Pricilla Mukokobi
Artist Jacobina Gideon is excited to showcase the painting she crafted while visiting Baker’s Bay in early October last year.
Her painting titled ‘Wonders around me’ now hangs on the walls of the Namibian Arts Association gallery in Windhoek, along with the artwork of 12 other artists who retreated to Baker’s Bay in the Tsau //Khaeb National Park (former Sperrgebiet) from 1 to 14 October.
She savours the “lovely” experience also because it was her first time in the area.
Gideon told VIBEZ! that she is not “really” inspired by anyone in this industry, but definitely nature, music and arts itself. However, as an artist, one has to find people who are already in the world of arts, and let them teach you. “In this industry, you have to work and paint. Paint and paint, mess it up and start again, and eventually you will get the paintings that you want,” she said.
“The arts industry is about layering reality,” she added.
Sculptor Elisia Nghidishange told VIBEZ! that her experience in Baker’s Bay was amazing, and she loved everything at the retreat.
She expressed how lucky she was to work with other artists.
“For an artist to come out, you need to work with the right people. As an artist, you cannot promote your work. Therefore, you need the right people to promote you,” she said.
Nghidishange added that she really wants to work and network with a lot of people, and her dream is slowly coming to light.
She produced her mixed media sculpture titled ‘The Latest Explorers’ after observing her co-participants on the retreat encountering this new environment. Organised by the StART Art Gallery, the Baker’s Bay Artists’ Exhibition opened on 2 March at the Namibian Arts Association, and ends on 24 March.
The other artists who are exhibiting are Hercules Viljoen, Kambezunda Ngavee, Isai Alfeus, Wayne Goliath, Rachel Sakeus, Ismael Shivute, John Kalunda, Nicky Marais, Maria Mbereshu, Ann Mary Gollifer and Mia Nel.
They produced artworks of various styles and mediums, but share the same set of distinctive conditions that formed them. It includes photographs, prints, paintings and mixed media sculptures, celebrating the unique biodiversity of the area.
An art talk with participating artists is set for 17 March.
This is the second iteration of the 2022 Baker’s Bay Artists’ Retreat Exhibition, following the first held in Oranjemund between 15 and 24 October 2022.
Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, Oranjemund Town Transformation Agency (OMDis) general manager Tony Bessinger said as a long-time miner, seeing Sperrgebiet through the eyes of the artists continues to surprise and delight him.
“Baker’s Bay is where an exploration camp was operational in the 1970s. The camp has long since been claimed back by nature, much like the other ghost town in Sperrgebiet. When I heard that we would be stationing a group of artists there for two weeks, I asked myself, what had these artists done to deserve such exile?”
Bessinger said the art on display is truly remarkable, and has become the gems they seek to unearth.