Once again part of the Lechwe Trust art collection has come out of its cocoon to adorn the foyer at the United States Embassy in Lusaka.
This is the first time the American government is hosting Zambian art at its relatively new embassy after the American Center (in Lusaka) hosted a series of important exhibitions during the pinnacle of pioneering Zambia’s contemporary art scene.
The current display at the American Embassy somewhat brings the nostalgia of the late 1970’s and the early 1980’s when a dynamic crop of artists emerged.
It was just the beginning of a second decade after the country’s independence; the memories of the freedom struggle and the euphoria that followed after political freedom was fairly fresh.
Noticeably, art deals with social, religious, political and aesthetic expression of a society at a given time.
The Lechwe Trust art collection has effectively chronicled Zambian culture only shoved in a container because the anthology has no permanent gallery.
However, even the few works on display at the American Embassy takes the viewer into the avenues of Zambia’s social and political journey.
I was filled with melancholy to view works of fallen artists such as Godfrey Setti, Friday Tembo, Shadrick Simukanga and Lutanda Mwamba, among other departed artists.
Lutanda, a multi-talented printmaker ,died recently leaving a legacy of some of the country’s best prints.
“Beer party”, a sculptural work by the late Friday Tembo radiates his creative footprint that is in many collections at home and abroad.
Friday, a quarry miner-turned-sculptor, was a versatile self-taught artist who employed ebony wood and other mixed medium to form some ethnic inspired-sculptures.
Somewhere in the exhibition there is a display with pencil drawings by the late Shadrick Simukanga.
Shadrick’s skill in still-life drawing was exceptional. In the current exhibition his self-portrait is displayed among other portraits of fellow artists that he probably did as a pastime.
His major drawing commission was to draw the Zambia Army commanders for their Lusaka headquarters.
A discourse on Zambia art can never be complete without the mention of artists such as Henry Tayali, Flinto Chandia, Elisha Zulu, William Miko, and Aquila Simpasa and the likes of Dabson Njovu and Eddie Mumba.
The Lechwe Trust collection has the works of these celebrated artists, who are among the best talent to have come out of this country.
While some of their great works have been collected abroad, Lechwe Trust has strived to retain most of Zambia’s best art.
However, the importance and value of our cultural heritage chronicled by Lechwe Trust can effectively be appreciated in a permanent gallery.
Meanwhile, the Americans will continue having a glimpse into the Zambian cultural Panorama.
(DailyMail)
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