Painting Malawian women on chitenje
For a Malawian woman, wearing chitenje is more than a fashion statement; it is a symbol of their dignity. But for German artist Kriss Heide, it is a beautiful canvass that can show the different faces of African women.
The artist, who has been in Malawi since January, is hosting an exhibition titled Two Yards that is inspired by the beauty of African women who proudly don their chitenje. The exhibition has been running since November 1 and ends this weekend.
“I decided to paint the portraits on these sophisticated prints. After some experiments, I found the way to prepare the fragile cloth for painting,” said Heide.
Against popular trend of mounting artworks on a wooden frame, the German artist decided to present the piece of textile as a whole.
“I preferred to leave the interesting edges with all their messages concerning the fabric and its production. In this way, we can appreciate those two yards of chitenje that women need for their skirts and all the other functions it fulfils in daily life,” said Heide.
She argues that in recent days, the chitenje industry is suffering from the competition brought in by imported second-hand clothes, but urges Malawians to open their eyes again for the beauty and authenticity of the chitenje, which part of African culture.
Heide is an art historian and artist from Germany. She obtained a PhD in history of arts from the Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University of Bonn. She studied art Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen.
The Two Yards exhibition is taking place at African Habitat Art and Craft Cafe along Kidney Crescent Road in Blantyre and is open from 9am to 4 pm from Monday to Saturday.
