Named after former Zanzibar President Amani Abeid, the young talented artist brings into the Tanzania Contemporary Art expo 2017 nostalgia as he embellishes childhood memories. His art can be described as a walk into the childhood, reflections of active childhood and childhood games as well as diverse look into the world.
Born in 1986 in northern Tanzania, Abeid would move to Dar es Salaam where he currently resides. He describes himself as a self-taught comic artist, cartoonist, illustrator and painter. In his art residence in South Africa, Abeid came across the diversity of inequality which he describes as horrific. He describes a South Africa that is beautiful and at the same time deplorable given that you can meet a rich and sophisticated man and in the same breadth smell the gutters and spot the uncomfortable sight of the homeless. It is this disparity he engages his audience in some of his works.
Growing up into the arts world, Abeid strangely though not conclusively so, received moral support from his uncle Colonel Yona Msocha, if it were otherwise he would have nurtured him into the military life. With such support, Abeid would go ahead to win several awards in school and also from organizations like Prevention and Combating Corruption Bureau.
He has also received various commissions and freelance jobs from different institutions, organizations and companies- something that has earned him a place among the up and rising artists in Tanzania and East Africa. He has exhibited in South Africa, Sweden, and Berlin, Germany at Deutches Historisches Museum.
A holder of a bachelor of art degree in Project Planning, Management and Community Development from the University Of Dodoma, Abeid seems to be staring at mother luck as he trudges into the future with his prodigious skill. He owns a studio at Nafasi Artspace where he shares his dreams with other top artists in Tanzania.
Abeid is among artists exhibiting at the Tanzania Contemporary Art Expo 2017 in Nairobi.