By Kellys Kaunda
A heated debate has ensued regarding the gift chosen by the President and presented to Pope Francis. John Chiponda explained the artwork thus, “We are excited to see one of Sydney Siasangu’s work titled ‘our legacy lll’ being presented as a gift to Pope Francis by HE. Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia.
The work of mix media according to Sydney is an ‘abstract piece which has a traditional music horn, an abstracted musical drum, shakers and rattles. The fusion of the above musical instruments makes it somewhat of full African band producing a harmonious and melodious sound”
Materials: Mupapa, Ebony, Rose, Jacaranda, Round Bar – R10 & R 16, Copper wire and Grey Marble. The artist has further been identified as a Munali Secondary School teacher.
In early 1992, I covered an arts exhibition at the American Center when it was located off Cairo Road in the CBD. I interviewed the artist who gave me a crash course in artform thus enabling me to understand how to read and report such stories. That story attracted the attention of Jeremy Capper who, at the time was cultural attache’ at the American Center, a part of the US embassy. He latter introduced me to the Voice of America with which I was associated for close to 18years.
On BBC, art is a big story and rightly so. Art is a form of media with which artists could convey stories or messages. In my travels in some parts of Europe, I have noticed how artforms have been used to tell stories about countries and their people. By stopping in front of an artform on the street, you get a quick pique into some important aspect of a society which would otherwise take pages or a book to explain.
By incorporating art in telling a country’s story, you provide an opportunity to the artist, his family and society at large a source of income. By giving visitors a piece of art, you give them a piece of our story as a people. When a political leader gives a piece of art to another dignitary, he or she gives them a part of the Zambian story but also brings attention to this sector of our economy and the talents of the artist behind that artform.
And especially if the politician is a Head of State, the artwork presented and the artist behind it gains a high profile. So, every time a Permanent Secretary, Minister or the President presents a work of art to a foreign dignitary, may the handlers of such events and officials brief the media on the artwork for purposes of promoting this aspect of the country’s tourism.