WE are drinking Ovambo Bier at Eliakimas 1977

Editor: This is "WE are drinking Ovambo Bier at Eliakimas" by John Muafangejo, created in 1977. It’s a woodcut print, and it strikes me as a very intimate gathering, despite being rendered in such a bold, graphic style. What aspects of this work stand out to you? Curator: As a woodcut, the process of carving away material to create the image is paramount. The stark contrast between black and white speaks to the reductive nature of the medium; but I’m more interested in the "Ovambo Bier" and its communal consumption. Beer, here, isn’t just a beverage, it's a socially constructed experience. What does it mean to frame this community activity? Editor: I see what you mean. The beer itself seems almost secondary to the gathering – it's right there in the title. Would you say that the act of sharing resources takes a role? Curator: Absolutely! It speaks directly to the means of production. The print itself becomes a multiple, a readily consumed piece reflecting on community ties and collaborative labor. Note the way the artist signs and dates his work but also marks the print number (15/100): This emphasizes the act of producing and selling artwork, transforming cultural activities into a marketable experience. What message do you think he sends to the art-consuming public with the image? Editor: I’m curious, would the setting in "Eliakimas Kraal" mean anything to people at the time? How does naming a location impact this artwork's message about labour, materials and society? Curator: Knowing the context, the named location makes it so the consumption of goods and labor in the process has become inseparable. His use of this specific medium serves as an echo, allowing a traditionally "lower artform" to connect the elite, art-consuming society to this more intimate place of collaboration. Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way! Now I see the commentary on artistic labor and commodity production, alongside a record of a communal moment. Thanks so much for this discussion. Curator: It’s fascinating how the choice of material illuminates so much about labor and community; the piece serves as a window into both making and belonging.