Monday, January 14, 2013

Wall Painting

David Zukas  "Kulungugu House Painters 2"   
David Zukas (b. 1970) is a contemporary artist based in New York. He painted this scene from a photograph he took when he was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana. Zukas comments, "Only women are allowed to paint the traditional designs on the mud brick houses in the north of Ghana... they made an exception in my case and I got the privilege of painting a portion. As with all African art it is beautiful but [wall painting] is also utilitarian because the cow dung/mud mixture being applied protects the structure from the harsh rains."

Zukas currently lives on Staten Island, in New York City, but has traveled extensively throughout Africa and the Caribbean. He has spent more than a decade exploring and studying the regions of this world most affected by the African Diaspora, from its origins in West Africa to final destinations in the Americas such as Haiti. The people of Africa are a predominant theme in the artist's work. Zukas' website can be seen here.
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4 comments:

  1. Alexandra TyngJanuary 14, 2013 at 7:13 PM

    It's amazing how much I'm learning by reading this blog! The designs remind me of African American quilt patterns.

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 14, 2013 at 7:58 PM

    Having followed Women in the Act of Painting since its inception, not only have I learned a lot, I'm amazed at the variety of colors, styles, and themes. This collection is filling a void in art history and art making. Beyond filling a void, the artist author is decorating the void by revealing the the rich contribution of women in art over the centuries and around the world.

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  3. AnonymousJanuary 15, 2013 at 5:28 PM

    I've always been a wild enthusiast for field guides. They enable one to feel that she can enter another world using nothing more than patient observation. And so it is with this blog. You have gathered for your readers what we may not have seen ourselves, but can now look out for.

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  4. Nancy Bea MillerJanuary 17, 2013 at 8:59 AM

    Wow, thank you all for your kind words Anonymous, Anonymous & Alexandra! Very much touched by your thoughts on the WAP project, and grateful that my intentions are appreciated (and understood!)

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