My name is Ramadhan s. King’oma, well known as Rams King.
I was born on 22 may 1985,Tanzania.
Lived and studied in Dar es Salaam.
I have always been drawing since primary school, mostly people, family, friends, celebrities and anything or anyone I liked on my sketch pad which I still have today.
I went to a local government school, so art was never supported, and I was only doing it for fun.
At some point I had to concentrate on my studies. I took business studies and I did very well up to university (university of Dar es Salaam) pursuing bachelors of commerce and management.
After graduating in 2009 I started working with different corporate companies for 5 years in the sales and marketing departments.
I used to be paid so well until I decided to quit my job at a very reputable telecommunication company on Dec 2014, and started concentrating in what I love the most “art.”
All my life I have been drawing and watercolor painting on my pads but I never painted on canvas before and I wanted to do that, so I started teaching myself through other local artists I knew and Youtube channels.
I have learned a lot and I never stopped practicing up to this day.
Financially my life became difficult because I had lost so much that is respect, friends and a so called bright future but I never gave up even when I was supposed to.
Exhibitions:
1 solo exhibition (Pili) at Alliance Francaise Dar es Salaam – Nov 2015
East African art Bienalle, at Nafasi art space – August 2016
Collective exhibition at Switzerland embassy, featured in “concise study on contemporary art in Tanzania“ by Yves Goscinny – 2016
Co exhibition with Vivek Sharma at Indian High commission “equilibrium” – Nov 2017
I kept painting and painting until one of my work was recognized by our former president the late Benjamin Mkapa, and I was called to present that to him in June 2016.
From that moment I seemed to have gain respect and some faith, my instagram account has played a big role in shaping me as an artist (a self-taught artist) who inspired many.
Although I don’t make much money as I used to 6years ago, I still feel happy and proud of the person I am today, being able to inspire and teach young talented artists not only about art but also the courage one needs in pursuing what they love, and if I was to do it all over again (knowingly) I would.
Before the pandemic hit, Rams was working on an exhibition which was titled “100 Heroes” featuring individuals who have inspired and touched his life in different ways “I have sketched over 120 people, from presidents, to musicians, artists of all kinds both local and international. Hopefully, I can still realize this dream in the coming year, once everything has settled down”.
