Kaunda�s art gives restaurant cultural feel

Chippa Legodimo | Friday April 11, 2014 12:24

 

While slowly sipping on an aroma-rich coffee or taking a bite of that chicken, the mind slips into history mode.  As the eyes scan the walls they pause where a pieces of art depicting ancient buildings from the old European country hang.

This is Portigalia Restaurant at Sebele Centre in Gaborone.  Just a few weeks ago this place bore none of these artworks but it has quickly transformed into a real place for relaxing under the stare of the oil paintings covering the walls.

The man behind this arty look is VeZue Kaunda, whose large pieces have created an ambiance of art and history. The paintings are a resemblance of the Portuguese buildings popularised in the last two decades.

“I was given two pictures of ancient buildings that I combined into one painting without changing anything in there. The owners wanted to create a certain atmosphere once someone was inside and I had that in mind when I painted those,” Kaunda tells Arts & Culture.

While he was careful to ensure that the pictures retained their originality, Kaunda says he used his technique to ensure that the paintings would have his personal touch.

“As an artist it is my duty to read people’s minds.  I could sense the sentimental attachment to those pictures. Some of those buildings I am told are still preserved to this day and you can imaging how serious the Portuguese are about that,” he says.

Kaunda says he relished the challenge presented by working on the paintings.

“It is good to use colour to document history and heritage even if one is not from that area. It makes you feel proud that you can step into history and come up with such good pieces,” he says.

 While one side of the restaurant is covered with these symbolic artworks, the other side is adorned with what looks like simple art done with creativity.

Kaunda’s good toning of pink with white to produce a powdery film with a few bristly lines does not lure the same intense artistic appreciation yet it captures one’s admiration.

He tells Arts & Culture it was necessary to have some light type of art to release the mind from deep thought after watching the other side of the restaurant.