adminthe observation, there is more to Mbare than what meets the eye.
Great things have indeed come out of the township and Grasham Nyaude happens to be one of them.
As a matter a fact, the 25-year-old visual artist sees beyond the “filth” and draws inspiration for his work.
Only last year, Nyaude got his big break at an international forum for artists in Iran. For the first time at the biennial, Zimbabwe had a strong representation in the form of the talented youngster.
“The event was more like an Olympics for art that takes place after two years. Out of more than a hundred who had come to exhibit from different parts of the world, I came sixth,” he said.
What better representative than that from a person who has effortlessly mastered the trade.
Born in a family of three, the humble lad has been a professional artist for five years. He has declined to join his family in their new dwelling in the leafy suburb of Greystone Park. He is comfortable in the old home in Mbare, a rich source of inspiration for his art work.
“I feel alive in my home. The easy life takes away the zeal,” he said.
He not only paints the ghetto but being born in the city has influenced his fascination of buildings and the urban way of life. Again, that version is reflected in his work.
His “symbolist” style of art allows him to express things as he sees fit.
He is not worried about being a perfectionist because it is a cliché!
“I capture a character and add my emotions into it. If a character is rough, I use rough and scruffy lines. I do not like doing things by the book because I believe standard is boring,” he said. Does he not like doing things by the book? Talk about being a free spirit. Oh well, that is Grasham Nyaude for you. It turns out he is his own man, after all.
“There is nothing new that I can bring to art but I believe that is Picasso worked on canvas many years ago, and this era is for something different. The concept, however, remains the same.
“Art is inherited and with the growing technology I feel there is room to get a little crazy. As a message to the next generation, I could get a little crazy and glue an object onto a piece of paper instead of actually drawing it,” he said.
Among the things the youngster boasts of is the fact that he has worked his way from zilch. Fast forward to today, he is heading for the stars.
The future sounds exciting for Nyaude and although he looks like a “simpleton”, there is nothing ordinary about his where his next move.
“I wish to commence art studies in Europe. As much as I enjoy painting my home, I would also want to learn how I may make our people relevant in the world,” he said.
His next exhibition in August is set to be a test of his skills. With all the exposure and growth, he is challenging himself to pull out a presentation that will get people thinking.
“I am not a political artist but the exhibition questions the degree of accuracy used by Europeans in documenting the African history. I do not get how a stranger can get into a home and enlighten them on the intimate details there,” he said.
It serves to show that he does to limit himself to mediocrity. He uses art to say speak his mind.
Achievements under his belt include the first price for “No Limits Exhibition” that he obtained on the sidelines of the Harare International Festival of Arts this year.
Apart from that, his work continues to make a mark at the festival in all the five years he has been exhibiting. It is inevitable to brand Nyaude one of the best visual artists to emerge from Zimbabwe.
After all, what title would you place on a person so divergent philosopher. No stereotypes will limit the power of his brush. The best description remains his name, simply Grasham Nyaude.
Online Reporter