Early life
editCuthy Mede was born to Malawian parents in Zimbabwe in 1949. He grew up on Likoma Island in Lake Malawi. Later, he studied Fine Arts at Chancellor College.
Career
editHe worked as a lecturer in the 1970s at his alma mater. In the 1980s, Mede established Gallerie Africaine, the first art gallery by a local artist in Malawi. Mede exhibited his work in Lilongwe's City Centre, selling his work to international collectors.
Mede encouraged the work of young Malawian artists struggling to make a living as street traders selling folk art and wood carvings.[2] He brought fine art work from other Malawian artists into his gallery. One commission was for a large mural decorating the City Centre.
Mede is best known for his modern art styles: modern, futurist, cubist, and pointillist, with strong local themes. His paintings depict local people, historic and current events in Malawi, Biblical references with local interpretations, indigenous religious expressions, and paintings about concepts such as Justice, Greed, Man and Machine.[3][4][5]
References
edit- ^ Else, David (1 February 2001). Malawi. Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1-86450-095-0. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ^ Birch de Aguilar, Laurel 'Mede: Catalyst for Art' publication of Harare Museum of Art
- ^ Birch de Aguilar, 'Mede: Catalyst for Art' Harare Museum of Art publication
- ^ "Birch de Aguilar1996">Aguilar, Laurel Birch de (1996). Inscribing the mask: interpretation of Nyau masks and ritual performance among the Chewa of central Malawi. University Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-3-7278-1064-0. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ^ Murphy, Alan; Luckham, Nana; Simmonds, Nicola (1 March 2010). Zambia and Malawi. Lonely Planet. p. 47. ISBN 978-1-74179-433-5. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
Further reading
edit- Birch de Aguilar, Laurel. Inscribing the Mask: Ritual and Performance among the Chewa of Central Malawi.
- Birch de Aguilar, Laurel. "Mede: Catalyst for Change". Harare Museum of Art.
- Birch de Aguilar, Laurel (2006). Rethinking Age in Africa. Africa World Press.
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