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OMBA GALLERY: 'Namibian Safari' by Bernd Kirchner



Omba Art Gallery is delighted to host ‘Namibian Safari’, an art exhibition of oil pastel drawings by Bernd Kirchner. The exhibition starting on Monday, 15 June 2015, will run until Sunday, 19 July, 2015.



When display artist Bernd Kirchner retired three-and-half-years ago, he finally realised the dream of a lifetime: to devote all his energy and time to sketching, drawing and painting the people and wildlife of Namibia.


The end-result of his endeavour is a wonderful selection of decorative pieces Kirchner collectively and fondly refers to as his ‘Namibian Safari.’ With the exception of a few, all the framed pieces were created within a narrow colour spectrum of oil pastels and to complement the season, all the artworks on display are in warm winter colours.



Kirchner has a flair for drama, or perhaps his artistic vision lends itself to the dramatic. His oil pastel drawings of Namibian rhino, springbok, leopard, lion and ostrich have at their centres his artistic impression only, thereby alienating and elevating his subjects into the realm of the fantastical or even disquietingly, the mythical, as if his subjects are no more.



Many of his pastel drawings have artefacts attached to the frames. A pastel drawing of a young OvaHimba woman for example, has a very old, traditional OvaHimba necklace (neck adornment) attached to the frame. The OvaHimba, like the San, make unique adornments using natural materials for exclusive use by the person who made them. In another, a pastel drawing of a springbok staring at the voyeur has a real pair of springbok horns attached to the drawing. Standing before either, the voyeur must supress the urge to reach out and touch the works because they appear to invite a tactile experience.



Kirchner explained that on his many travels throughout Namibia, he collected a vast selection of cultural curios and wildlife souvenirs. Wherever and whenever he saw an interesting item, he added to his personal collection. During this exhibition, ‘Namibian Safari’, Kirchner bonded the souvenir with a pastel drawing to add detail to his impression and it works surprisingly well.



ABOUT BERND KIRCHNER



Namibian wildlife artist, Bernd Kirchner was born and raised in Germany. During the depression years after the Second World War when Germany was economically devastated, his mother, a trained artist, helped her family survive by painting portraits of American officers using only pencil and charcoal. Her skill and devotion made a deep impression on young Bernd, who became a display artist by trade, specialising in commercial art.


Kirchner immigrated to Namibia in 1971 where he experienced for the first time a rich diversity of culture, languages, fauna and flora. He was particularly struck by Namibian wildlife and the wide, open, uninhabited spaces of the country. A friend prophetically told him that if he were to wear out the soles of a single pair of shoes in Namibia, he, Bernd, would never return to Germany. His friend’s prophesy was fulfilled.



Kirchner wore out the soles of a single pair of shoes, married a local love, settled in Namibia, had three children and worked as a display artist for a local retail company. During his career and lifetime, he journeyed north to Namibia’s premier wildlife sanctuary, Etosha, a record forty-six (46) times, staying often for up to a month on every occasion. The opportunity to see Namibia’s amazing wildlife up close in Etosha, allowed him take photographs, create an incredible personal library of visual albums documenting his visits and travels but also prodded Kirchner into sketching and painting the scenery. To satiate his cultural curiosity, he spent weeks in the company of the San and OvaHimba people, savouring their lifestyle and unique traditions.



Over the course of his lifetime and restless to find the most responsive medium for his vision, Bernd experimented with oil paint, acrylic paint, water colours, pencils, charcoal and pastels to sketch and draw with the aim to recreate his personal safari.  



You are hereby invited to join us at Omba Gallery for the opening of Bernd Kirchner’s oil pastel art exhibition, ‘Namibian Safari’ on Monday, 15 June 2015, at 18:00. Refreshments and snacks will be served.



For more information, please contact:

Shareen Thude

Manager: Namibia Craft Centre and Omba Gallery

Tel: (061) 242 222 / 081 124 0982

E-mail: craftcentre@iway.na



ABOUT OMBA ART GALLERY



Omba Art Gallery is a private, commercial gallery situated in the heart of the city of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. A small, intimate atrium, Omba offers premium exhibition space to artists and a pleasant, private atmosphere in which art collectors and lovers may view original pieces of art up close.








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