Black Amanda (the other story of Sisiphos)
Wandbild an der Theaterschule des College of the Arts in Windhoek/Namibia, 2001

organization: National Art Galery   Stephan Beyer   co-operation: Theaterschule des College of the Arts, Peeng e.V. Hamburg Artists: Samuel Mbingilo, Alpheus Mvula, Namibia, Kai Teschner, BRD

Kai Teschner, Samuel Mbingilo, Alpheus Mvula

Black Amanda (the other story of Sisiphos)

Mural at the school for performing arts at the college of the arts Windhoek / Namibia. Solemnly inaugurated by the director of the College of Arts, E. Molta on August 8, 2001, in presence of guests, press and representatives of local ministries.

the team

It seems as if people can’t do different: Whether black or white, their actions challenge the Gods. People presume to decide about the course of the world instead of submitting themselves to the cosmic rules that determine them.

Its uncertain whether the black Sisyphus will be more successful than her Greek ancestor in bringing the stone uphill. Her stone is a globe on which mainly Africa with Windhoek and a part of Europe with Hamburg can be seen. The way she rolls the bowl will transpose above and below, it will turn things upside down. Maybe this stimulates cultural interchange.

The white man with wineglass and laurel wreath seems to be warning the black or intending to stop her. Maybe he wants to recommend her not to mount.
He knows how the story will end. But his time has come.
It could be different anyway and he is only saluting or trying to ban the evil spirit that raises his antic over the globe.

The mound is formed through a huge eye whose aura is composed of fishes and hands of different color. The hands rest enthroned like blossoms on stems that emerge from the pupil, the attempt to symbolize the interplay between awareness and action.
Above, as to the right and left, the actors or spectators to this scene can be seen. Mimes and masks salute from a different world, they remind us that life is a play and human skirmish in reality is nothing but irrelevant.

In Summer 2000, Samuel and I had the first opportunity to work together (mural Davidstraße: Adoration and Prostitution)
Based on this positive experience, we quickly found the common grounds for inspiring and productive labor, this time together with Alpheus.

Apart from the tremendous beauty and vastness of the country, as well as the vivid community life of the black people in Katutura (district of the poor in Windhoek), I was deeply impressed by the different perception and exposure to time.
The retentiveness of some towards me being white, didn’t weight much compared to the friendliness and helpfulness I experienced in contact with so many other black people.

I would really like to realize another project in Namibia next year. Maybe at the German school in Windhoek or in cooperation with the Namibian-German foundation. My impression is that Black-African artists have access to sources of inspiration that can not be found in any other part of the world but which at the time are of meaningfulness to me as an artist.

Many thanks to Klaus Klinger from Farbfieber who initiated this movement and without whom this project wouldn’t have become into being.

Many thanks to Stephan Beyer from the National Art Gallery of Namibia who since long supports Namibian artists and art. Through his engagement, he not only enabled this mural to become an expression of emancipated cooperation between black and white but in general he promotes and supports the encounter between people of different skin, decent and culture.

Also many thanks to Sandy Rudd and to the director of the college of the Arts, Ervast Mtota without whose frequent and productive participation in the discussions about our draft, no such complex and copious mural would have emerged.

Many thanks to Natasha in whose house me and my family lived most of the time, feeling welcomed and most comfortable.

Many thanks as well to John from the school for performing arts without whose practical help the mural could not have been timely finalized.

And lastly, many thanks to Hans who carefully attended and supervised our work and helped that nothing went sour.

We are grateful for the well meant support of: the National Art Gallery, the college of the Arts, the ministry of basic education, sports & culture in Namibia and Germany, the Norddeutschen Stiftung für Umwelt und Entwicklung, the Eine-Welt-Netzwerk, the Forum für kulturelle Kooperation Hamburg (FOKO) nd the Patriotische Gesellschaft Hamburg von 1765.

Organizing team Hamburg: peng.e.V.


Supporters:MINISTRY OF BASIC EDUCATION, SPORT & CULTURE in Namibia,
in Deutschland: der NORDDEUTSCHEN STIFTUNG FÜR UMWELT UND ENTWICKLUNG, des EINE-WELT-NETZWERKES, dem FORUM FÜR KULTURELLE KOOPERATION HAMBURG (FOKO)und der PATRIOTISCHEN GESELLSCHAFT VON 1765 HAMBURG

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