Luanda - The artist Maria Belmira Gumbe is to present a solo exhibition at the Palácio de Ferro venue, in Luanda, on the first day (19th) of the "Art Fair Luanda 2024", in honour of her achievements in the history of Angolan plastic arts.
Organised by art events producer Maia Tanner, the inaugural edition of the fair will have the theme "From Angola to the World", and will continue on the 20th and 21st, with exhibitions by artists from the galleries "The Art Affair", ELA-Espaço Luanda Arte, Sky Gallery Espaço D'Arte, Tamar Golan and "This Is Not A White Cube.
In total, 40 curators from the art world are expected to attend the event, which will showcase and discuss important issues related to the art circuit, with various themes such as "The Challenges of Galleries in Angola", "The Need for an Art Museum", "Formalising Artistic Work for the National Economy" and "The Feminine in Art in Angola".
According to the head of the art events company, Dominick Maia Tanner, who was speaking at a press conference held on Thursday at the Palácio de Ferro (Iron Palace), the fair aims to attract investment in artistic production, an important sector in social development and the preservation of Angola's cultural identity.
He added that the aim is to create connections with artists, so that there is greater interaction between art makers.
As for the choice of theme, Africell's partnership director, Mário de Nascimento, said that they wanted to contribute to the arts in Angola by taking various artists abroad.
"We want their work to be known", he said.
Márcia Gonçalves, a representative of The Art Affair gallery, said that their proposal is to primarily embrace the challenges of national artists who want to reach certain media and help them conquer the international market.
The fair focuses on promoting cultural tourism in Angola, valuing the work of artists and encouraging the consumption of works made in Angola.
The event has the support of Africell mobile company, the Africell Impact Foundation, the Luanda Provincial Government and the Angolan Ministry of Culture, which together seek to make people realise that promoting art develops Angolan identity.
Maria Belmira Gumbe has a postgraduate qualification in Intangible Heritage from the Lusófona University in Lisbon. She also has a degree in Cultural Studies from the Fernando Pessoa University in Porto, Portugal, and has worked on several academic projects. The artist was director of the National Museum of Natural History.
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