I am wondering if it might have anything to do (in a small part) with the good rains which we are experiencing? And maybe the power of art is much bigger than even I could imagine? Which, if true, brings me to the even more important consideration: Be careful what you wish for…. because it might (or will?) come true.

I hope to still share much more with you on the subject of “manifestation through art” in the future, as it is an ongoing interest (and experiment) of mine.

By the way, the Waterberg Wilderness Lodge is a unique and extremely beautiful lodge, well worth a visit. The chalets are amazing, but for the budget traveler, they also have camping facilities available at a much cheaper cost then at NWR’s campsites next door (who additionally to the camping site charge entrance and vehicle fees etc.)

(As if to proof a point, it just started raining, AGAIN….)