Proudly Namibian at Africa Week
Commemorations in France
Namibia is represented by the Netherlands-based Namibian musician Shishani along with visual artists Petrus Amuthenu (Namibian-based) and Frank Jooste (France-based) as part of the Africa Week 2022 celebrations being held at the UNSCO Head Office in Paris at the moment.The UNESCO Africa Week Celebrations were initiated by UNESCO African Member States to mark the annual African Union (AU) celebrations of Africa Day. Thus, the Africa Week showcases the vibrant African cultural heritage in line with the annual AU Africa Day theme. It brings the continent's 54 Member States’ musical and artistic expressions together with a gala evening and culinary cocktail serving various African cuisines.
A wide range of participants are expected to attend.
The artists
Shishani is a Namibian musician who lives in the Netherlands and a uniquely versatile artist whose music crosses different cultural genres of Namibia. She is a singer, guitarist and songwriter who is loved for her soothing and powerful voice, with a mystical lightness and the power to infuse the soul with an activist's spirit that runs through her lyrics.
She is the co-founder, lead singer and composer of Namibian Tales (2015), an acoustic quartet exploring the musical heritage of Namibia. With Namibian Tales, Shishani led a unique international project with UNESCO and the Museums Association of Namibia to preserve cultural heritage through archiving and producing new music in collaboration with the San communities in Namibia.
Petrus Amuthenu is a young and vibrant Namibian artist who lives in Windhoek. He is a 2D artist who embraces current pop culture with a mix of urban and Namibian motifs. He is a master of printmaking, drawing (pencil and charcoal) and painting (spray paint/oil/watercolour and ink). In short, he uses a variety of different techniques to create his works. His works are often seen as murals throughout Namibia, but also on paper/canvas. His drawings are often very detailed and dynamic, which is reflected in his works. An international audience will relate well to his work and style.
Lastly, is Frank Jooste, a Namibian artist who hails Lüderitz but lives and teaches art in Oisilly in France. He uses colours of Africa, the landscapes, cultures and symbols from which he draws his inspiration. His works are less figurative, but he has retained ethnic symbols, geometric figures and rock paintings, but freed them from the classical artistic shackles. His paintings reflect abstractions inspired by memories of Africa.