ABOUT MALAWI - ARTISTS

The life, colours and contours of Malawi lend themselves to painting. Sometimes everywhere you look there is another picture. Painting causes an interaction that is seldom found between tourists and Malawians. 

It’s also thoroughly absorbing and addictive. Trying to record a sunset or a market scene in colour, or a moving elephant in line can be the most intense experience as you observe and allow the feeling of the environment to combine into image through your hand onto paper. If you don’t want to create art yourselves, you can buy it.

The art scene in Malawi is not limited to the stylised paintings that you will be tempted to buy on the beaches and streets. Amongst the street art are paintings, batiks and drawings that encapsulate some of the wit, striking looks and movements of many Malawians.

Malawi has only very few internationally recognised artists. Amongst them are two who straddle the western world and Malawi. Both are based in the UK, and have work that reflects both halves of their lives. 

The ‘new contemporary, Samson Kambalu, is currently winning awards for his conceptual work, while painter David Kelly uses his deep knowledge and understanding of the African bush to make canvasses come alive with the wildlife of the national parks.

In Blantyre, artists to look out for include Aaron Banda, and David Matoto (both highly collectable for birds and village scenes respectively) as well as Brian Hara, Jomwe, Innocent Willinga, Lovemore Kankhwani, Ellies Singano and Boston Mbale, all of whom exhibit at La Caverna at Mandala House.

A selection of artist also exhibit at central Africana book shop in Uta Waleza shopping centre. Lilongwe’s galleries include Mtendere art gallery in Mbico House along Chilambulu Road, Art-house Africa, behind the Hong Kong restaurant in the capital city as well as La Galleria in Old Town Mall. 

La Galleria champions all the top names including Nayangu Chodola, William Mwale, Elson Kambalu, Peter Mtungi, and Hughson Mbawa, Noel Bisia and Nixon Malamulo and Peter Chikondi.

The highlight of the visual arts calendar is without doubt the Wildlife Society Art Fest in Lilongwe each November where over 300 artists and crafts people exhibit.
Malawi has long been famous for its hard wood carvings, which have been exported all over the world. Very few of Malawi’s carvers have been credited by name but through Mua Mission and a couple of the galleries including Africa Habitat and La Caverna, some of the master carvers are now achieving a recognised status of excellence.
Pottery and ceramics are less common now that plastics have arrived, but clay pots of all sizes are still made in many areas. Dedza and Nkhotakota Potteries are the key places to buy glazed stone wear and where traditional clay pot and ceramics workshops take place. Malawi attracts more than its share for artistic visitors through Art Safari, a unique travel company which lays an equal emphasis on art and travel, with adventurous itineraries combining art tuition and Safari guiding. Many of Malawi’s artists have also benefited from its artist-in-residence scheme.