Peter Martin Chauganga, 1959–2005

Peter Martin was born in 1959 in the village of Kwamdorwa, in the Korogwe District of the Tanga Region, Tanzania.

Of Myao origin, he left his village in 1971 to look for work in the town of Tanga, where he met the painter Damian Msagula. Peter Martin became one of Msagula’s first students in 1971, and by 1974 he began painting independently.

He is best known for his village scenes painted in a narrative, storytelling style. Over time, he moved away from the Tingatinga mainstream, and his work is now best described as *naïve painting* — characterized by simplicity, directness, and a strong sense of everyday life.

Peter Martin’s works are held in numerous private collections and have appeared in various publications. His erotic paintings, in particular, have earned him a notable reputation.

source: “Tinga Tinga, the popular paintings from Tanzania,” Y. Goscinny and “Art in Tanzania 2000,” Y. Goscinny