Windhoek
The new artworks of one of the Namibian talented visual artists, Homateni Ilovu, are currently shinning on display at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC), Restaurant La bonne Table until November 6.
Themed Poverty in Namibia, up to 17 artworks are on display focusing on how poverty affects Namibian people. “I chose the theme Poverty in Namibia because I want to show my audiences that poverty is real and is around us every day,” says Ilovu during the opening of the exhibit last Tuesday.He uses materials such as envelopes, newspapers, old clothes and scatted papers. One of the artworks titled Pauper Tale tells the story of a very poor person who survives on throw-away food from dustbins and uses old clothes, boxes and plastic bags to cover himself during winter. Mental Slavery, portrays how poverty affect children in school.
“In general, my art talks about how the upper generation helped us to be better today though it was not that a success, but to help the generation under us not to become victims of poverty that will affect the Namibian economic in the near future,” says Ilovu. He is an eclectic young artist interested in painting, drawing, and wood work amongst other. He studied at the College of the Arts (Cota). Despite his young age, his works has already gained some international recognition, having been exhibited in Germany and the United States (US) as part of a travelling exhibition on Gender Based Violence (GBV). He describes his work as committed to social matters.
“My artworks focuses on an exploration of found objects and discarded materials that were used to reflect the concept of poverty. The reclaimed materials are further used to explore a cubistic technique. These artworks cover aspects of consumerism and popular culture in which the status of poor and rich people of Katutura are identified,” he says.
The artworks explored printing techniques, in combination with drawing and collage”.
Caption: Some of the artworks by Homateni Ilovu currently on display at the Restaurant La bonne Table until November 6
Picture: Ilovu 1 and 2