Visual artist Ellis Singano, who specialises in batik, stages another exhibition themed ‘The Aftermath of Cyclone freddy’ at Kaliso Art Gallery in Lilongwe starting Saturday through to August 12 2023.
This is a solo exhibition which comes barely three months after Singano teamed up with fellow artist David Mzengo to hold an exhibition titled ‘Conversation in Colour’ at Jacaranda Cultural Centre in Blantyre.
He said this is his fourth exhibition this year and that it will feature close to 15 pieces.
“I am dedicating all the paintings to all those, who were affected by Cyclone Freddy. We have had cyclones before but this one was devastating, we lost lives and property, we suffered a lot especially in the Southern Region and so, I am looking into before and after the cyclone,” Singano said.
He said through his art, he is looking at what is there now after cyclone and the life that people are into now.
“I am also paying tribute to those who lost lives due to cyclone. I am also looking at the love and unity that was there between people regardless of the differences, this is the spirit that we need to continue showing each other,” the Blantyre-based artist said.
Singano also said that through this exhibition, he wants to encourage fellow visual artists to rise up and keep themselves busy and reach out to the masses by holding exhibitions.
“As visual artists, we should not only wait for others to organise exhibitions for us, we also need to do it on our own. We need to wake up just like our fellow artists such as musicians, who are always doing events. We also need to reach out to the people through social media,” he said.
In another development, Musicians Union of Malawi (Mum) Thursday donated money to some of its members, who were affected directly and indirectly by Cyclone Freddy during an event held at JCC in Blantyre.
Some of the artists that benefited having been affected directly and received K80,000 each, included Gibo Pearson and veteran Patrick Simakweli whereas those, who were affected indirectly, included Princess Chitsulo, King James Phiri and Favoured Martha and pocketed K40,000 each.
Mum which partnered Mibawa in raising the resources also donated clothes and other items to people, who were affected by the cyclone in Chiradzulu District Thursday.
“We are thankful to Mibawa for helping us out. As musicians, we are a family and when our members are affected, we come together and support hence helping them out with something,” Mum President Vita Chirwa, said.
The music body mobilised resources through live shows which they held at among others, Mibawa Multipurpose Hall in Blantyre.
Simakweli, who had his house damaged, hailed Mum for the gesture.
Meanwhile, the 21st Generation and Cousin Vinnys has organised an event dubbed ‘Voices Unleashed’ on Sunday which aims at celebrating wellness through music and poetry and art in general.
Some of the artists that will star at the event include Joe Kells, Hyphen, Lord Timmy, Tee Mlinga, Nikiwe Mtema and Joseph Msemera.
