need help with this painting

[kinza-willi]

15" by 10" painting on animal skin, painted by g. matambwe and signed, and i think he is a art sculptor who did the tree of life for the u.s. embassy and is ther center piece of the collection, there iws a paper sticker on the side and has the name made by  aawaba ya sanaa, is it a painting, print  or what i do not know, this piece has a tree in it but it is not a sculptor.  any informatioin.  bill

[Anonymous]

I doubt Matambwe is the artists' name. Matambwe is a region in Tanzania and the label (albeit out of focus) confirms this. If the artists' name IS Matambwe and they live in Matambwe, well, that would be something indeed...it may be a pen name used to match the region.

[argon38]

Bill, the photo of the label is too blurry to read  - can you post a sharper image?

[maxine*j]

@kinza-willi wrote:

... g. matambwe and signed, and i think he is a art sculptor who did the tree of life for the u.s. embassy and is ther center piece of the collection...

What is your basis for thinking that?

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[argon38]

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@maxine*j wrote:

@kinza-willi wrote:

... g. matambwe and signed, and i think he is a art sculptor who did the tree of life for the u.s. embassy and is ther center piece of the collection...

What is your basis for thinking that?

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This is the reference to Tanzanian sculptor G. Matambwe, but it's unsafe to assume they are the same person:

https://tz.usembassy.gov/embassy/dar-es-salaam/the-art-collection/ 

[maxine*j]

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@argon38 wrote:

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This is the reference to Tanzanian sculptor G. Matambwe, but it's unsafe to assume they are the same person:

https://tz.usembassy.gov/embassy/dar-es-salaam/the-art-collection/ 

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Exactly.  And that's it?  One reference on the web?  Nothing in an image search?

OP's piece actually looks rather like Tinga Tinga, based on content and the look of the animals -- but I've only seen it on board and with far brighter colors, so I just don't know.

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[kinza-willi]

the sticker looks the same no better., it reads made by aawaba ya sanaa.  bill

[argon38]

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@kinza-willi wrote:

the sticker looks the same no better., it reads made by aawaba ya sanaa.  bill

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We need a clear, sharp photo of the sticker. The word sanaa means "art" in Swahili, but from what I can find there is no such word as aawaba, so that is likely a misreading. On the last line I can just make out "P.O. BOX [numbers unclear]  DAR ES SALAAM." Without the full address and the correct company name, it's very difficult to search for others that may be out there.

[kinza-willi]

made a mistake on my last replay aawaba ya sanaa should read nyumba ya sanaa and i think it is a museum. made by nyumba ya sanaa.  bill

[maxine*j]

Would you just post a clear picture of the label, please, if you really want our help? 

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[argon38]

Well, there is a cultural centre and art workshop in Dar es Salaam named Nyumba ya Sanaa, so that may (or may not) be it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyumba_ya_Sanaa

What is the P.O. Box number on the label?

[maxine*j]

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@kinza-willi wrote:

made a mistake on my last replay aawaba ya sanaa should read nyumba ya sanaa and i think it is a museum. made by nyumba ya sanaa.  bill

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Well, the maybe it's from this place:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyumba_ya_Sanaa

Ain't Google a wonder and all?

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[maxine*j]

Sorry.  Cross-post. 

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[argon38]

A 2013 exhibition at Syracuse University Art Galleries entitled Nyumba ya Sanaa: works from the Maryknoll Collection featured an artwork (linocut on laid paper) by "Gerard Matambwe, Tanzanian 1951-2010":

https://museum.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Nyumba_handout.pdf 

This doesn't necessarily make him the artist, but it's a possible lead.

[kinza-willi]

you are right about the word aawaba, the word is nyumba, my mistake and i think nyumba ya sanaa is the name of a museum,  bill