Arts Review

Written by: Sam Banda Jnr, Malawi

All illustrations and paintings by Nyangu Chodola

It’s a well-known fact that local art and talent is under-valued by our own people here in Malawi, yet we have extremely talented musicians, actors, filmmakers and fine artists. Foreigners appreciate our artwork more than we do and this is evident in the role the arts have played in uplifting Malawi’s tourism industry. Two-time award-winning painter Nyangu Chodola’s situation is no different: he’s exhibited his work all over the world but still remains unappreciated by Malawians.

Chodola says part of the reason art is unappreciated in Malawi is because there is a lack of exposure for both upcoming and well-established artists. “Life still goes on in Malawi’s art world but the big challenge that I have observed over my twelve years of painting is lack of exposure,” says Chodola. “Young artists cannot find markets and there is no financial support.”

Born into a family of broke artists in 1971 – his father was a renowned wood and carpentry instructor and his mother a home-crafts lady who specialized in interior decorating – Chodola may not have had the financial support to pursue an art career at first but his parents always encouraged him to do what he loves. “I got inspiration from my parents and at the age of seven I was drawing already,” beams Chodola. He recalls that in the mid-80’s, when he was in standard six at Namitete Primary School, he used to draw maps and diagrams for his class. Seeing that his child was immensely talented, his father enrolled him at Namitete Technical School where Chodola sharpened his skill and learnt to paint. “I learned a few basics which did not take me long to grasp and by 1984 I was able to do and sell what I had learnt,” Chodola explains.

Two years later his father whom he describes as ‘a great inspiration in his life’ passed on. He was devastated, but he knew life had to go on. “Losing my father was like losing my talent,” he says. “His death brought a very big challenge to my life as hopes of becoming an artist were threatened. But then through my personal persistence, I continued with my drawings and paintings.”

By the time he was 18 years old, he was so good that one of his drawings was stolen at a school exhibition when he was still a student at Blantyre Secondary School (BSS). “I remember on one occasion there was a picture show where we requested to exhibit our work in the hall. The morning after the exhibition I found out that my picture had been stolen,” he says smiling. But his smile quickly fades as he remembers that it was at this school where his dream to become a painter was nearly squashed. He tells me that BSS had an illogical selection system that nearly ruined his passion for art. He enrolled for an art class at the school, but was put into a French class instead and wasn’t allowed to change subjects. He later dropped out of high school because his mother couldn’t afford the school fees anymore.

The door finally opened for him in April 1993 when he was offered a job as a Sign writer at Centraleaf, a Tobacco Processing Company in Lilongwe. “I was working but I kept practicing and my talent grew from strength to strength,” says Chodola. “I used to paint pictures for the company and one painting was voted as the best portrayal of the Tobacco Industry amongst Tobacco Processing Companies.”

Even today that picture – which is an illustration of a map of Malawi and a tobacco field in the background – is still displayed at most Tobacco companies in Malawi. However, Chodola wasn’t entirely happy at Centraleaf because he felt he was being under-paid and exploited. He left his job in 1997 to pursue a freelance career as an artist. “I thought it was time to go and work on my own without any supervision. I was happy to start my own journey as my primary ambition was to become a freelance artist and later set up my own company,” he elaborates.

A year passed after leaving Lilongwe Tobacco Processors before he opened his own art studio. During this time he trained young artists such as Innocent Bakali, Dennis Mpira and his younger brothers, Blessing and Isaac. He taught basics of art to orphans at Children of the Nations in the district of Kasungu where he worked for a year.
Chodola explains that though he was born Andrew Hastings Chodola, his Zambian uncle gave him the name Nyangu in 1990 saying he resembled queen Nyangu of the Mangaja tribe. “I am told the ancestors of my father came from this royal family,” he explains. Chodola has since used Nyangu as his first name.

His work has evolved with age. When he was younger he painted flowers and drew portraits of Jesus Christ. But he later started tackling more serious issues: his paintings covered HIV/Aids, he drew portraits of ordinary Malawians, and covered topics such as the realities of growing up as an orphan and many more. “Currently my work is more predominant in painting portraits of children. Children are a source of happiness everywhere, mainly in a family,” he says. Lately his work has included wildlife. Chodola uses oils and graphite pencil on most of his work.

Nyangu Chodola plans to hold his first major one-man exhibition in Lilongwe Old Town Mall in Malawi this October.