Visual Artists Triumph in 2024 Amid Challenges

… Creatives share hopes and plans for 2025

As 2024 draws to a close, Namibian visual artists reflect on a year that was equally disruptive and filled with creative milestones.

Although the year has been difficult for many because of financial constraints, artists say it also shows how resilient the creative community is as they navigate through tough times.

Many have high hopes high for 2025, though.

The Weekender spoke to visual artists Nicky Marais and Alpheus Mvula to reflect on the highs and lows 2024 brought them.

CREATIVE AGAINST ALL ODDS

Marais describes 2024 as a year filled with great personal and professional growth.

A fine artist and former head of the Department of Visual Art and Fashion Design at the College of the Arts (Cota), Marais moved to Oranjemund in 2023 and immediately started making waves in southern Namibia.

Perhaps one of the most noted events of the year was the founding of the Oranjemund Art Centre, which opened its doors in late 2023.

This initiative, alongside several art projects in the area, helped Marais to make full use of her creative time.

Reflecting on this year’s work, she says: “This year has been an extremely creative and wonderful time for me. After my move to Oranjemund and the opening of the Oranjemund Art Centre, I had the opportunity to create new pieces, culminating in a solo exhibition at the National Art Gallery of Namibia in May, in collaboration with StArt Art.”

Marais says she exhibited large canvases based on her new surroundings this year and received positive responses from both the public and the media.

“This kind of recognition is always encouraging, especially after months of working alone in the studio,” she says.

The year has not been free of challenges, though.

Marais, like many other artists, has struggled financially.

“The reduced funding for the arts and the shrinking art market have been major hurdles this year,” she says.

‘BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS’

She believes artists must adapt and find creative ways to distribute their work, alter their expectations and broaden their horizons.

“The challenges from the past years have made me rethink my strategy. For example, I had to think very differently about how I would relocate my studio to the south, where the distances I had to travel became so great,” she explains.

Looking ahead to 2025, Marais says she remains eager to expand the art scene in southern Namibia, planning new works of various sizes and to collaborate with fellow artists in the region.

“2025 holds great promise. There are some exciting ideas in the pipeline, and I am determined to bring even more artists to the south of Namibia.

“I really think the future is bright, and these financial challenges we can try to overcome by just being innovative and finding new avenues for our art,” she says.

INTROSPECTION AND PERSEVERANCE

Alpheus Mvula is an acclaimed Namibian stone sculptor, printmaker and visual artist.

He says 2024 has been a year of introspection and perseverance.

Mvula has been in the limelight for more than two decades and is no stranger to the challenges artists in Namibia are faced with.

With the after-effects of the global pandemic still hitting the art world, Mvula says it has become increasingly hard for artists to get recognition and sustain their careers.

“The pandemic affected everyone, and artists were no exception. Our work needs an audience, and when that is limited, it becomes hard to make a breakthrough,” he says.

In a candid conversation with The Weekender, Mvula cited an absence of solid arts institutions in the country as another reason for an underdeveloped arts sector.

“Cota should have a wider presence across the country, perhaps even becoming a university to solidify its impact in the development of the arts.

“The current lack of such institutions is hurting both upcoming and established artists,” he says.

Mvula says the small art market in Namibia has made it tough for artists to sell their work.

“For example, artworks done in 2005 may be appreciated more abroad, but here, galleries prefer new works every year. The market does not always appreciate the value of older pieces, which is a pity, because life keeps inspiring such creations,” he says.

Mvula is also concerned about the appreciation of art and its function in society.

He suggests that public art should be encouraged, with large sculptures and monuments finding their place in public areas.

PUBLIC ART

“Public art has the power to transform communities and engage with the public on a deeper level.

“More public sculptures and monuments would go a long way in making art more accessible and appreciated,” he says.

For all the challenges, Mvula remains steadfast in his efforts to develop the arts sector and promote art education.

“We need more support for the arts, and we need to create exhibition opportunities in public spaces so that the community will benefit from art,” he says.

Looking forward to 2025, Mvula is optimistic about the future. He is planning new projects and strategies to promote art education and increase public understanding of the value of art in society.

“Art has the power to change lives. I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, and I believe we can make the Namibian art sector stronger than ever with the right support and strategies,” he says.

HOPE

As we head into 2025, visual artists say they are filled with hope and determination.

Both Marais and Mvula pinpoint adapting to changing circumstances and finding innovative ways to further sustain their careers as a key priority.

“The future is bright, and we have the opportunity to shape it through our art,” Marais says.