art-ist Photography: Martha Mukaiwa
ON SHOW IN THE CITY
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'Cardboard City' by Michelle Isaak
s Windhoek draws to the end of the 2021 arts season, the city still has some cultural events to add to your calendar. From a proudly Namibian moment on Showmax, a graduate exhibition at the National Art Gallery of Namibia as well as The Project Room’s final showcase for the year, here is what’s on artwise in the city.
COTA PRESENTS NEW BEGINNINGS
Let’s give a warm welcome to the College of the Arts’ graduates as they are officially introduced to the professional arts world. Currently on display at the National Art Gallery of Namibia, COTA’s New Beginnings continues its mandate of celebrating the research and creative scholarship of its alumni. While the effect of the pandemic can be seen in the exhibition’s relatively modest showing, it is also evident in the collection’s subject matter. The central installation and mixed media work by artist Taanyanda Matheus is particularly focused on the current crisis with C-19 Condolences both recalling and warning against the devastating trap of Covid-19 as we approach the socialising and merrymaking of the festive season. Also showcasing work by Michelle Isaak who builds striking, tiered, 2-D works from cardboard boxes to imagine multi-coloured cardboard cities and express interior states, New Beginnings presents a handful of intriguing artists and techniques but is, understandably, not as strong in its offering as before the pandemic. A watercolour by Lahiah Musimani is bold, beautiful and already sold while works by Petrina Mathews, Jade Tune, Bewise Tjonga and Lee Murangi impress with their focused exploration of technique and style.
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