Nambinga Paints The Spirit Of Africa

Frans Nambinga is a name one may recognise from group exhibitions, yet the talented Namibian artist says his last solo showing was 18 years ago.

After presenting ‘Namibia My Home’ at the National Art Gallery of Namibia in 2008, Nambinga makes his solo return with ‘The Spirit of Africa’.

Nambinga’s abstract, atmospheric acrylic paintings are currently on display at the Namibian Arts Association.

The collection is inspired by the wisdom, culture and peoples of the continent and comes to life in arresting, cloud-like canvases inviting of one’s own interpretations.

To answer the question of why he hasn’t had a solo in almost two decades, Nambinga says the reason is twofold. Firstly, whenever he’s approached local galleries, they’ve been fully booked for the year. Secondly, the artist has been busy.

“I work and the problem is time. I’m a DJ and I play music for events like birthdays, memorial services, weddings and funerals. We also do live-streaming,” he says.

When not working at events, the artist and College of the Arts alumnus runs the Frans Nambinga Art Training school at Katutura. At the school, children are encouraged to tap into their creativity, celebrate their culture and learn various life skills.

“I started an arts centre at Havana in 2018. We train children in art and teach them how to use use their creativity. We also have a kindergarten, daycare and pre-primary school,” Nambinga says.

“Art is creative and allows children to produce new things. It’s very motivating for them. After school, the children can be at the studio, rather than just being at home or on the streets.”

Returning to his own practice and from painting a mural in the north, Nambinga says his artworks convey various feelings and ideas about the continent.

“We have a beautiful country, a beautiful sky and beautiful cultures. We also have a lot of dignity,” Nambinga says. “Africa is a rich continent.”

Honouring the wisdom of Africa’s histories and its healers in paintings such as ‘The Wisdom’ and ‘African Muti’, Nambinga also takes a moment to venerate Namibia’s ancestors through his art.

“African muti is our traditional medicine. Some people don’t understand it. They say if you use herbs, maybe you are a witch. But these things are not witchcraft, they are tradition,” he says.

“Even now, our hospital says we don’t have enough medicine and we are suffering. But we don’t need to suffer. If you have a cough or a wound, your parents, grandmother or grandfather already taught you the plants you can use to treat yourself. African muti can also help us prevent disease.”

The wisdom of the elders is also acknowledged in ‘Fire of Ancestors’, which Nambinga says honours the likes of Hendrik Witbooi, Samuel Maherero, Mandume ya Ndemufayo and Hage Geingob.

“These are now our ancestors and before, when they were alive, they told us life can be difficult, but we must not give up and we must not lose our dignity,” Nambinga says.

“In our culture, when you’re married or when you build a new house, people make a fire and it means a blessing. There is no darkness and everything will be blessed.”

In a room that calls for a continental coming together in a piece titled ‘African Unity’, Nambinga also presents ‘Tomorrow belongs to people who prepare’, which speaks to the rise of outsourcing one’s creativity to technology.

“If you are not keeping yourself busy today, tomorrow you won’t have a good life. I teach young people to create and to depend on themselves. Nowadays, people are using technology and it’s very fast. But technology is not smarter than a person,” he says.

“A person thinks and can change. As an artist, I do abstract paintings, realistic paintings and mural painting. But if you’re always using machines, maybe you’ll become lazy and your knowledge and skill will decrease.”

Nambinga is currently painting a mural on an interior Namibian Arts Association gallery wall.

The beginning of his colourful, cloud-like images take shape in blue and yellow brush strokes. Asked what he hopes patrons will appreciate about the exhibition, he says: “I want to tell people to keep our dignity, our authority and our identity. Everything we do is in the spirit of Africa.”

Nambinga’s ‘The Spirit of Africa’ will be on display at the Namibian Arts Association in Windhoek until 31 July.

– martha@namibian.com.na; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram, marthamukaiwa.com

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