Azael Langa holds pop-up exhibition at national arts gallery

ALFRED FORBESAZAEL Langa, a world-renowned South African artist, held a pop-up exhibition for his latest collection called Imbalance phenomenon of economy that was on display at the National Arts Gallery of Namibia from 10 to 14 November.

Langa is a visionary in his craft and takes the voice of the people and brings them to life in his artwork.

His main piece titled Heavy is the head that wears the crown: The handover, speaks of how the most important thing about accumulating memories is the ability to pass it on.

This piece shows the memories passed on from a mother to her child, the handover shows an ancestral handover of memories. This is Langas centrepiece from his collection and is on sale for over a million dollars.

This collection crosses borders and a cultural exchange, and focuses on the red-lining system, which deals with subjugation of segregation that is familiar to Namibian audiences through the history shared with South Africa from colonisation.

Langa has always had a passion for art growing up in an artistic family. His father used to bake and sketch his creations and his mother was a hairdresser.

Growing up, he was a quiet child and images were the only way he could express himself.

“I would steal the food colourant and mix it with white paint and thats how I started painting,” he says.

He draws inspiration from people, African people. He says looking at the beauty of where one comes from is what inspires him.

Langas technique is quite different from the normal artist, as he uses the smoke and ink technique. He says smoke is the only medium that is understood by all cultures and races.

“If there is smoke you know there is a fire or someone is communicating or there is a ritual.”

Langa has bought every piece he has created, and says it is not only a way of preserving a legacy for his kids but also having that memory. In all the pieces he has created, there is a blue house in his artwork, which holds the memory of his childhood home.

He has other projects in the works for 2022, and is working on a solo exhibition that will be showcased in Windhoek and a pop-up that will be done at Swakopmund.

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