The event drew nearly 200 carefully selected guests, all eager to experience the city’s latest contribution to contemporary art.
On a breezy Sunday evening, contemporary artist Elisa Zorzi opened the doors to her second solo exhibition in Dar es Salaam, Portals, at the Golden Tulip hotel.
The event drew nearly 200 carefully selected guests, all eager to experience the city’s latest contribution to contemporary art.
Zorzi’s work has long been celebrated for its bold fusion of abstract and neo-expressionist brushstrokes.
In Portals, she takes her artistic exploration further, experimenting with mixed media, including textiles, palm tree textures, and locally sourced materials.
The result is a collection that is both visually striking and immersive, inviting viewers to step through what she calls “portals of the subconscious.” Each painting is not merely a visual object but an experience, a space where emotion, memory, and imagination converge.
The exhibition left a strong impression on attendees, who praised both Zorzi’s technique and her creative vision.
Samina Sashak shares, “The expression is very good, the colours are very good. And yes, I definitely can take something and introduce it to my art also, as a background or something. Beautiful combination of colours.”
She adds that the paintings evoked movement and natural beauty: “It’s kind of showing the sea… Zanzibar… a beautiful waterfall. I like that there are other materials. It seems that it’s moving, it’s fun and alive.”
Model and designer Niler Bernard echoes the sentiment, describing the exhibition as “deeply personal, yet beautifully expressed, almost like art in motion.
The ambience was enchanting, the atmosphere so thoughtfully set, and every detail fell perfectly into place. There was a quiet charm running through it all… and honestly, I loved every moment!”
For Zorzi, these reactions are the essence of her work. She explains that her goal is for viewers to reflect, meditate, and discover parts of themselves in her art.
“I want the observer to enter a different world,” she says. “They may find intuition, freedom, or confront something hidden within themselves. Abstract is like music, Mozart or Beethoven, they create symphonies, but people feel them differently. That’s how I want my work to be experienced.”
Zorzi’s journey into the world of mixed media began in Brussels, where she stumbled upon a store overflowing with materials of every colour and texture imaginable. “I felt like a child seeing little stones full of colour.
I went crazy. I bought everything, mixed, poured, and experimented. From there, I really enjoyed it, and I said, Okay, this is part of my life now,” she recalls.
Her early exhibitions were small, intimate affairs held in unconventional venues. “I didn’t have money to go into galleries, so a lady offered her house for free. I created the ambience, served some wine, and invited selected clients.”
She further details, “The secret, I think, is creating a connection. Only with ambience and connection do you truly reach the audience.”
Despite working for the European Union delegation, a role that has taken her across multiple countries, Zorzi maintains that her professional life complements her art.
“I need serenity to produce. If I don’t have peace of mind, I cannot create. A stable job gives me freedom, I can do what I want without anxiety about bills. That’s real freedom.”
In Portals, Zorzi continues to push boundaries. She has experimented with encaustic painting, which uses coloured wax, creating a layered effect that is tactile and visually dynamic.
She hopes to continue exploring materials and techniques that few others are working with locally.
“I want to discover, experiment, and have fun with my art. That’s how I grow.”
Her work reflects a deep philosophical approach. Abstract art, for her, is a mirror for the subconscious. It is about emotion, intuition, and personal interpretation.
“When people stop in front of a painting and feel something, I know I’ve reached them,” she says. “That’s my turning point, when the work truly moves people.”
Away from the studio, Zorzi indulges in other creative pursuits. Photography and cooking are extensions of her artistic sensibilities, while music, particularly Semba from Angola, provides rhythm and inspiration.
She keeps tuned to contemporary trends, seeking to stay current and connected with younger generations.
Dar es Salaam itself, particularly the coastline at sunrise, serves as a sanctuary for her creativity.
“I need slow mornings, coffee, calmness. That’s when I paint best,” she notes. Her son remains her anchor, keeping her grounded amidst ambition and exploration.
While Zorzi’s work is gaining recognition locally, she has her sights on international audiences. Galleries in Europe and the US have expressed interest, though logistical and financial challenges have tempered expansion.
Her approach remains deliberate, “I want to reach people who can truly experience the emotional depth of my work. One or two exhibitions alone don’t make sense; I need a platform where it resonates.”
Portals ultimately offer more than visual appeal. It is a carefully orchestrated experience, blending colour, texture, and atmosphere to create a space where the subconscious comes alive.
As visitors wander the exhibition, they are invited to pause, reflect, and discover, both in the work and within themselves.
In a city increasingly alive with contemporary creativity, Elisa Zorzi’s Portals represents a bold step in Dar es Salaam’s evolving art landscape. It is at once personal, playful, and profound, a window into a world where the boundaries between the observer and the observed dissolve, leaving only reflection, emotion, and imagination.
“I want people to stop in front of a painting and feel it. When that happens, I know I’ve reached them,” she concludes.
With Portals, Zorzi has not only created a collection of paintings but also a journey, an invitation to explore the infinite possibilities of the subconscious mind.
