Jacaranda Cultural Centre (JCC) in Blantyre on Saturday launched its first exposition this year docketed ‘The Beauty of Art’ featuring the works of six artists – three males and three females.
The six visual artists are Chinsinsi Matiya, Prudence Chivasa Dziopani, who trades as Prudent Art, Thandie Mjima, Maxwell Mambusha, Ronald Banda and William Chikomo.
JCC Director of Programmes Pachalo Zimba said despite not receiving good patronage, the launch was a success.
“People might have missed the launch but they still have a chance to come and support the artists and buy their works since the exhibition runs up to March 18 2023,” Zimba said.
She said they were looking at holding more exhibitions this year and that this exposition expresses the beauty of art as a mystery of life and a transformation of life experiences.
Matiya said she was grateful for the opportunity to exhibit her works.
“Life itself is art and that is the beauty of it. This has been my very first exhibition. Younger me would have never seen such an opportunity coming my way. I knew I loved art, particularly drawing only, but I never thought I would actually fall in love with painting and my love for art keeps growing each and every day,” she said.
Prudence, who is exhibiting three pieces, also bemoaned low patronage during the launch, stressing that there was a need for more awareness for people to start appreciating arts.
“We do what we do for the people and, so, we probably need to also focus much on marketing,” she said.
In her art pieces, Prudence, who is also an art teacher, said she is responding to ‘The Beauty of Art’ theme.
“There is a painting called nostalgia which is an expression of the pleasure and satisfaction I get from the artistic encounters I have each time I am producing art. There is also another one called ‘Beyond’, which is an expression of the bleak future of an artist and pretty much what we are experiencing now in the creative industry, where we do not know what to expect,” she said.
Chikomo, who is exhibiting four pieces, also expressed concern with the patronage but, with the exhibition running up to March 18, called upon people to patronise JCC and buy artworks.
