Create Hub Gallery is delighted to present an exhibition by Victor Sitali, Dubai-based Zambian artist who gaining steady recognition as one of the UAE’s most skilled painters.  Victor Sitali who has been deaf and mute from an early age, has turned his disability into an inspirational success story.  ‘Okongola’ opens on 6th February at Create Hub Gallery, Al Quoz.

“The fact I cannot hear has no doubt helped to fine tune my eye for all things visual.” says Victor Sitali of his work. Sitali’s unique vision is fast leading him to becoming one of UAE’s most highly-regarded and innovative painters. Working mainly with oil-on-canvas, Sitali creates highly figurative canvases that expand the traditional parameters of portraiture. Much of his work in the Okongola, which means ‘beautiful’ in his Nyanja Zambian language, uses his African background as its theme and narrative.  “I have had a passion for painting portraits. The vibrant colours that African women wear always caught my eye as a child in Zambia, and I felt the desire to capture this using my brush techniques and paint.” explains Victor.

Create Hub is the only gallery in the Middle East that focuses on emerging African artists. Founder and Managing Director, Lidija Khachatourian says “it is a huge privilege to have such a massively talented African painter, and locally-based artist, feature in our gallery.  We are additionally proud to be showing an artist who has had to overcome such an huge adversity, however that is only one part of the story, Victor’s brilliance and talent would scream out regardless of knowing his background.”