Exhibitions & Publications
NIKON MOMENTS
National Art Gallery of Namibia, 2014
"Held at the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN) during July 2014, my month-long exhibition documented my different phases in photography, displaying moments taken throughout the years, some going back 30 years. Curated in such a way that the exhibition started with a left wall of black and white photographs, and moved on to desaturated images, a main wall of colour, some simple mirrored images and ending with abstracts. This exhibition was opened by friend and businesswoman Hilda Basson." - Tony Figueira
EVERY ONE HUNDREDTH OF A SECOND
Omba Gallery, Windhoek, Namibia, 2014
This "was a collaboration with renowned documentary photographer and colleague John Liebenberg in an historical exhibition held at the Omba Gallery. In this once-off exhibition we displayed a collection of black-and-white prints of our favourite works taken during the 1980’s and 90’s. John’s dramatic black & white images complimented my works of pre and post independence photography. At the exhibition we launched a book of the images. The opening address was by Professor Andre du Pisani." - Tony Figueira
FAIRY CIRCLES, MAGIC TRIANGLES AND THE RABBIT IN THE WINDOW
Namibian Jewellers and Arts cc, Swakopmund, Namibia, 2013
"Fairy Circles was a long term project, that started when I applied for space at the Swakopmund Woermannhaus Gallery. It was with much anticipation that I prepared for a multi-faceted exhibition printed on a variety of fine art papers, as well as traditional mahangu hand-made papers. Mahangu is one of the staple traditional grains grown in northern Namibia.
I meticulously and thematically designed the exhibition according to the different spaces of the Woermannhaus Gallery, so it was with immense disappointment when I suddenly found myself cancelling the exhibition, a mere two days before the opening. Woermannhaus and I did not share the same sentiments about freedom of expression, and after several telephonic discussions, emails and one meeting that led to naught, I was left with no choice but to cancel. Jewellers became a great alternative, and the opening two weeks after the supposed opening at Woermannhaus, was a wonderful success." - Tony Figueira
BEYOND THE FRAME
Studio 77, Windhoek, Namibia, 2012
This was "an exhibition of images that had me explore what is often not captured. What goes beyond the frame, [and] what often does not get recorded." - Tony Figueira
QUESTION THE ORDINARY
Bang & Olufsen, Windhoek, Namibia, 2011
"This exhibition was about taking photography to technology. Along with colleague and friend Piers le Estrange we put together an exhibition of images floating in and out of a variety of state-of-the-art screens, a first in Namibia. There were also some printed works which went from the beautiful Bang & Olufsen showrooms into the Weylandts warehouse, mingling with their delightful and stylish furniture. Studio 77 [specialised] in interior decorating with photography, and this exhibition was a marriage of great furniture, a brilliant venue and some delightful photography." - Tony Figueira
FIFA WORLD CUP DRAW EXHIBITION
Cape Town, 2010
"In early December 2010, along with photographers Hans Rack and the late Paul van Schalkwyk, I was commissioned by the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) to participate in an exhibition in Cape Town for the FIFA World Cup draw, depicting Namibia as one of the destinations for football fans." - Tony Figueira
MIRROR IMAGES
Studio 77, Windhoek, Namibia, 2010
"I have always been fascinated by fractals and the repetition of simple patterns. So Mirror images was an exhibition of mirrored works printed on canvas on stretcher frames." - Tony Figueira
IN THE LIGHT OF A FLASH
A photographic account of the life of Dr Sam Nujoma, 2010
"'In the Light of a Flash' is a documentary account in images and captions of Sam Nujoma’s life co-authored with colleague photographer Per Sanden." - Tony Figueira
EMANGULUKO (INDEPENDENCE)
Studio 77, Windhoek, Namibia, 2009
"In March 2009 I collaborated in a group exhibition entitled 'Emanguluko (Independence)'. Along with Papa Shikongeni, Imke Rust, Alpheus Mvula and dancer Stanely Mareka, we augmented our artwork with our thoughts on Namibia’s independence. The exhibition was opened by the Motor Vehicle Fund CEO Jerry Muadinohamba with special guest stalwart freedom fighter [late] Andimba Toivo ya Toivo." - Tony Figueira
LUZ DA TERRA (EARTH LIGHT)
Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre, Windhoek, Namibia, 2009
"This exhibition travelled from Namibia to Malawi and 23 African countries before returning to Namibia. The exhibition has Namibia’s grace, beauty and cultural diversity as central themes." - Tony Figueira
THE TOUCH OF A THOUGHT
Studio 77, Windhoek, Namibia, 2008
This exhibition would be Tony's first at Studio 77, a photographic studio started by the photographer with colleague Hans Rack in 2004.
THE COLOUR OF BLACK AND WHITE
Photographic Book
The Colour of Black & White won a Gecko Award for best photography in 2007.
LIGHTWORKS
National Art Gallery of Namibia, 2005
"In 2005 I collaborated with my daughter Gina Figueira who was then 12 years old, in a joint photographic exhibition at the National Art Gallery entitled Lightworks. Gina’s abstract photography along with my mixed documentary photography combined to form a wonderful rendition of youth and maturity in a digital medium that opens the doors to a whole new generation of creative minds." - Tony Figueira
SAUDADES DE QUEM TE AMA
Stills photography for a documentary film, Angola, 2004
"During most of 2004 I was involved in the making of a film documentary by London-based Namibian filmmaker Richard Pakleppa on Angola entitled 'Saudades de quem te ama'. Depicting a longing for Angola as one united and stable country, Saudades took us to several Angolan provinces." - Tony Figueira
FACES
Artelier Kendzia, Windhoek, Namibia, 1994
'Faces' was an exhibition of portraits and landscapes held at Artelier Kendzia.
AGUA, LIBERDADE E TERRA
Artelier Kendzia, Windhoek, Namibia, 1993
"This exhibition took place at Artelier Kendzia a year and a half after Namibia’s independence and raised questions about our freedoms and sovereignty. Without water and land, there is no freedom. The exhibition dealt with issues around land, water and the freedom of expression." - Tony Figueira
WOMEN - A TRIBUTE
National Art Gallery of Namibia, 1992
"Unicef and the Swedish Embassy funded an exhibition entitled 'Women - a tribute' (1992). Held at Namibia’s National Art Gallery, Women served as a fundraiser for the Namibia Red Cross Society and it’s Ombili Day Care Centre as a means of improving the status of vulnerable children at the Ombili Day Care Centre in Katutura. At the time we raised seventeen thousand Namibian dollars for the project. My motor trade family business Godinho Auto Body Repairs (which I also ran for over twenty years) assisted with logistics, printing of the works and old tyres, paint and staff to spruce up the Ombily playgrounds." - Tony Figueira
RURAL ARTS IN NAMIBIA
The Loft Gallery, Windhoek, Namibia 1991
This project "was a Rossing Foundation commissioned exhibition and publication entitled Rural Arts in Namibia (1991) and was funded by IBIS, NORAD and Air Namibia and travelled, along with the artists’ works to Norway and Denmark. The Windhoek exhibition was held at the Loft Gallery." - Tony Figueira
MINHA TERRA
National Art Gallery of Namibia, 1989
"My first solo exhibition with Minha Terra was at the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN) and was opened by Dr Zedekia Ngavirue. This exhibition depicted Namibian landscapes and people, and travelled to the Grahamstown Arts Festival and the Cape Town National Art Gallery. Two years later I took a smaller version of this exhibition to Lubango in Angola, and the Festas da Senhora do Monte." - Tony Figueira
OTHER IMAGES AND PUBLICATIONS
Some other images and publications include:
Unicef’s 'Peace, Reconciliantion and Development', Namibia Brief’s 'Focus on Tourism', Namibia’s 'Water (a decision maker’s guide)', The Heritage Library of African People’s 'Khoekhoe' by Frederick Anozie, Ellen Ndeshi’s 'The Price of Freedom', Ibis 'People are not water', and a host of photo documentaries and essays in a variety of newspapers and magazines, from Africa Geographic, Luanda’s Talentos, Lisbon’s O Publico, Namibia’s Insight, Sister Namibia and The Namibian Newspaper, and South Africa’s Mail & Guardian, Cape Times and Sunday Times.
Some calendars published include 'Angola Namibia, One Heart Two Countries', with John Liebenberg, FNB’s 'Face of Namibia', 'Angola Landscapes' (which won a Gecko Award for best photography), 'Namibia' 2008, 'Ongwediva' 2008 and 'Omina' 2008.