I like to believe that art should not only make you feel something but also move you to think. When I think about contemporary, thought-provoking Zambian art one name that sits at the foreground of my mind’s eye is that of Nukwase Tembo. Beyond the vivid colours and her confident brush strokes is the opening of your mind.
Making amazing strides in a male dominated industry, Nukwase has carved out a spot for herself not only for creating beautiful work that is pleasing to the eyes but also speaks to the feminine form. Her surrealist art often shows a woman’s form. Whether tied to nature or enraptured in a lover’s embrace, through her art Nukwase speaks to the strength, resilience, dynamic nature and sexuality of women.
“There are some things that words can’t fully express and those are the topics I tackle with my art. A lot of the time people will cringe at my work. Zambia is still a conservative country so the kind of work I do is deemed unconventional but I believe in authenticity and being true to who I am.”
Nukwase expresses that there is still a lot of space in the industry left for women to take up as visual artists. “Most of the time women are encouraged to practice their art and create pieces. Often, you’ll find that women tend to retire from the scene after they get married or have children. You must understand that creating art can be just as demanding as raising children.”
Culturally, our continent places a huge value on family and raising children. These values (coupled with many more) spill into the artistic workspace and can, for some, create shackles from which they cannot free themselves.
So how does one forge ahead to artistic lands, sailing on stormy unchartered creative seas? Nukwase believes the answer to that lies in simply being yourself.
“I’ve had people tell me that my work makes them uncomfortable but I don’t let that stop me from creating what I want to create,” she says.
“It’s actually interesting to see that even though we live in such a conservative country, that there is market for the work I create. Most of my clients are Zambians and it makes me happy to see more and more people growing to appreciate non-conventional Zambian art.”
Nukwase is currently taking up her space in the world and the Chena AIR2 program by creating some amazing pieces. Keep a look out for the final reveal!
