First Omaruru Art Fair Debuts Next Month

The quaint heart of Erongo will beat artistic next month as Omaruru hosts the inaugural Omaruru Art Fair (OAF).

Adding a second art festival to the small town’s calendar, distinct and not to be confused with the Omaruru Artist Trail, OAF is a fresh, contemporary and decentralising event highly focused on art and inclusivity.

Founded by Anette Meyer and championed by committee members Chris Johnston, Andrea Behnsen and Thomas Mausberg, OAF will take place over the weekend of 10 to 12 May and features 20 artists showing at two private residences, Omuntu Gardens – Peace and Sculptural Park and main street’s Gallery 116.

The festival will also feature an Omaruru Art School open house, a Moon Mountain Film Society screening of ‘Katutura’ (2015) with a question and answer session at the Ozondje Town Hall and a no-host wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres party at the beautiful Erongo Mountain Winery on Saturday evening.

“The committee is motivated to bring a wide range of art and artists to the town for the townspeople to experience and for outsiders to come and live a little in the country,” says Johnston, who adds that OAF is dedicated to showcasing fine art, sculpture, photography, printmaking and painting.

“The committee had, as primary goals from the outset, to make it first about the art and second about ensuring that the event is inclusive to all Namibians. A point reinforced by the art fair’s logo which has ‘Omaruru Art Fair’ or as close as possible in all the major languages. This is an art fair for all Namibians.”

Featuring work by Ismael Shivute, Elisia Nghidishange, Anne Lacheiner-Kuhn, Paulus Kambinda, Actofel Ilovu, Erik Schnack, Wilka Mumangeni, Nicky Marais, Frieda Lühl, Mitchell Gatsi and Margaret Courtney-Clarke in an exhibition titled ‘Past, Paradise, Future’ at the Omuntu Gardens, OAF will also showcase, amongst others, Paul Kiddo, Matheus Alfeus and Jacqui Jansen van Vuuren at Gallery 116.

“There is an eclectic mix of older, pre-independence and new artists,” says Johnston, who shares that the committee set aside a budget to provide financial assistance to the participating artists to help them defray their costs, and venues have waved commissions from the sales of work, which attests to the organisers’ determination to create an event that is only about the art.

Still seeking a few more artists for the fair, Johnston encourages artists to submit three digital files of their work alongside an artist’s statement as soon as possible. The OAF committee has financial support available for artists who are accepted for exhibition.

“OAF is seeking fine artists in the visual arts who can present a ready-to-hang or -display cohesive body of work,” says Johnston, who also extends an invitation to the public.

“OAF is a celebration of Namibian fine art in a casual setting utterly without pretense. Oh, and yes, it’s supposed to be fun,” he says.

“Support local art and drive the extra mile to experience the second event hailing from Omaruru that is adding to the current worldwide focus on African contemporary art by starting small but making a difference. It does take a little bit of effort to get here but it is darn well worth it.”

Email images of your art and an artist statement for exhibition consideration to chrisjohnstonphoto@gmail.com or thetouch.goldsmith@gmx.net and follow Omaruru Art Fair on social media for more information.

– martha@namibian.com.na; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram; marthamukaiwa.com