African Women Celebrated In Art

Kenya Wed 01-11-2006

African Women Celebrated In Art
By Emmanuel Mwendwa

It is impossible to resist the allure of her paintings, most of which pay homage to mothers of the African continent. Yet they are quite a turnaround from the landscapes and seascapes Kenyan artist Mary Ogembo started painting as a novice artist.

As her artistic perception sharpened Mary recalls a transformation spurred on by a nagging need to nurture her personal and professional growth. “My focus shifted, almost overnight, toward drawing paintings that celebrate lives and times of ordinary African women”, says Mary.

Her paintings are unlike their predecessors, which for decades had depicted the typical African woman in a negative light. Mary addresses diverse issues including motherhood and the challenges facing rural women, while also making the subjects look vibrant.

Currently based at the multi-disciplinary Godown Arts Centre in Nairobi, Mary is at forefront of an emergent generation of artists making an impression on Kenya’s visual art scene.

Her works distinctly stand out whenever showcased at local exhibitions, thanks to her signature flair, the positive side of the African woman. “Over time, I have developed a preference for using diverse colours, which merge and work well collectively. I like African women – whether admiring their physical beauty or traditional duties, these aspects are equally inspirational”, asserts Mary.

She reckons it is impossible to ignore the ephemeral beauty endowed to the continent’s womenfolk. The artist often focuses on a woman’s arms or feet, which she decorates, or even their ears, on which she foists ornaments. “But the images and characters that feature in my works are primarily dependent on the subject’s personality,” she notes.

Mary uses deft strokes in Old and Beautiful, to transform an evidently elderly woman, bestowing upon her a comely look. “I like working against the elements, to project more pronounced images. This effect is achieved by my backgrounds, which are deliberately more darker but warmer than the hues I use on the foreground,” she explains.

Her preferred technique is the palette knife, a tool that guarantees flexibility while also enhancing the depth and texture of her works. This is exemplified in Curtains Open, which offers the female subject a peep at the outside world. Mary’s other captivating paintings include Turkana Ladies, African Beauty, Why?, Brilliant Look. To Listen to Reason, Mummy’s Girl, Let It Be Done, Outlook, Summer Time, The Potter, Night Adventure, Young Maasai Bride and Homestead among others.

Besides gleaning ideas randomly from her daily surroundings, accomplished African female singers are also a great source of inspiration for Mary She recalls working on 'The Soloist' in tribute to South African diva Miriam Makeba, but as her muse unfolded she took on a much younger image.

But Mary points out that being an artist in Kenya is a challenge. “It takes patience, commitment, determination and tolerance. But access to internet has offered our artworks exposure to potential overseas buyers”, she notes. Despite previous lack of interest among her compatriots, she is happy ordinary Kenyans have begun acquiring a taste for visual art pieces.

“Until recently, art was perceived as an expensive venture owing to ignorance,” she says. But together with her colleagues, Mary has taken up the initiative to take artworks to the public. “We need more space to display our work. There are limited local galleries, booked throughout the year thus limiting exhibition options,” she notes

Ultimately, this young artist whose motifs portray the beauty, struggles or duties of African women with eye-catching finesse, hopes to bring out their aspirations to life, albeit on canvas.

Posted By: African Colours

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