Dar sees the return of painting exhibition

DAR ES SALAAM : In a bid to revive Tanzanian-styled art of painting that almost pays homage to the popular Tingatinga Artistry, youthful Beatrtice Mashalla conducts a painting exhibition at The Drum Hall in Masaki, Dar es Salaam this weekend.

The exhibition to be officially inaugurated this Saturday will climax at the same venue on September 30th this year, according to the artist.

In a special interview with the Daily News, Mashala said the exhibition aims to revive the painting spirit which the new generation seems to ignore at the moment.

She said she has brought her painting artistry to Dar es Salaam after doing well in Arusha and other parts of northern Tanzania.

” I embraced painting in 2020  and accompanied many artists in their exhibitions and now I think  I am mature enough to exhibit mine. I have a big fan base in Arusha, I hope to win the same in Dar es Salaam and other regions of Tanzania,” she said.

Beatrice, who holds a bachelor of law from Arusha-based Makumira University, said Tanzania boasts a good number of artists who have embraced painting. with the majority of them being graduates of the University of Dar es Salaam, but painting is still in a low-profile sector to the majority of Tanzanians.

“There many things found in painting, but a poor fan base and lack of promotion has made painting look like a forgotten art today,” she noted.

She said among the inspirational figures in her career is the retired UDSM professor, Elias Jengo, whom she mentions as the pillarhead of Tanzanian artistry.

She said Professor Jengo has taught many successful artists today.