Susan Horn
Namib Faces at Espaço Exibicionista in Lisbon
Namib Faces at Espaço Exibicionista in Lisbon
2 a 28 junho 2017
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Photography by Susan Horn
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"Namibia is home to more than 14 different tribes, as diverse as the country itself. Just as the country's landscape shifts from the arid to the subtropical, so too do people change: looks, traditions, language.
The two tribes that stand out most are the San and the Himba. The San people are a direct descendant of Stone Age hunter-gatherers, and much of Namibia's prehistoric art is attributed to it. Unfortunately, over time, they have lost territory and most of their traditional way of life, which is why I dedicate some of my paintings to them.
The "Himba" tribe, one of Namibia's best known, survives by maintaining its traditional lifestyle, resisting the threats of war, drought and invasion of the modern world. They cover your entire body with a reddish paste, otjize, which serves to protect from the sun and repel insects. There is still the symbolic meaning, uniting the red color of the earth and blood, which is the symbol of life.
The "Himba" tribe, one of Namibia's best known, survives by maintaining its traditional lifestyle, resisting the threats of war, drought and invasion of the modern world. They cover your entire body with a reddish paste, otjize, which serves to protect from the sun and repel insects. There is still the symbolic meaning, uniting the red color of the earth and blood, which is the symbol of life.
The people of the Ovambo and Okavango tribes are also reflected in my paintings. For me, it is difficult to identify a single tribe that represents the image of Namibia. I am fascinated by their wonderful faces, telling me stories of hardship, joy and life. "Susan Horn