Who was Etu Ndow

Baboucarr Etu Ndow was born in 1966 at Bakau, The Gambia. He was one of the leading talented artists in the country. Although he was as well a painter, sculptor, landscaper as videographer (he produced several films about the Gambia and Africa) he is most well-known from his paintings.
He distinguished himself from other artists by working with natural and recycled materials and colors from his natural surroundings. Etu combined the local and traditional materials with contemporary techniques and used the vibrant African colors. An important element and inspiration for his work were the sunlight and sounds around him in Tunbung. After starting with realist art he finally later concentrated on abstract works.

In 1984 Etu started as an art teacher encouraging school students and later in 2003 university students into arts. He inspired and mentored many young artists in the Gambia and Europe to develop their skills. Etu also worked for Gambian television hosting an art program for children. He believed that children should learn to paint and create things as early as possible in their lives.

From 1996 till 2000 he studied arts at the Art Academy in Kampen where he learned more about contemporary techniques which he used later in his works when he came back to the Gambia. In 2002 he opened his place of creativity, Tunbung Art Village (2002) with art classes, workshops for as well local as foreign art lovers, students and children, exhibitions (gallery) and a guesthouse.

Etu started his first gallery ‘African Art Collection Center’ in 1990 in Bakau. Since 1994 he participated in different exhibitions in The Gambia, Senegal, UK, The Netherlands, Sweden, America, Lebanon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and China. Where he, in 2008, represented the Gambia and West Africa in the worldwide event, the Changchun International Sculpture Arts Exhibition and Symposium. He won 3^rd price with his marble sculpture “Spirit of Hope”.

Etu also sought to connect with other artists in artist circles with  Comrade Sillah, Momodou Ceesay, Njogu Touray and others to inspire each other with new ideas.