George Lilanga

GEORGE LILANGA (Tanzania, 1934 - 2005).
"Kuondoa ugonhwa na maumivu",
Ink on goatskin.
Titled on the back.
Measurements; 30,5 x 30,5 cm.
One of the most famous African artists of the 20th century, George Lilanga trained as a woodcarver following the tradition of his people, the Makonde. In 1970 he settled in Dar es Salaam, where he began to make himself known in artistic circles, and in 1974 he held an important exhibition at the National Museum of this city. In 1977 he made the international leap with an exhibition held at the Marycoll Ossing Center in New York, and the following year he participated in a group exhibition in Washington D.C. (see the exhibition in Washington, D.C. ). At this time he began a long series of exhibitions around the world, achieving increasing success in Africa as well as in Europe, the United States, India and Japan. Lilanga's work was considered an important influence on the young American graffiti artists of the time (Keith Haring stated in an interview that his language was influenced by Lilanga's work).