2013-11-08Staff Report 2 "WINDHOEK- To celebrate his 70th birth anniversary, the Arts Association Heritage Trust (AAHT) is hosting a commemorative exhibition of the late John Muafangejo at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC) on Monday. The exhibition will exhibit Muafangejo’s original artworks from his collection, accompanied by a catalogue and a poster commemorating his legacy. Muafangejo was widely considered as Namibia’s most famous artist in the 1990s and his works have been exhibited in Africa, Europe and the United States of America (USA) since his student years. No other Namibian artist has made such a crucial contribution to contemporary African art. His works are known and appreciated both for their graphic quality and for their authentic artistic expression which reflects African culture and the racial conflicts of the African continent. Muafangejo’s work is to a large extent autobiographical and often accompanied with explanatory texts which interpret the content in an emotive and humorous way. The tragedy of his early death denied him the experience of Namibia’s independence, to which he had contributed such a lasting and significant input through his critical and socio-political comments. In 1994 the John Muafangejo Art Centre (JMAC) was established in Windhoek in honour of the artist under the auspices of the National Art Gallery of Namibia. The JMAC is a centre that offers subsidised studio spaces for upcoming artists to meet and share ideas, skills and experiences to improve their standard of work and become professional artists. The Centre primarily focused on printmaking, offering classes in linocut, etching, intaglio and collagraph techniques. Gradually it developed into what it is today: an important art institution that facilitates various practical and innovative visual art programmes Running with the commemorative exhibition in the FNCC gallery is an exhibition of the current or former JMAC students or teachers who have been influenced to a great extent by Muafangejo’s legacy in the FNCC Restaurant on Thursday. The commemorative’ exhibition will run until December 13 while the ‘Legacy of John Muafangejo’ exhibition will run until January 17, 2014. All exhibitions will start at 18h30 and entrance is free.CAPTION: An artwork of the late John Muafangejo, titled ""We are Drinking Beer"", which will be among his other work that will be displayed at the commemorative exhibition, which opens at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC). Picture: Exhibition " 2013-11-08Staff Report 2
