These colorful paintings aim to start a conversation on plastic waste problems in
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. By exploring social, cultural and economic aspects of society,
while also experimenting with metaphoric representation of ideas and material,
Kallaye directly connects these concepts within traditional figurative painting.
In this series the works are created through collaging pieces of plastic bottles and labels
to create texture in a camouflaged way. The figures used in the paintings are
highly inspired by individuals who commute around the streets to collect
improperly dumped plastic waste as means of earning a living.
Mihayo Kallaye (b. 1996, Tanzania)is an artist who creates works that explore ideas of social and environmental injustice by focusing on political, social, economic and cultural realities and how
they bring about the atmosphere of social and environmental injustice in society. Rooted in research
and experimentation, his work makes use of figures inspired by people in his society and engages
collage and metaphor to forge connections with larger concepts. His work was exhibited
in the National Museum of Tanzania in 2020; and Circle Art Gallery, Kenya.