One of Lilongwe’s art galleries, Tindozd’Afrique, is expanding its footprints with the opening of another art shop in the city.
Situated at Peermont The President’s Hotel, the new gallery is a continuation of a dream-turned-into-reality which came into fruition in July last year when the owner, Tendai Terry Mashanda, opened Tindozd’Afrique at Pacific Mall in Area 10.
The two add to the amazing work that existing galleries in the major cities of the country continue to do. In Blantyre, artists exhibit at La Caverna at Mandala House and Central Africana Bookshop. Lilongwe galleries include Mtendere Art Gallery, Art-house Africa as well as La Galleria in Old Town Mall and Mua Mission Gallery in Dedza.
“The new gallery is targeting the business class people mainly people coming from different parts of the world who are lodging at the hotel. As such, pieces of art found here are 80 percent local and a few others from across Africa. This is the continuation of the journey that started last year as the first shop has helped stock the new gallery,” explained Mashanda.
She stated that African art, especially that from Malawi, is not much respected; hence, opening the galleries with the aim of promoting it.
“African art is not respected much. We, as Africans, look down upon each other, but we have tasteful art in Malawi which can be displayed anywhere; say office, home or as a gift. This spurred me to open these places where a majority of artefacts are locally made. In the same vein, we are also promoting tourism,” she said.
Next year, Tindozd’Afrique plans to expand to Blantyre and Mzuzu.
Meanwhile, the art gallery will host its second art exhibition in October, which is expected to be a celebration of paintings, crafts, curios and wood carvings of different shapes and sizes, bead art, sculpture, furniture, textiles and all exotic pieces of art from Malawi under one roof.
