Perhaps it is the innate spirituality that the elders recognised in Maambo at an early age that gives his paintings their unique, almost meditative and healing quality, which captivates the viewer, who is treated to an intimate moment in time in the life of the subjects of his exquisite portraits.
Restone Maambo was born in Zambia and navigates his ancestry and experiences with ‘Kusololwa Amumuni’, the call from the ancestors to become a spiritual healer, through his artistic practice. Brought up by his mother, Maambo's respect and appreciation of femininity and womanhood stem from this positive relationship, and features strongly in his work. He often paints women in what appears to be a spiritual, meditative state, and the viewer feels touched to have been included in what is a very intimate and personal moment.
Maambo's artworks are created using acrylic impasto paint, varnish layering, collage and mixed media, which are often applied to large canvases. The inclusion of collage is integral to the artist's processing, as it depict an infinite awareness of his environments and his immediate surroundings, both in Zambia and South Africa.
Maambo's use of acrylic paint and varnish layering is lucid, and his work exalt his subject matter, which is produced on a life-sized scale to better establish a relationship between the viewer and his chosen subjects. Maambo’s practice incorporates traditional painting methodologies alongside new experimental materials, such as plaster and cement, interactive antidotes which result in playful and experimental mark-making on the surface.
