The TingaTinga art movement traces its roots back to Edward Saidi TingaTinga, a visionary artist from Tanzania whose unpretentious paintings and positive outlook on life sparked an artistic resurgence that reshaped the creation of East African art for a global audience.
Having no artistic education and even less material to work with, Edward TingaTinga used whatever he could get his hands on, including low-cost materials such as Masonite squares, recycled ceramic fragments, and bicycle paint on wood. With seemingly simple sceneries and bold designs, Edward TingaTinga’s style reflected his lack of formal schooling- but it also reflected something much deeper: A burning passion for storytelling.
Contained within his playful landscapes of the African savannah and the animals and people that inhabited it, TingaTinga tapped into a deeper sense of the storytelling elements unique to the region- and instilled a sense of cultural pride and joy in all those who saw it. Before long, his colorful characters and “found canvas” creations gained a local following that allowed him to quit his job and pursue his craft as a full-time artist, and eventually start a movement.