Visual artists celebrate success

Visual artists who participated in the three-day Art in the Park exhibition in Lilongwe have described the event as a success.

The biannual event, organised by Wildlife  and Environmental Society of Malawi (Wesm) and other partners aims at providing a platform where various visual artists can showcase their work and interact.

Wesm board chairperson Nick Hall said they organised the event to garner more recognition for the visual arts sector.

“We are trying to attract more Malawians to recognise the wonderful work of visual artists in the country because this is a Malawian product and it should be appreciated by Malawians themselves,” he said.

From Thursday, the opening night to Sunday, artists turned Four Seasons Garden into a lively hub of artistic expression of various canvases depicting different themes of their work as they showcased their talent.

By the last day, many artists commended the event and shared the joy at the success of the exhibition.

“This event has been a success. It is satisfying to see my artwork resonate with others and find new homes,” said Jethro Longwe, one of the participants who sold eight out of his 10 paintings during the exhibition.

He said besides selling, he received commissions from various patrons and indicated that he will be busy over the next few weeks.

Another artist Ivy Mitayi also shared her excitement at how the event turned out for her.

She said: “I came to the park with seven paintings and I’m glad to leave with only one painting and more commissions for other works that I will be working on.”

Mitayi said compared to the last time she was there, this year’s experience exceeded her expectations.

However, not every artist’s journey ended in immediate sales, but Josam Kapsata, who made no sale, remained optimistic, saying: “I did not make any sales, but I received three commissions. It is heartwarming to know that my art has sparked interest and I’m excited to bring new visions to life.”

The event held under the theme ‘People and environment’ and had 43 exhibitors, including Jimmy Malinga, Madalitso Ziwaoh, Nyangu Chodola, Jethro Longwe and Kudakwache Chuma.