The Windhoek Mural Project – 2021

The Windhoek Mural Project – 2021

Public art has been quite an attractive trend in Windhoek and in other towns of Namibia in the last few months. Visual arts seem to be stepping up its influence on the overall feel and atmosphere of Namibia. Which is a valuable element as the general public rehabilitate their minds and emotions which were negatively affected by Covid-19.

The Windhoek Mural Project is initiated by Tshoopara Emmanuel Enkara, who is the Founder and Director of ENK Institute for Public Art and sponsored by Bonlife Assurance as well as Neo Paints by means of paint and project material.

The ENK Institute for Public Art is a Namibian Non-Profit Organization specializing in the creation and deployment of Public Art structures (Sculptures, Murals, Creative Walkways, etc.) within Namibia. They seek to create awareness about Public Art, especially how art serves as a unique role player in preserving and recreating our Namibian heritage and identity. Public Art also seeks to build and inspire relationships and communication, while equally being a form of collective community expression that enhances the built or natural environment.

To bring this project alive, Broll Namibia in its capacity as the Property Management Company of Alexander Forbes House, Wernhil Shopping Centre and Standard Bank Centre (Town Square Mall) was contacted to enquire if some of the above-mentioned building walls may be used for the mural artwork. The walls have been made available by Broll Namibia in conjunction with the Ohlthaver & List Group of Companies (O&L) to support Namibian local talents and lend them the opportunity to get the much-deserved public awareness at no extra cost. The artwork pieces embrace respect for everyone, celebrating Namibian success stories, innovation but also respecting the past and lastly, having fun.?

The murals were completed by the Namibian artists & muralist Nambowa Malua (Nambzee), Michelle Isaaks, Taanyanda Matheus and John Kalunda.

?

Photo captions –

Mural 1

Mural Name: African Women

Muralist: Nambowa Malua (Nambzee)

Location: Alexander Forbes House building along Fidel Castro Street - Windhoek

Mural Description: It’s no secret that Namibia needs change regarding GBV (Gender Based Violence) and other atrocities towards women. Nambowa decided that the first mural of our ?the Windhoek Mural Project should celebrate the equal appreciation of woman in Namibia & worldwide. The 3 individuals surrounding the woman are both men & woman who bow in awe, beg for forgiveness & showcase the hardest working human on earth – the African born woman.

Mural 2

Mural Name: Contrast of Two Plains

Muralist: Nambowa Malua (Nambzee)

Location: Alexander Forbes House building along Fidel Castro Street and Werner List Street - Windhoek

Mural Description: The Himba culture have been indigenous to Namibia since the beginning of time. Nambowa wanted to pay tribute to their identity with a Himba boy / girl who is settling around a campfire. The two contracts of land – forestation & desert plains, reiterate that Namibia has a vast combination of the two land plains. The abstract & psychedelic influences seen on both sides of the mural also indicate the progressive times that we are currently in, within Namibia. It suggests that creativity could soon find a comfortable place within Namibian culture and artistic expression.

Mural 3

Mural Name: Evolution of Transportation

Muralist: Taanyanda Matheus

Location:?Under the Fidel Castro Bridge (Mugg & Bean), southern taxi rank of the Wernhil Shopping Centre - Windhoek

Mural Description: Located at the new taxi rank, under the underpass at the new side of Wernhil, this mural is a tribute to earliest form of transportation. While Wernhil have created a new side of modern shopping and easy access for public transport facilities - the mural showcases how earlier generations got from one point to another. A beautiful and skilled tribute to the area - which provides much needed traditional nostalgia within the city. This mural has received highly positive feedback from the public too!

Mural 4

Mural Name: A Much-Needed Escape

Muralist: Michelle Isaak

Location:?Under the Fidel Castro Bridge (Mugg & Bean), southern taxi rank of the Wernhil Shopping Centre - Windhoek

Mural Description: In our daily lives, we fit into busy routines - day after day after day. However, when we do need to escape; for only just a moment - the internet on our smart phones have offered us ‘a much-needed escape'. This mural is an interactive display of how all our human emotions are represented in very cute emoji’s. Since day one of its completion, people have been taking unique photos at the wall. A fun & friendly image that can bring relative smiles to everyone who sees it.

Mural 5

Mural Name: ?We Are Proud of You #TeamNamibia

Muralist: John Kalunda

Location:?Building along Post Street Mall - Windhoek

Mural Description: Throughout the pandemic, many forms of routine were taken away from us. However, our focus turned to our television screens as we viewed the electric rise & achievements of our athletics athletes’.

Christine Mboma, Beatrice Masilingi, along with their tactically gifted coach Henk Botha - gave Namibians the thrills of excellent global achievement throughout the year 2021! And through their achievements, we began to learn that our Paralympian athletes that have also been achieving with Ruben Gowaseb, and more recently with Ananias Shikongo, who is represented in the mural.

This is the ENK Institute for Public Art's tribute to our athletes & their team for repeating the athletic achievements we experienced not too long ago with Frankie Fredericks.

Mural 6

Our last addition to the Windhoek Mural Project will be a word mural created by Edith Wasserfall, which is projected to begin mid-December 2021.

The mural will consist of the motivational words “NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE” and it will be located just a few metres away from the “We Are Proud of You” mural at Standard Bank Centre (Town Square Mall), Post Street Mall.?An update will be sent as soon it is done.

?