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Tanzania kicks off traditional painting exhibition

Xinhua, June 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Tanzania International Biennial Tingatinga Painting Exhibition opened at the National Museum in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday with 120 paintings from more than 80 outstanding local artists on display.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Lu Youqing said that culture is a country's soul and a very important factor in its development and he hopes Tanzanian art styles like Tingatinga will make further impacts on the international stage.

Tingatinga paintings are traditionally made on masonite, using several layers of bicycle paint, which makes for a brilliant and highly saturated colors.

"Few times in a year you find such things," said a visitor named Frank Faith, who claimed that he tries to seize every opportunity to go to art exhibitions here in Dar es Salaam.

Standing by his favorite piece, a painting portraying animals using very bright and contrasting colors, Faith said even kids would love it.

Artist Fadhil Raisy had his paintings on display almost ten years ago, this is the second time his work is being shown. This time, he brought a piece about struggling modern-day African women.

"Women in Tanzania or Africa are working so hard. They have so many things in their heads," Raisy said, adding that he hopes for African women to learn to balance their lives.

Speaking about the future, he hopes that his art can influence Tanzanian children and the next generation will "grow up with arts".

The exhibition is organized by China-Africa Business Council (Tanzania), the National Arts Council of Tanzania and the National Museum, supported by the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania and the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports of Tanzania.

Tingatinga style developed in the 20th century in Dar es Salaam and later spread to most East Africa. The genre is named after its founder, Tanzanian painter Edward Said Tingatinga. Endi