Visual artist Evelyn Chisambiro, who is the proprietor of Kaliso Art Gallery in Lilongwe, said on Monday that economic challenges that Malawians are going through at the moment have not spared the creative sector.
Chisambiro said due to low buying buyer among Malawians, artworks were not selling as hot cakes.
“To make matters worse, artworks are regarded as a luxury among some people,” Chisambiro said.
“People are holding on to their money to buy necessities, such that they do not have disposable income for artworks,” she added.
Chisambiro, who has also been active with Sip and Paint sessions, said there was a need for visual artists and the creative sector as a whole to keep having conversations in order to find markets for high value products.
“We cannot hike prices for artworks despite investing more in them because, somehow, some people regard them as a luxury,” Chisambiro said.
She was quick to say that art can bring about solutions to problems.
“We need to look at how we can be exporting art to make money with which to make ends meet. There is talent in Malawi,” Chisambiro said.
The artist is, through Kaliso Art Gallery, set to hold the second edition of the Female Visual Artists Art Exhibition titled ‘Chiphadzuwa’.
It will open on March 8 2025.
