African Heritage marks 40 years of a unique and important role in nourishing the cultural and artistic ideals of Pan Africanism. Alan Donovan, in partnership with Joseph Murumbi (retired Foreign Minister and 2nd Vice President of Kenya) and his wife, Sheila, founded the continent’s first Pan African gallery in 1972. 40 years on, African Heritage has left legacies in the world of jewellery and fashion, arts and crafts, music and dance, and architecture.
Alliance Française presents a series of activities that will showcase works by some of the giants of African Heritage over the years. African Heritage crafts and shows are now carried on by Makena Mwiraria.
There will also be a display of the spectacular Kuba cloths from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Alan Donovan with Crown Prince Kwete Kwete of the Kingdom of Kuba will petition UNESCO to recognize the tremendous impact these textiles had on 20th century. Kuba traditions will feature in African Ceremonies Vol. III and IV by acclaimed photographers Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher, associated with African Heritage since its inception.
EXHIBITION BY EAST AFRICA’S PIONEER ARTISTS
Venue: Alliance Française galleries,
Dates: April 12-29 2012
Artworks by some of the pioneer artists of East Africa, who struggled against tremendous odds immediately after independence to obtain the best education possible in the arts will be on show. These include:
Francis Nnaggenda. dean of all East African artists who later became Chairman of the Fine Arts Department of Makerere Univesity, will present the feature exhibition with his new artworks.
Elkana Ongesa. who was the first of a long line of Kisii stone carvers to obtain degrees in Fine Arts.
Magdalene Odundo. whose ceramic works rival the kind of awe that inspired the early ‘modern’ European artists.
John Odochameny. who taught sculpture at African Heritage and has inspired many younger sculptors.
Expedito Mwebe. an exceptionally talented and innovative artist, designer and builder,
Sanaa Gateja. who has taught and exhibited for many years in Africa and Europe and who continues to experiment with the use of local African materials in new mediums.
