Chronicle Editor
Natasha Mutsiba,
It was a moment to remember for Picasso Leon Siziba when he excitedly handed Holy Ten his resemblance portrait recently at a show that was held at the Palace Hotel in Bulawayo where the musician was performing.
Picasso Leon, a young 20-year-old portrait artist had the honour of presenting Mujaya, as Holy Ten is affectionately known, his portrait that left the artiste in awe.
Holy Ten invited the artist on stage to hand him the portrait.
“I never expected this and when he called me on stage, I was nervous to the extent that I ran out of words to say,” reflected Picasso Leon.
This was captured on a video and Holy Ten’s facial expression when he was being handed the portrait, was that of someone who was content with what Picasso Leon had done.
“He really appreciated it and liked the portrait. We made a deal that he would help me present an artwork to Da Baby, at the Da Baby Concert that will be happening in Harare soon so I’m patiently waiting to see if he is going to make that happen for real,” said Picasso Leon.
The talented artist seems to be doing very well for himself as he has drawn the likes of Kabza De Small, Musa Keys, Young Stunna, Major League DJz, Reece Madlisa, Zuma Msholozi, DJ Maphorisa, Ami Faku, the late Costa Titch, Ckay, Nkosazana Daughter, Tyler ICU, Aymos, and Sir Trill.
“I have a unique style of sketching and selling my artworks in Zimbabwe. Besides, in African art, no one else has met most celebrities and presented artworks to them more than me,” Picasso Leon said.
However, meeting the personalities that he would have sketched has been one of the challenges that the artist has faced.
“Meeting up with the celebrities is just hard. Finding out where they are and getting closer to them is very difficult as some of them are private and don’t want people around them. Another dilemma is not being paid as these people show appreciation in different ways,” said a disheartened Picasso Leon.
Moving forward, Picasso Leon said he wishes to have his own studio and become the most influential artist like Pablo Picasso, a Spanish painter.
Being an artist is something that the artist believes he was born with as he inherited it from his father who is an art teacher at Mpumelelo Secondary School.
Those who are keen to be sketched by Picasso Leon can get hold of him on all social media platforms. – @TashaMutsiba
Online Reporter