Artist Gift Mwandama, who is also a nurse, said on Wednesday that the country needs to rise and embrace the tattoo artistry which has potential to help in promoting Malawi’s culture.
Mwandama said this ahead of the launch of his Black Flame Ink Tattoo Studio in Lilongwe this coming weekend.
“Tattoos are not bad, they are there to decorate our bodies and so, we have to embrace them,” he said.
Combining his background in healthcare with his artistic proficiency, Mwandama is on a mission to showcase the beauty and depth of Malawi’s cultural heritage through tattoo artistry.
With the ability to master any style, Mwandama said he is dedicated to preserving and promoting the country’s traditional tattooing techniques.
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“I have been drawing since a tender age and I have kept on developing my skills as a pencil portrait artist. But later on I swapped the pencil for the tattoo pen,” he said.
Mwandama said he has ambitions to revolutionise tattoo artistry and breathe in more life.
“This is still new in the country and coming out to set up a professional, trusted and safe studio for tattooing is to show people that health and well-being must be prioritised alongside fine art,” he said.
Mwandama said he also decided to set up a professional tattoo studio having been contacted by a number of people to do so.
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“A number of Malawians have shown interest in having tattoos for a long time now, and there is need to have a high-quality space to get them done. To be done well, the process needs to take place in a sterile environment,” he said.
Mwandama said through tattooing, people will get an experience.
“I have invested in the highest quality equipment, needles, inks and consumables, and the whole studio space has been designed and purpose-built for discretion and comfort,” the artist, who works in black ink and colour, tailoring designs to any skin colour, said.
He said his growing interest is in authentic Malawian motifs.
“The studio’s name Black Flame is a tribute to Malawi. Flame is a literal translation of Malawi symbolising the vibrant spirit and resilience of the Malawian people. It represents the essence of Malawi, encapsulated in every tattoo created at Black Flame Ink,” Mwandama said.
Black Flame Ink is located at Kweza Creative hub, spearheaded by poet Q Malewezi.
“The music-centric hub offered by Kweza resonated with me. Again, let me say that the Malawi music industry, as a culture, is growing and so, I see tattoos and music inter-related.
“You can see a lot of international music artists have tattoos to represent who they are, and a lot more Malawians also want art on their skin. It signifies a huge growth in the market,” he said.
The launch this weekend will feature a number of activities including live tattooing demonstrations.
