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11+ Years on
the Internet! 2,900+ Paintings Sold! 80+
Artists Represented, and Growing! No Fixed Prices! TingaTinga 3 - Original Paintings from Tanzania
Meanwhile, Tingatinga continued to paint. His studio was at his residence at Msasani Mikoroshoni where he stayed with his family in one room. His paintings were sold at Morogoro Stores in Oyster Bay area by his wife, his nephew, Omari Amonde, and sometimes himself. Eventually things slowly started to work in Tingatinga's favor. One day, a tourist, who had bought one of his paintings, introduced him to the then National Arts Company, a subsidiary of the National Development Cooperation. The company became interested in Tingatinga's paintings straight away. It was agreed that the artist should supply the company with his paintings. With this newly acquired client, each of his paintings could now fetch up to Tsh. 60. Having found himself financially fit, he decided to quit his job at Muhimbili Medical Centre and began to live entirely on his paintings. Tingatinga took several young relatives as his apprentices. They were called Ajaba Abdallah Mtalia, Adeusi Mandu, January Linda, Casper Tedo and Simon Mpata. First, they were just helping him with the work but then he encouraged them to do their own paintings. Tingatinga was known by many as a talented man who was also very social. One Saturday night in 1972, Tingatinga met his untimely and tragic death. There were three people in a Volkswagen Beetle speeding away from a police patrol car along Independence Road, now Samora Avenue, in Dar es Salaam. The police had mistaken it for a get-away car used by robbers. They fired several shots at the car, one bullet got Tingatinga. He died on his way to the hospital. His two colleagues, Tedo and Daudi, escaped the shooting miraculously. In the subsequent police interrogation, it was discovered that Daudi, the driver, was in fact running away from the police because he had no valid driving license. The three were using the car without the permission of the owner who happened to be their relative. They were not robbers at all but that was the end of Tingatinga's life. Edward Tingatinga was buried at the Msasani Mikoroshoni cemetery in Dar es Salaam. He died at the age of 40 leaving behind his wife and two children, Daudi and Maritina. Daudi is presently an active member of the Tingatinga Arts Co-operative Society while his sister, Maritina, is married and lives in Dar es Salaam. Their mother died in 1995. Although Edward Said Tingatinga is dead, his memory is still fresh and alive among us all. His art will make him live among us for ever. Inside African Art works in close cooperation with the Internet's most indepth authority on Tinga Tinga arts: Afrum.com
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