‘Ukwabuka’ on show at CCA7

He has travelled far from his home country in Zambia to spend three months at Caribbean Contemporary Arts (CCA), investigating the local culture and drawing similarities to his own in Africa. He will be launching an exhibition of paintings produced during the residency in the Inter-Americas space at CCA7 entitled “Ukwabuka” (Crossing Over) tomorrow at 6.30 pm. The exhibition runs until August 5.

Mwaba has participated in community projects and collaborative works such as wall murals, with children and artists both in Zambia and internationally. He intends to work on a community project with other artists and the community at large while on the residence programme at CCA. Mwaba met with “Dragon’s Keylemanjahro Moko Jombies” through fellow residency artists Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles. He became interested in the moko jumbies who have in some ways influenced his painting and this current body of work.

“What interests me the most is the moko jumbies themselves, in that we have such traditional characters that perform during a Luvale and lunda ceremonies.

It is these interesting similarities between the two different cultures that I intend to explore through my paintings by interacting with the group I have had a chance to meet. I intend to learn from them and also share my experiences of working with youths using art as a tool of communication on important issues such as the fight against the spread of HIV/Aids, family life education and many others,” Mwaba said.

“I create my work in a context in which my culture can be seen, experienced and studied in depth or compared and contrasted across time and space. I have always wanted to say something strong and critical about issues that are important in the preservation of my culture, spirituality, and the development of my society. Owing to this fact I have realised the importance of rediscovering my identity in the practice in my art, my recent pieces of work represents my unending restlessness as I search for material comfort, spiritual and emotional fulfilment as I undertake this journey into self-discovery.”

More information on Mwaba’s exhibition is available at Caribbean Contemporary Arts.