The British Council in Dar es Salaam is inviting you on BlindFolded Solo Exhibition by Gadi Ramadhani.

Gadi is a trained printmaker whose themes in this exhibition are based on the social realities of his society. He has chosen the theme "Blindfolded" to express his anxiety over the culture of silence which he feels is presence in Tanzanian society. Yet his concern for the culture of silence has not made him forget the aesthetic side of his creation. His multimedia approach to monoprint which he employs to express himself is commendable. Media like charcoal and colour have been used creatively to convince the audience of the many technical advantages monotype offers.

Monotypes or monoprints are made by an indirect process, like any other print, but only one copy is produced instead of multiples like in woodcuts, etching and screenprinting. The artist can work freely as in a direct process like painting or drawing. This is clearly evident in all the prints produced by Gadi. There is freedom in creating monotypes that cannot be enjoyed in etching or screen printing .For young artists like Gadi, monotypes provide the urge to experiment with techniques which often bring out positive accidents that the artist takes as part of the composition in his prints.The abstract stylistic characteristics of his work are influences from his training in South Africa. Although he prefers to call himself a self-taught artist, Gadi had his formal printmaking education at the Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg.

As the second Manager at the Nafasi Art Space, Gadi was exposed to similar organizations in Africa such as the Kuona Trust of Kenya, 32 Degrees of Uganda, Nebuke Foundation of Ghana, Irente Outreach Program and Under the Same Sun of Tanzania where he participated as curator, juror and trainer.

He is presently with Koko'TEN, a mobile arts organization he founded a couple of years ago. This self-driven, committed young printmaker, painter and installation artist, needs our support and recognition.

By: Prof. Elias Jengo

The BC is active in Cultural in Tanzania. This is a start of a series of exhibition organized in collaboration with Nafasi Art Space to give a visual artists a podium.