YOUNG VISUAL ARTIST HUMAN RIGHTS COMPETITION
" Accelerating Human Right Values in Arts "
Ongea Project is a program designed to increase young people's understanding of the concept/meaning of Human Rights through visual art. The project directly targets young visual artists 15-24 years of age from different backgrounds, gender, ability, and professions for them to showcase their ideas/design that amplifies change in human rights. Also, it is designed to enable young people to know their rights, responsibilities, and roles in implementing them in their communities.
The project train and capacitate young visual artists on how best they can use their talents in advocating for Human Rights and bring innovative solutions through their arts like cartoons, drawings, and pictures. Moreover, the program provides a platform for young artists to showcase/exhibit their work to decision-makers and the community as a whole.
More than 20 Young Visual Artists have been impacted by the program with training and capacity building on using their talents to amplify issues of human rights, especially in the areas of; Youth and Digital Rights, Climate and Gender Crisis, Youth Active Participation in Decision Making, Gender Equality, and Inclusiveness, Freedom of Expression and Access to information and Youth and Gender-Based Violence.
As a result, more than 20 artworks have been produced that clearly speak about challenges and opportunities on Human Rights agendas and the role of young people in achieving a just society.
MEET THE ARTISTS
Jennifer Msekwa is a Tanzanian visual artist and an environmental activist who loves both art and the environment in equal measure and combines the two to make her personalized pieces. She has now developed into an environmental researcher based on natural resources.
She uses natural elements from her surroundings to make collages that seek to raise awareness about environmental preservation and conversation.
Professionally trained at the Institute of Art and Culture in Bagamoyo, Tanzania, Msekwa's artwork centers around nature. She has participated in several art projects and exhibitions both locally and internationally. She was part of the universe within project 2021 where she was The first Tanzanian to work with Greenfilms. Since 2020 she has participated in several residencies and research projects like New Shapes residency, Pamoja residency, PAYA project, and document the Undocumented research project in 2021.
Lilian Munuo is a self-taught visual artist from Moshi, Kilimanjaro with a diploma in Finance and banking from the Institute of Accountancy Arusha. She is a storyteller who uses different mediums to create art such as strings, nails, and acrylic paintings. Through creative arts and crafts and illustrations, she focuses on presenting art for art’s sake, its beauty of art and its functional value.
She’s had the opportunity to exhibit her works on different platforms including the Wasemaje art exhibition at the Nordic Embassies, Rangi gallery, Mabadiliko art exhibition at Alliance Francè, and Colors of Hope Exhibition by the rotary club of Dar and East African art exhibition in Uganda. Also, she had an opportunity to organize and run an Art workshop about Visualizing and Verbalizing challenges and opportunities for girls and women as part of the Tanzanian sheroes book launch at the Swedish ambassador's residence in 2021. She was also honored as one of the 2020 Tanzanian sheroes.
Annah Lot Nkyalu is a figurative visual artist born in 1997 and currently based in Dar es salaam, Tanzania. During her schooling years, she would always draw as means of self-expression and to console herself during hard times. Which in turn helped her to master this medium earlier and prefer it over others because it's unique and challenges her to improve her technique daily. Her work usually takes long hours of concentration involving many layers of pen strokes. Annah is a social activist whose work reflects society's cultural heritage embracing women’s natural beauty and growth. Also, she reflects on challenges faced by youth such as gender-based violence and addiction.
At the beginning of her career, she won an Art competition for young visual artists organized by Tanzania Fine Art (TFA). Her work has been exhibited in different group exhibitions in Tanzania, Uganda, and Germany and garnered media attention from Tanzania broadcasting company (TBC), and Azam Media to mention a few. Her works in children empowerment, women and leadership, and environmental sustainability were featured in the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) publication.
Annah believes art is a miracle; for it's the creation of wonders out of the blankness just like the awesome creations of GOD. Currently, she is a member of Vijana Vipaji Foundation, and works from Nafasi Art Space shared studios at Mikocheni.
Job Theophil is a young visual artist born in 2001 in Dar es salaam, and currently based in Dar es salaam. He mostly uses charcoal, and graphite when working on his projects, and rarely uses coloured pencils as he finds comfort in the monochromatic style. He is inspired by Jono Dry, a figurative artist who uses elements of the environment and animals in his work.
Most of the time he likes to use art to portray situations in society such as social injustice, crimes, and environmental issues and offers solutions through his drawings. He draws more art about the environment as humans depend highly on the environment for our survival and well-being. Job believes art is a good medium to communicate and come up with solutions to challenges that face our community.
Arnold Kipenka is a visual artist based on painting and is self-taught born in Dodoma region, in 1998, and is currently living in dar es salaam. his work is based on acrylic paints on canvas. His paints are mostly based on portraits, product paintings, and also landscape paintings, and other commission work.
He creates art inspired by city culture, and architecture exploring how people and communities live. He uses symbolism to convey messages in his paintings because he believes that way people can get a chance to think and interact with his work.
He gets advice and mentorship from artist Nias Nyalada who has been influential in his artistic journey. Specifically, how Nias portrays current matters and uses character centerpieces to tell stories. His goal is to reach more people across the country and abroad with his works while supporting other upcoming artists.
Mushi Mushi is An Editorial Cartoonist, that comments on political, social as well as economic issues that happen in Tanzania. He has been drawing all his life but officially started his career in 2020 and since then his work has been featured by Tanzania Broadcasting Company (TBC) and ITV an East African super brand. Additionally, he draws social commentary on trending issues which are shared in an online magazine popular Known As Alikasus.
Mushi believes highly in the convincing power of cartoons in delivering messages to the community. He uses his art to advocate for human rights and access to basic needs such as water.
His future plan is to own an art gallery and studio of visual art and draw more works that will contribute positively to the communities development
His slogan is that " A picture can speak more than 100 words"
Sylvester Petro is a self-taught contemporary visual artist and Art teacher based in Dar es salaam. He uses different styles and mediums such as Pen, pencil, and colour to convey images and feelings. He enjoys drawing portraits that tell stories about our daily challenges human civil rights and gender-based violence.
As a young artist, he draws inspiration from successful artists such as Vincent Temu and Kelvin Okafor from whom he learns their style of drawing and techniques. His works have been exhibited at Sanaa Blast and Uni Trade Fair at University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).
He envisions more people seeing his work and being able to run his life through art. On his weekends he teaches painting to children at Nafasi Art Space.
Johnson Issa Lubawa is a Visual artist born in 1999 in Dar es salaam Tanzania, and currently based in Dar es salaam. He uses a hyperrealism style in his work using different mediums such as Charcoal pencil, Graphite pencil, and as well as pastel colours. His portraits express African life, entertainment, and culture. He was mostly inspired by Arinze Stanley on using charcoal pencil, (Obeid Bigambo) famously known as Obed art on using graphite pencil, and as well as Emy Joe art on using pastel colours.
His works have been showcased locally in competitions and exhibitions in Tanzania some of which include the Watoto Africa exhibition, the Uwezo Award Exhibition, College of Business Education (CBE) Finest Award Competition, UNHCR COVID-19 online competition, and the Mulika human rights competition in 2022.
In 2021 he painted Beatrice Endungu’s portrait, an award winner Marketing expert and founder of Sanaa Radio TV. This resulted in a working relationship, whereby Johnson started working as an artist at Sanaa Radio tv which deals with the branding and marketing of art.
In the future, he plans to have solo exhibitions both locally and internationally and own an art gallery.
