Art of Afrika

Yusupha Tamba was born 1986 in Sibanor Village West Coast Region of the Republic of The Gambia.
After his apprenticeship as a carpenter, he graduated through the President International Award Scheme in Bakau and relocated to Brikama.
Even as a child, Yusupha practiced pencil drawings. The well known regional artist Sulayman Sanyang recognized Yusupha’s talent in an early stage and trained him in Street Art and painting on canvas. At that time, he used mostly oil or water colours.
Since 2012, Yusupha uses acryl colour on canvas almost exclusively. At this point, he opened his own workshop, an art gallery named “Yus – Artist –Gallery” in Kerrsering, near the Sennegambia Highway. One of his first customers was the well-known Jamaican Reggae Star, Luciano.

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Yusapha sees himself called upon to address two major topics: Art itself, but also, supporting the underprivileged and needy, especially children.These themes are closely connected to his personal background.
Him, being one of seven children was separated by circumstance from his family at the age of three, after which, he was saved by his grandfather, with whom he then lived until the Grandfather’s demise, seven years later. Yusupha lost his father that same year. It was no more possible to return to his family. So, from that time onwards, he was given shelter by a friend’s grandmother.
Gambia is one of the poorest nations worldwide. The daily focus for families there, consists of the constant struggle to find food for all family members. Topics such as an education and consequently having a future, are almost not accessible for the majority of people. At the same time, Gambia represents Africa in a richness of colour, beauty, wisdom and the mystical. These are aspects of Gambia that find fascinating expression in Yusupha’s art.
Africa supports Africa – the best possibility for true independence and freedom. In this way, through his art, Yusupha wishes to inspire especially young people and the young-at-heart to explore similar ways of perspective as he has done himself. And in doing so, discover their own talents and start their own personal journey of appreciation.
By the way, Journey: Yusupha left his own country Gambia for the very first time in his life, in the year 2017 and travelled to Europe, Germany, for the first exhibition of his artist career.