Mask Up by William Bwalya Miko

William Bwalya Miko (1961), was born in the Mwense District, Luapula Province, Zambia. A veteran in the field, Miko is a practicing visual artist and culture consultant living and working in Lusaka, Zambia. He received his BA in 1998, followed by an MA in 1999 specializing in Fine Arts, from Middlesex University in the UK. While his early work was often inspired by dance and theatrical performance from his rural childhood area, Miko’s later work has focused on movement and displacement. Commenting on both social and cultural displacement of peoples, his pieces are visual interpretations of the factors molding present day African society. As well as exhibiting nationally Miko has worked with curators of the highest repute at the Africa Centre Gallery, London, participated in both the 1993 and 1997 Johannesburg Biennales – the latter curated by late Okwui Enwenzor and at various galleries and museums internationally. Miko served as the resident artist at CRIC Switzerland in 2000, and has since lead various conferences on the direction of African Art globally. Served as national coordinator of CICIBA and CSSP European Union Euro 2 million cultural funded projects in Zambia. He is a founder member of Zambia National Visual Arts Council (VAC). He is published in leading magazines such as ARTFORUM International, Miko is an undisputed leader in the field of contemporary African Art. He is PUMA Creative Africa Network Ambassador for Zambia. He currently serves as Vice Chairperson of the Lechwe Trust as well as a visual arts Senior lecturer and HOD in the new School of Media, Performing and Fine Arts at the Zambian Open University where he introduced the first ever BA degree program in fine art.