HANNAH SILIYA, Lusaka
THE moment one takes a step into a gallery, they are catapulted to a myriad of stories embed in paint, with each having something different to say whether coated in fiery red beating drums from the Yombwe family of Livingstone or drowsy blue skies by Lusaka-based David Makala.
Many local painters across Zambia are sharing their stories of culture, society and taboo through art, but the question still remains; why are these stories not being bought?
The struggle of artisans to thrive in the Zambian art scene, sell their paintings or even get recognised on the global market is one gallery owner Candice Rogoff is too familiar with. She owns an art gallery, called Small Works Arts Gallery or SWAG in short in Lusaka’s Rhodespark. Candice is keen on promoting local artists and their journey on the international frontier.
She started her journey in the Zambian art industry seven years ago.
“Beginning of 2012, I opened an art supply store where I was importing materials into Zambia. Back then, I was under an umbrella previously known as Zebra Crossings Café and the lady who ran that business had a gallery, this made our businesses run smoothly together,” she narrates.http://epaper.daily-mail.co.zm/
CANDICE says she tends to give the underdog room to have an experience of exhibiting at the Small Art Works Gallery (SWAG). Picture right, a mixed media artwork by Mulenga Mulenga at SWAG.
