- Title: Drawing in the customers in Mogadishu
- Date: 25th July 2017
- Summary: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MURALS ON EXTERIOR OF AUTO PARTS SHOP PAINTED BY ARTIST, MUAWIYE HUSSEIN SIDOW VARIOUS OF SIDOW STANDING IN FRONT OF SHOP PAINTED WITH HIS MURAL VARIOUS OF SIGN READING (English): 'SHIK SHIK' WITH IMAGE OF A HAND HOLDING PAINT BRUSHES (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) ARTIST, MUAWIYE HUSSEIN SIDOW, SAYING: "In 1997, I started drawing pictures. To me this was a victory and a pleasure because my dream and ambition was to become an artist. I moved to Mogadishu help my father at his art shop in the Hamarweyne district of Mogadishu." VARIOUS OF SIDOW DIPPING PAINTBRUSH IN JARS OF PAINT VARIOUS OF SIDOW PAINTING (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) ARTIST, MUAWIYE HUSSEIN SIDOW, SAYING: "In 1998, my father retired from art. I inherited his business and I have been the artist here and I work in the 16 districts of Mogadishu while working at my father's shop." VARIOUS OF SIDOW'S MURAL ON EXTERIOR OF RESTAURANT (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) ARTIST, MUAWIYE HUSSEIN SIDOW, SAYING: "I create my own pictures. This is my skill. I never copy from others. Most of my pictures depict Somali culture. I create these paintings for various kinds of businesses and shops." VARIOUS OF PAINTINGS BY SIDOW ON DISPLAY
- Embargoed: 8th August 2017 11:52
- Keywords: Somali mural artist Muawiye Hussein Sidow Somalian art advertising industry Mogadishu artist
- Location: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
- City: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
- Country: Somalia
- Topics: Art,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA0016R7QRF9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: In Somalia, artist Muawiye Hussein Sidow offers his clients a bespoke service creating large murals and paintings to advertise their businesses.
Sidow, also known as 'Shik Shik', has created artwork for over 100 shops, including barbers, tea shops and supermarkets across the capital Mogadishu.
Sidow's shop murals consist of bright, eye-catching colours and logos, with some pieces stretching over several metres.
Sidow learnt his trade from his father, who was a commercial artist and passed his knowledge and skills on to his son.
Thirty-one-year old Sidow took over his father's business in 1998 and his artwork provides an income for his family.
"In 1998, my father retired from art. I inherited his business and I have been the artist here and I work in the 16 districts of Mogadishu while working at my father's shop," he said.
Somalia's economy is picking up slowly after the army and an African Union peacekeeping force helped drive Islamist group al Shabaab out of Mogadishu and other strongholds.
Store-front murals are a common way for businesses to advertise their goods in Mogadishu.
But despite the busy schedule, Sidow says he never duplicates or replicates other murals, preferring to create bespoke artwork for each of his customers.
"I create my own pictures. This is my skill. I never copy from others. Most of my pictures depict Somali culture. I create these paintings for various kinds of businesses and shops," he said.
And Sidow has a new ambition for his artwork, hoping to help other Somali artists.
He teaches aspiring artists the tricks of the trade and says many of them have gone on to start their own businesses. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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