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The selection of visual artists that participated in the last exhibition of 2013 at Gallery Delta titled “Annual Summer Art Exhibition” are Arthur Azevedo, Thakor Patel, Masimba Hwati and Alberto Wachi.
Others include Tafadzwa Gwetai, James Jali, Helen Lieros, Kufa Makwavarara, Munyaradzi Mazarire, Mattheus Nyaungwa, Victor Nyakauru, Gareth Nyandoro, Kate Raath, Greg Shaw, Marjorie Wallace and Richard Witikani, who collectively come from a wide Zimbabwean socio-cultural demographic.
Uncharacteristically and historically at the end of 2013, veteran artist Thakor Patel titled his works for the first time in his career. “Rain birds Blue”, “Orange December” and “Gray”, denotes the basic colour background of his work and conjures the surreal musical elements of his linear arrangements.
They are poetic, sonorous and metaphysical visual projections of the meteorological patterns of this time of the year in Zimbabwe.
The deceptive simplicity of his paintings belies the extremely sophisticated artistry. His works extend beyond the boundaries of the country and its culture, and are simply beautiful, intriguing and relaxing to the mind and soul. Patel’s paintings possess an intrinsic stillness and a sublime momentum that allows the spectator to contemplate and even meditate upon them.
Arthur Azevedo’s molten-steel images of the rearing horse, galloping horses denote his fascination with equestrian themes. His ability to conjure line, rhythm and movement in the smallest of wrought iron sculptural pieces is attestation of his artistic aptitude. Helen Lieros delves into the world of Greek mythology in her exquisite small works — acculturated and syncretised in an African context. Her “African Trojan Horse”, “Hippodrome” and “Iliad” in pen ink and graphite allude to Greek myths. Greek Mythology are bodies of “literature” in the form in which they have survived, the oldest source being the works ascribed to the Greek poets Homer and Hesiod (usually dated, in written form, to the 8th century BC). The Trojan War — a decade of war between the Greeks and Trojans caused by the abduction of Helen by Paris ended with the destruction of Troy. This myth is rendered in an African context in the work entitled “African Trojan Horse”.
Multi-media artist Berry Bickle shows her new passion for ceramics and presents two works with indistinct words and symbols which read like a recollection of a dream. Disjointed verbal connections cause the viewer to keep looking at the work — contemplate. Entitled “Harmony” and “Create”, the works capture the very act of creation. Her ceramics have a deep sense of nature and a duality that is both contemporary and ancient.
Contemporary ceramist Marjory Wallace’s works entitled “Ghana” comprise a plate with a concentric series of spiral blue linear striations. Her other ceramic vessel entitled Sound Series etched in blue sound waves and the turquoise “Water” have a smouldering patina inspired by a variety of sources such as the elements ,folk art, textiles and African antiquity .
Artist Masimba Hwati continues to excel in his rediscovery of ancient African techniques which he employs contemporaneously, retaining a strong African aesthetic memory.
His mixed-media works “Flight A and B” are wood and leather vignettes of African Christmas Angels appropriate for this time of the year. James Jali presents a colourful expressionist portrayal of Harare city omnibuses congested for parking space; elbow-to-elbow and jowl-to-jowl. Pictorially, he conjures and animates the rush hour in the noisy cityscape of downtown Copacabana in Harare. Kate Raath’s “Ruwa II”, “Swimvini II” and “Opus 24” are colourful erudite rocks capes which elicit her heightened sensitivity and eye for texture, colour, character and tranquillity.
The ever innovative, but overlooked talent, Wallen Mapondera, introduces string drawings. His works entitled Dog Walk series, Mixed Beliefs, Some Care and a Little Prayer are witty little anecdotes alluding to the prevention of cruelty to animals.
Sculptor/painter Clive Mukucha’s “Secret Song” is a found object assemblage of a Zither fabricated from discarded objects which include engine car parts and other paraphernalia to create his beautiful faux musical instrument. On a similar note is Nyaungwa’s found object guitar timeously entitled ‘It’s time for Good Music ‘to accompany the Christmas cheer. Painter, Daryl Nero’s chalk and acrylic “Balconies in Mizrah Oman” conjure the stark light and heat that reflects off the domes and arches of the Arabic inspired architecture, showing his versatility of media and his accurate classical rendering of line. His works, “Victoria Falls” series I and II, and “Classical Calm” are exquisite and his unusual fuoriseria is an abstract watercolour entitled “Summersaults”, which illustrates the artist’s versatility. Richard Witikani’s “Mupfutsire”, “Mutungagore I and II” are evocative rockscapes of famous sacred mountains of Zimbabwe rendered in his colourful freehand expressionism. Johnson Zuze’s “Egyptian Goose” is a feat of ingenuity. Here, a green bottle, a leather throng and wire are cleverly put together to evoke the title and characteristics of a goose.
The annual December Delta gallery Summer Exhibition, although humbly entitled is far too important and well conceived an exhibition for such a simple theme and title .This show makes a good starting point for new collectors to patronise and appreciate portable artworks with an African and international, historical and cultural provenance.
It is a colourful and conscientious art oeuvre with reasonably priced pieces of great Art. Inveterate collectors cannot afford to miss this affordable Art exhibition.
Art Consultant, Visual Artist and lecturer Dr. Tony Monda holds a PhD. in Art Theory and Philosophy and a DBA (Doctorate of Business Administration) in Post-Colonial Heritage Studies. He is an author, art critic, musician, and Corporate Image Consultant.
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