People attend a jobs and career expo at the University of Zambia in Lusaka, Zambia, on Oct. 27, 2021. The Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia (UNZA) on Wednesday held the fourth jobs and career expo where Chinese enterprises based in the southern African nation showcased themselves and tried to lure the local workforce, especially graduating students.(Photo: Xinhua)

Art is said to be one of the most compelling ways of communicating ideas and experiences.

It is for this reason that an artist based in Lusaka, capital of Zambia, is using paintings to tell stories about how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting African societies.

Jonathan Kabeya, a contemporary visual artist, has come up with a series of paintings called Behind the mask.

"Wearing of face masks has become a part of our daily lives. That is the reason why there is a face mask in most of my pieces about COVID-19," Kabeya pointed out.

The 24-year-old explained that he was compelled to come up with the paintings to encourage people to share thoughts and experiences about the pandemic so as to enable communities to devise better responses.

Kabeya, who hails from Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a firm believer in contemporary African art and its ability to transform communities for the better.  

Kabeya recently held a week-long solo art exhibition, also titled Behind the mask in Lusaka, where he showcased all the 12 pieces of his work on the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The rationale behind the exhibition was to afford the public an opportunity to learn through art, how the COVID-19 crisis has presented not only challenges but also great opportunities for societal growth," explained Kabeya.

He expressed happiness at the turnout and the support received from the general public during and after the exhibition, adding that a lot of people continue to demonstrate interest in buying his art pieces on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the issues tackled through Kabeya's artworks is violence against women and girls, a phenomenon that has become more pronounced amid the pandemic.

"It is sad to note that some men are hiding behind face masks and attacking women and girls. Victims are left to suffer in silence, as they are not able to identify perpetrators. I hope governments act quickly to end this kind of violence," he said.

There is also a painting that shows how African people are using local remedies to manage the pandemic.

"The COVID-19 crisis has shown that African societies are resilient and capable of surviving difficult times. This can be seen from the ingenious coping mechanisms adopted by a number of African communities," Kabeya observed.

Xinhua