Teleja Tshimbalanga from Kinshasa of the Congo or Zaire a resident in Tramore is holding Tramore ‘s first African art exhibition at the Coastguard station art space. Tramore now has a diverse mix of cultures from many countries and different continents.

Teleja arranged these African exhibits through her brother who is based in Paris and has African artists working for him. Teleja has lived much of her life in Europe, where her father was a diplomat in the Vatican in Rome, but she keeps in touch with her African roots.

The works have a wide variety of themes from sculpture and painting representing art of the Congo.

The artists contributing to the exhibition are based in Kinshasa the capital of the Congo with some of them from the country. Hence the art and animals.

Ebony, blue wood, mahogany, white wood and red wood are some of the equatorial forest timbers used by the African artists. The terrain there is similar to that of the Amazon says Teleja.

Tramore has had many more art exhibitions than ever in recent years and now with some international influences in the town it is only appropriate that

we can see art and some music from an African country like the Congo.

Up to 20 nationalities at least now live in Tramore from Europe, America, Asia and Africa.

A number of representatives of the African community from countries like the Congo, the Cameroons, Zimbabwe and Nigeria attended the launch in bright coloured clothes adding to the occasion.

A Tom Tom drummer from France Nigeria,Tobe, who is also a dance teacher with the Waterford Break Dance group provided some of the music at the exhibition launch last Tuesday.

Kieran Walsh of the Munster Express spoke a few words at the launch welcoming the guests and encouraging persons to get to know other cultures.

Supervalu and Spice World assisted in the sponsorship of the event