Art of the Khalahari Bushmen

Well ,I have been traveling again for work (So my Buffalo painting is still on the easel unfinished) but instead of flying to my destination as I usually do, I had to drive from Maun (300km trip) to D'kar  which is mainly a bushmen(San) settlement ,based 35km outside a town called Ghanzi  .Since I was busy with work I did not have much time to explore the area as much as I would have like to.But I can tell you that the people are very friendly most of them wave and shout greetings as you drive by .It felt weird to be around people who spoke a language that you totally did not understand.For those of you who have no idea what it sounds like, imagine Chinese and a lot of clicking.I would love to learn the language ,but learning Tswana is enough as it is.


During my lunch break I managed to stop at the Kuru Art project. Since it was lunch it was closed but I did manage to peep through all the windows while admiring the art.The objective of the Kuru Art Project is to provide technical advice, materials and studio space to artists from the Ghanzi community. The  content, and style has been left up to the artists to develop alone. The Kuru Art Project assists artists to produce oil paintings on canvas, black and white and color linoleum prints, etchings and lithographs.

Much of the subject matter they depict is of their past ,as well as relating stories and memories of life around them through their art.In terms of subject matter much of what the artists choose to depict refers to their past.The artwork is unique in style ,color and subject,I think Picasso would have been interested by their work had he seen it since in some aspects there are similarities in style.

Most of the artist's live in D'kar and all of them have grown up in the vast Kalahari desert in and around the Ghanzi district in western Botswana. Although almost all of the artists are illiterate they are proud to be artists knowing that they can communicate to people from all over the world using visual imagery.The sample I managed to capture is just a small taste of the beautiful and original art work of the Kalahari Bushmen.

If you are interested in learning and seeing more of the artists and their work ,or would like to purchase a limited signed edition print, please visit  ....  

Kuru Khalahari Art Project Botswana