Background & Biography: Etu
- (Baboucarr Ndow also spelt Baboucar) is based at his
(Tumbunto) Tunbung Art Village and Gallery in Tujereng
(Tujering) in Kombo South district. He was born in 1966
at Bakau, The Gambia, and is today one of the leading
talented artists in the country. He became an art teacher
in 1984 instructing and encouraging school students
in the visual arts then later moved onto lecturing at
the University of the Gambia. He
has appeared on several arts programmes on TV both locally
and overseas. Later in life he secured a student place
at the Art Academy Constantyn Huygens, in the Netherlands
at Kampen.
Style & Techniques: He
is distinguished from other artists in his relationship
and eagerness to work with local naturally occurring
materials, objects and the vibrant colours found in
his natural surroundings. It is important to him to
have a balance between the used materials, environment
and vivid African colours such as Ochre. He happily
combines the local traditional materials around him
with contemporary techniques and acrylics producing
richly textured abstract works. An
important element in his style is the influence of sunlight
on the landscape, people and the different forms and
forms of emphasis it takes in interacting with them.
He says "The sunlight surrounds me 12 hours per
day. That influences everything slightly". The
other element are the everyday sounds he hears as it
gives him artistic energy which he translated onto his
canvasses.  
Tunbung Art Gallery: The
centre was opened in 2002 and is used as his workshop
as well as to nurture and develop young local talent
in he country as well as in the rest of the West Africa
region. Tumbunto gallery has also attracted students
from several European universities. There are regular
workshops and exhibitions displaying his and other aspiring
students works. The studio is located out in the open
and forms the centre state and focus of his artistic
efforts. The place is one of a few local initiatives
aimed at stimulating new interest in painting and other
creative endevours in The Gambia.
Work Experience:
1984 – 1988 art teacher at a secondary school in Gunjur
1989 – 1990 teacher in St Joseph Girls High School,
Banjul
1990 – 1994 he run a gallery, the "African Art
Collection Center" in Bakau
1994 – 1995 started a silk screen printing studio. During
this period he already participated in various exhibitions
in the Gambia and Senegal
1996 Journey to Europe and exhibition in England
1996 - 2000 he studied at the art academy in Kampen,
Netherlands. From 1998 on exhibitions in Netherlands
and Sweden
2001 moved back to the Gambia
2001 - 2003 art and techniques introducing show for
children in the Gambian TV and Art teacher at "French
International School" in the Gambia
2003 gave lectures on artistic traditions at the University
of the Gambia
2003 founded the Tunbung
Art Village |