STORY: Namibian artists advocate wildlife conservation through art exhibition
SHOOTING TIME: July 11, 2024
DATELINE: July 12, 2024
LENGTH: 0:03:03
LOCATION: Windhoek
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT/CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the exhibition at Omba Art Gallery
2. SOUNDBITE (English): JEREMIA HAIHAMBO, Artist
3. various of the exhibition at Omba Art Gallery

STORYLINE:

Artists are taking a stand for wildlife protection through an exhibition at the Omba Art Gallery in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.

"Save us from Fading" opened on June 18 and runs until July 14. The exhibition features over 70 linocuts, paintings and sculptures by local artists Jeremia Haihambo and Nghiwilepo Tuhafeni. The art pieces depict rhinoceros and other endangered wildlife.

According to Haihambo, the artwork serves as a reminder of the urgent need to combat rhinoceros poaching and illegal wildlife trade.

"Ongoing poaching has inspired us to come together in solidarity to advocate for the survival and justice of the last remaining species of rhinoceros in our country and Africa as a whole," said Haihambo on Thursday.

SOUNDBITE (English): JEREMIA HAIHAMBO, Artist
"What inspired us to come up with this initiative is that we got tired of hearing the bad news about wildlife. Because, at times, we hear that the rhino got poached and the pangolin got poached."

Namibia has been facing losses of wildlife due to the continuous threat of poaching of rhinoceros and high-value animals such as pangolins. Official data showed that the number of rhinoceros poached increased from 79 in 2022 to 83 in 2023.

The proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to Save the Rhino Trust, a local nonprofit organization, and also support the artists' studies at the local governmental college of the arts.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Windhoek.
(XHTV)