For the first time since 1992 the highly experienced Namibian artist Christine Marais displays her art work in Windhoek. This is also the first time her art alone is displayed and not coupled with a book illustrated by her. The opening of the exhibition was very well visited and most of the art works were sold to collectors and aficionados within a very short time.

The South African born artist now residing in Swakopmund since 1976 was inspired by this region. Thus her work mainly depicts the colonial architecture of Swakopmund and the Namib. Most of the images on display in the Omba Gallery until 29 September also have been dedicated to the Namib and are "wonderful examples of how (Christine Marais) interprets this landscape" Dr Mary Seely Director of the Desert Research Foundation emphasized during the opening ceremony on Friday 15 September 2006. According to Dr Mary Seely the most memorable thing of Christine Marais is the manner she goes out into the Namib looks at the landscape and gets her ideas. Some of these ideas respond to the unique rainy season of this year and thus show the Namib, which otherwise would be vast and monotonous, in blue and purple hues full of contrast. Also in the pictures being displayed this time Christine Marais upheld her own cubistic-naturalistic style. For developing this typical style, Christine Marais was inspired by the works of Cézanne, Gris and Picasso during her studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Partly decorative but also descriptive lines are the main illustrative element, while colours do not have a dominant place in the pictures and are used for indicating shadow or enhancing some details. While some plants and animals are very detailed and precise corresponding with the natural appearance, other parts of the landscape are only suggestive with the assistance of lines. Various books illustrated by her are being sold at the gallery.