WINDHOEK-Well-known and one of the youngest visual artist, Hage Mukwendje, also known as only Hage is seriously making his marks when it comes to the arts industry.
Having participated in up to ten group exhibitions, the award winning Hage says he has achieved a lot when it come to his artistic journey and his works continues to grow and thrill art lovers. So far Hage has won the Merit Award in New Media Category at the Bank Windhoek Triennial Competition and came fifth at the United State of America (USA) Arts Awards in Hollywood last year. “I was also selected to participate and exhibit my artworks at the Weya World Event Young artists in Nottingham, England, this year as well as group exhibition in Finland,” says he.
Born 25 years ago in the northern part of the country, Hage’s work attempts to bridge the gap between his background as a rural boy and his life now in the city. “I am inspired by my surroundings and the everyday life of the people living around me,” Hage says adding that he started doing art at a very young age. “It is a natural talent bonded within me. I do my art with a lot of respect and determination. My creativity comes from my heart but not from my peers who are involved in arts. I always try to do arts according to my own thoughts and style without referring to someone else’s artwork,” says he.
Hage usually uses media such as pencil, charcoal, pastels, painting, collage and mixed media to do his artworks. It was not easy for him growing up in a small village where people only take art as a hobby and not a possible career. Coming from a subsistence farming community where he had to look after goats and cattle after school, he always took a pencil and paper along with him to draw portraits of his friends for a minimal fee or sometimes for free. Lacking electricity he could also only do arts during the day or at school. “Art has a huge impact on society. Art has the ability to shape our society by reflecting on it, or criticising it. People make art to express themselves whether it will be their thoughts or emotions and this expression can be communicated powerfully to others,” says Hage.
This year, Hage exhibited at the B2 Gold, Mine Make A Change exhibition which was running at the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN). He plans to host his own solo exhibition next year.