adminLiberty Dube
IT’S high time people took art seriously, persevered and discovered its beauty, as well as earned a living through art, superstar Oliver Mtukudzi’s wife, Daisy Mtukudzi, has said.
Daisy was speaking as the guest of honour at the exhibition titled “Broken” held last Friday at Mutare National Arts Gallery where young and talented visual artist Kundai Mharadze was showcasing her art works.
“Nowadays, art is a multi-billion-dollar project. It is even paying more than white collar jobs. It is very embarrassing that even at this point some have not yet discovered the beauty of it except a few individuals.
“I cannot also dismiss the fact that it is tough out there, but only those who persevere will get rewarded in the art industry. Women can also look after their families, which might be a taboo in our culture since it is only believed that only men are mandated to do so, but due to women empowerment that has been introduced by the Government, everything has become possible for both sexes,” she said.
She thanked the National Gallery of Zimbabwe for passionately assisting youths and recognising their strengths.
“NGZ, we thank you for such platforms that assist youths recognise their strengths in time and work towards perfecting them, especially when Zimbabwe is going through a lot of challenges that include employment,” she added.
The various visual art pieces that consisted of mostly portrait and figure paintings, according to Kundai, depicted deep emotions from the artist, who pleaded with the viewers to see the inside of the paintings and stop criticising the outside look of the artist’s efforts.
NGZ regional director Elizabeth Muusha said the “powerful” show by Kundai was rare, considering that the industry is dominated by male artists.
“Kundai, a young lady artist, did us proud with her exhibition. We call upon the community of Mutare to support artists like these and many others who are currently despised by people because of various reasons, among them lack of understanding of the subject by viewers,” she said.
Kundai is a 22-year-old artist who recently completed a Diploma in Graphic and Design at Trust Academy in Harare. “I was so overwhelmed. I was impressed. It gives me courage to do even better,” she said.
Online Reporter