Panorama Bagamoyo
An ode to the sailing cargo, fishing under sail, craftsmanship of shipbuilders, life and trade on the beach.
An initiative to document the coastline of Bagamoyo, Tanzania, in the shape of a painted panorama.
The similarities between the beach of Bagamoyo in 2024 and the coast of Scheveningen in 1880 are striking: wooden ships at low tide, fishermen and women at work, the timeless rhythm of the tides and life on the coast.
Bagamoyo
‘lay down the burden of your heart ‘
In 1880, 144 years ago, the Dutch painter Henry William Mesdag created a monumental 360-degree panorama of the village of Scheveningen, in which he captured the banks, the view of the interior and the sea as it was then. The painting, 114.5 meters long and 14.5 meters high, celebrates the harmony between man and nature in everyday life.
It is still one of the most iconic works in Dutch art history.
Inspired by Mesdag’s work, we propose a Panorama Bagamoyo, a painted panorama of the Bagamoyo coastline.
Smaller of scale (30 x 3m) but equally meaningful.
Scheveningen 1880
Bagamoyo 2024
The beach of Bagamoyo seems to be a well-preserved bubble in time, a time capsule that the industrial revolution seems to have gone beyond, a unique setting that could soon disappear under the influence of modern developments, digitalisation and mobile phone..
A planned container port less than 10 km. distance can change the area forever.
Project vision
The purpose of painting the panorama is to draw attention to the uniqueness of life and pursuits on the beach of Bagamoyo. A life in a relative balance that is under the pressure of modern developments. With the proposed construction of a new port, it is uncertain how long these traditions will survive.
As initiator of the panorama and photographer, I started photographing and filming everyday life on the beach, documenting activities such as sailing Ngalawa’s, the Doh’s, sailing freight transport with Zanzibar and many other ports on the African east coast, ship maintenance, carpentry and the bustling atmosphere of fish markets.
These scenes depict a way of life that is becoming increasingly rare and valuable in today’s world.
Main themes that will explore the panorama
Sustainability: the use of traditional wooden ships under sail, the craftmanship in maintenance that is done entirely on the beach without modern tools or electricity.
Cultural Uniqueness: Each community develops along its own timeline. There is inherent value in preserving traditions and ways of life that are different from modern, digital civilization. The panorama can initiate conversations about how modern developments can be brought into balance with the preservation of cultural heritage.
Physical work: in a world in which mechanisation is increasing, the physical labor and solidarity that can be seen on the beach of Bagamoyo, stand in stark contrast to the debilitating connection between our bodies and the natural world.
Collective effort: Many tasks on the beach require the participation of large groups, demonstrating a shared work culture, in which men and women work together in solidarity without the help of machines.
The current situation
The city council of Bagamoyo and the Ministry of Antiquities have issued all the necessary permits, which are necessary to realise the panorama. This with great enthusiasm from all the officials I met. The idea is embraced.
The Ministry of Antiquities has declared its willingness to accept the piece in ownership and to take care of it in the future.
A report will be made, this documentation will be shared with donors and other interested parties.
This is also the specific desire of the ministry.
Location
A location has been found: the old market hall of Bagamoyo, which is now used as a place for artists to produce and sell art, mainly paintings and sculptures. The group of artists welcomed the idea, it will attract more customers and give the market a boost.
The old market hall is a historic place with a long and loaded history, it is the place to house a work like this. .
A team of young talented painters from Bagamoyo have been formed to ensure that this project will reflect African ideas and perspectives.
We are grateful to Nafasi art space for their openness and support in helping to start this initiative and making the wooden construction available, which will form the basis of the panorama.
Now in the Netherlands I am in the process of making contacts with interested parties and to set up a crowdfunding. It will be a relatively low budget project. For the realization of the panorama I do not incur any personal costs.
In the budget calculation, only the costs of materials, the labor of the painters and support such as food during painting and documentation, are introduced. The wages for the painters will be according to local standards.
The foundation ‘lost tools’ is willing to support with tools, if necessary.
A possible continuation of the painting of Panorama Bagamoyo
We are in the process of contacting the Mesdag museum. This is to investigate to what extent an exchange of ideas and experience can take place and any cooperation in the future is possible.
Financing of the project
A budget/cost calculation has been drawn up. This indicates that with an amount of between 10 to 15 thousand euros the project can be realized
In this calculation, only the costs of materials, their processing and the compensation for the artists who will paint the work occur. In addition, some costs for organisation and reporting are inevitable.
If you are passionate about this initiative, you can donate an amount. see page Donations
What can you expect from us as a donor?
We expect to be able to start work around October 2025 to complete it in a period of between 3 and 4 months.
A wonderful work that will prove its value to the last of days.
A documentation of a piece of world in which technology and efficiency do not yet prevail, where manpower is the basis and the digital world does not yet play a real role.
After the realization of the painting in Bagamoyo, the aim is to make an exhibition in the Netherlands about the similarities of the world of Mesdag then and the world of Bagamoyo now.
How special is it that different places in the world are developing completely according to a different timetable?
What is to learn from that?
What do we see as lost?
What is the profit of progress?
What do the digital developments do with our experience of the world and ourselves?
The newly created panorama will be central, this is made possible by you.
A project report, in the form of text, and photo/video material will be regularly made available on this website.
The money spent will be accountable.
A series of photos, shot by Stefan, is available. From this you can choose a print from 100 euros donation.
These are printed to you at max. 30 x 40 or 45 cm. size.