art -ist
Ashwyn Mberi
A
shwyn Mberi has done it all. An artistic jack-of-all-trades, Mberi has twice hosted the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs), is the founder of a platform for underground artists called The Gathering, a playwright, director, a sought-after master of ceremonies and performance artist.
Zimbabwean-born and Namibian-raised Mberi has an impressive resume and he is only just getting started. This young Afropolitan has captivated the Namibian art scene with his smooth voice and impressive wordplay which, surprisingly, was not always the case. “I planned to study Law at UNAM (the University of Namibia) but changed my mind in the registration line and registered for Drama, instead.” Drama gives him the freedom to creatively express himself. ‘’It allows me to reach out and connect with people,” he said. ‘’It gives me the freedom to make a mark in this world because my expression is unique to my experiences and how I interact with the world.’’ In spite of the challenges and shortcomings of the local arts industry, Mberi has grown as a performance artist in leaps and bounds. ‘’The arts sector lacks financial and structural support and we don’t have an arts economy supported by government or the private sector, beyond the occasional event. There needs to be an intentional investment in the Arts,” he explained. Mberi’s most recent show, Bantu-Boy Blooming, was born of the need to tell his own story. ‘’It is based upon my experiences as an artist, a young African travelling from Zimbabwe to Namibia, having a home in both places. I wanted to reflect this in my music and poetry, to give back the love and nurturing I had received from the communities that have embraced me, thus far.”
The Warehouse Theatre & Bar was recently abuzz with energy when Mberi, accompanied by Beauty Boois, Keith Vries and Vitore Kaonjua, delivered a riveting fusion of music and poetry. ‘’It was a sentimental moment, for sure. The Warehouse is where I had debuted as a Spoken Word poet and had been the birthplace for many of my creative ideas. It meant a lot to me, not only for the arts in Namibia but for myself as an artist and my journey.” Not looking to stop anytime soon, Mberi aims to diversify his future projects: ‘’I’m leaning more towards film and music. I’m excited about the adventure. As an actor, I want to reach more audiences, and as a writer-director, I’m keen on telling pan-African stories, particularly those about the Afro-millennial experience.” Asked what we can expect from him soon, Mberi said: ‘’I plan to create impactful and engaging art, art programmes and creative spaces that will allow my voice, and countless other African voices, to be heard well beyond our time.” Follow Ashwyn on Twitter at @ashwynmberi Lavinia Kapewasha
21
