"The history,
culture and civilization of a country is best bequeathed and revealed to
the next generation through painting art, literature and music. A
country which does not allow a room for these towering professions is
just like a mad person who wanders naked. Therefore, African leaders
must stomach this reality and open their eyes wide for professionals in
the field," this is a quote this reporter took from the famous self made
artist Dr. Lema Guya.
Artist Lema Guya |
For Dr. Lemma Guya
art is the reflection of the social, political and economic aspects of
human kind. That is why for the last 60 or more years he had been
discerningly capturing the life style of human kind in his peculiar
skill of using "goat skin canvas." For the last six and more decades he
has painted innumerable portraits and avant-garde artistic works. "The
African Monalisa of 21st Century" is one of his works via which Dr.
Lemma Guya displayed he has touched the peak of his calling--painting .
This gem, among his works, showcases a portrait of Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini
Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission.
For Lemma, Dr.
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is not simply a woman. For most African women,
holding such prestigious political power is beyond their imagination.
For ages, all the social and cultural constraints have tied them down
from achieving such political power. However, individuals like Dr.
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma have overcome such constraints through hard work,
talent, perseverance and commitment.
Founding fathers of
Africa was a recent art exhibition at Oromia Art Center staged by Dr.
Lemma Guya. The opening ceremony of the exhibition, held last week, was
graced by Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and the former President of FDRE
Dr. Girma Woldegiorgis and other distinguished guests. On the exhibition
the portraits of African nationalist leaders were staged. As usual,
Lemma Guya had depicted them in his goat skin canvas -uniquely African.
The painting of
Queen Elizabeth is among the pictures already staged at the Oromia
Exhibition Center. In his painting, Lemma has depicted Queen Elizabeth
sitting gracefully. Behind the queen a sun is seen bathing the planet
earth to show how England was powerful during the era of the queen. On
the other side, there is a standing young queen minus a crown. Unlike
the former pictures where the sun is seen shining on the earth from the
sky in the other painting, the sun shows a position shift. It is seen
shining from the earth to the sky.
According to Dr.
Lemma, unlike the outmoded and old mindset when Europeans were fighting
and scrambling for power ,now, "Space" has zoomed to the center-stage of
attention. In this new era, developed nations are eyeing at the "sky" where the sun is
shining on the planet earth. The painter used this technique to
represent the past and the current history of England. According to him,
there was a time when almost the whole earth was under the rule of
Great Britain. There was a belief among English colonizers to consider
themselves as great people to the extent of claiming "The Sun will not
set on the sky (empire) of England."
Lemma Guya is now
88. But his talented fingers are still busy in portraying via brushes
the social, political and economic activities of human kind. Regarding
his major works, he has made an estimate of more than ten thousand
paintings that brought him numerous prices, medals and awards including
honorary doctorate degree. Lemma Guya is the founder of African Art
Museum in 1983.The museum is now becoming the art center for talented
artists from Ethiopia, Africa and other parts of the world. Seeing the
role of the art center Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma have donated 40,000
USD to it on behalf of the AU. The sum will be devoted to the expansion
of the art center.