Zanzibar artists
seek recognition
By Alice Aida Ayers
In 2000, the Stone Town of Zanzibar was inscribed as a World Heritage Site, one of the reasons being its "outstanding material manifestation of cultural fusion and harmonisation". As a result, traditional arts and culture have taken on a new importance.
Artisans and artifact dealers are enjoying a renewed interest expressed by visiting foreigners, who also play a significant role, through their purse-strings, in defining the culture of the
Ancient architecture, door carvings and traditional kanga designs have for long, been representative of the rich legacy of
But while these art forms have contributed to development of local culture, they are yet to assimilate modern infuences. And as is the case in many third-world nations, there exists in
kitsch art peddled
Yet one can not deny fact that there is an overabundance of kitsch art being peddled on the streets of Stone Town, one can see dozens of shops carrying the same mass produced, poor quality pieces of “African art” – a scenario also replicated and evident on the streets of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Nairobi (Kenya) and elsewhere in the continent. The bulk of these pieces of art – often categorized as curios, are neither indigenous to the islands nor representative of diverse culture prevalent in 
art connoisseurs – those who distinguish genuine creativity from purely commercial-driven art.
According to UNESCO, "heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations". So what about the future generations? As the global spotlight beams upon
From the standpoint of being an arts instructor and educator, it is pertinent to note the existence of a local university offering a four-year degree, yet it does not have any component in the curriculum related to the arts – is preposterous. In order to nurture all-rounded citizens, this requires relevant exposure to the sciences, as well as the arts. But that could be fodder for a debate in the near future. For now its imperative to note that indigenous artists, have for so long been denied space for exposure of their work locally.
Unfettered appreciation for East African art was nonetheless evident recently when paintings credited to several Zanzibari artists featured during a traveling exhibition held in the 
showcase was sponsored by the Zanzibari-based local NGO ‘Creative Solutions Resource Systems’. Numerous works of art done by eight artists were displayed in
source of creation
An estimated more than a hundred people were drawn to both events at each venue, whereby several pieces were purchased. These works were not displayed as crafts or tourist art, but as fine art thus commanding commensurate price tags. The experience brings to fore the point of recognition of indigenous art at the source of creation – in this case an East African setting. Whereas these Zanzibari paintings were celebrated in the
It is an exciting opportunity for an artist to exhibit his or her work outside of their country of birth, but is it not a greater accomplishment to be recognized as contributor to one’s own
society or community. Artists from the
There are artists who are committed to improving creative skills and in the process nurture their potential to contribute significantly not only to bolster the island’s image but its economy’s growth as well. The time has come for Zanzibaris to recognize local visual artists, take time to understand their creativity, art that they produce collectively, ask related questions and ultimately collect the artists’ paintings to adorn walls in their homes and workplaces.
image credits: Aida Ayers
& AfricanColours archives
© AfricanColours 2006.
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