Kaliso Art Gallery did a threehour live painting activity at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Friday, when whatever was in the room was captured on the canvas.
Led by visual artists Evelyn Chisambiro and Amabel Banda, Kaliso Art Gallery showed that women have what it takes to contribute to the growth of the creative industry.
The artwork they created was presented to President Lazarus Chakwera and First Lady Monica.
Kaliso Art Gallery was tasked to undertake the live painting session as part of activities marking Women’s History Month, which saw women from various sectors, including the creative industry, in attendance.
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“A lot of work was put into the assignment but we had to do it and show that Malawi has talented artists. It was even exciting in that we painted live at Kamuzu Palace in front of the President and the First Lady,” Chisambiro, who is the proprietor of Kaliso, said. Kaliso Art Gallery’s live painting session followed an art exhibition of nine female artists, including Chisambiro, dubbed Chiphadzuwa.
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It opened early this month and ended yesterday. “Amabel and I collaborated well to work on the painting and we are looking forward to more of such moments,” Chisambiro, who has also been engaged in sip and paint sessions, said.
Chakwera has showed commitment in supporting the creative sector in the country by assenting to the National Arts and Heritage Act that has paved the way for the establishment of National Arts and Heritage Council (Nahec).
He said during the event, at which some women were recognised, that women empowerment was key to national development.
“I will never find it acceptable to pay a woman less than a man for the same labour,” Chakwera told The Sunday Times. “I believe that empowering women financially is the fastest way to achieve the inclusive wealth and self-reliance [goals, as] espoused in the Malawi 2063 vision,” he added.
