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Knowledge Mushohwe Art Zone
Even when there is no chance of meeting businesspeople or politicians, a clean look will always be a plus for the artist . . . Gone are the days when an artist would pass out an unpleasant smell or dress like a street urchin and blame the world for not ‘understanding ‘ them.
One of Zimbabwe’s prominent visual artists Dominic Benhura, speaking as a guest of honour at an official opening of an art exhibition in Harare recently, urged prospective new artists to not only take their work seriously, but also create a conducive environment for their art business to prosper.
Perhaps drawing from his experience as a novice in the art world years ago, Benhura told his audience that, “as artistes you should look presentable, make sure you brush your teeth and dress well because there will come a time when you will meet the who is who in the world, from businesspeople to politicians.”
Even when there is no chance of meeting businesspeople or politicians, a clean look will always be a plus for the artist.
Gone are the days when an artist would pass out an unpleasant smell or dress like a street urchin and blame the world for not ‘understanding ‘ them.
Back then, particularly here in Zimbabwe, art grew in isolation and there was not much of an interrelationship between it and business or politics.
Now, however, art in the form of sculptures and paintings, decorates just about every financial institution while public art now punctuates several of the country’s major cities.
The politicians too are now better informed about the significance of human creativity and some are even sending their children to universities to learn more about art.
The recent developments place everyone, including the business people and the politicians right on the artist’s doorstep.
Artists may be looking to buy raw materials, sell their artworks, find a good venue for an exhibition, persuade a prominent figure to officially open their exhibition or present a gift to some VIP.
Whatever the case, artists can now meet anyone, anytime and this makes grooming and etiquette a vital for the artist.
Back in the early 2000s while I was working for a now defunct newspaper company, we had a business reporter that, by design or by default, always wore t-shirts to work.
One day, the Editor of the newspaper was forced into an embarrassing situation when one minister called him to enquire if the ‘boy’ sitting in front of him was indeed a business reporter because, as the honourable minister put it, “he looked like a street urchin”
Dressing is just as important for artists as it is to business reporters.
If the potential buyer or sponsor rolls the car window up at first glance as you approach, then that look you call your personality may have to go for a major overhaul.
An awful smell or look drives potential buyers, sponsors and viewers away.
Art unfortunately is not about the product alone, the person behind it is equally important.
I overheard one lady waiting for her order at a fast food outlet saying, “if you see the people that make all this delicious food, you may never want to buy it. They are hideous! Why do you think they put a wall between us and them?”
That may or may not be true but for art lovers, it is important that they see the artist and if they do not particularly like what they see, that may affect their relationship with the work.
Benhura did not just talk about dressing and brushing teeth.
He also urged the Prince Edward School students he was addressing to “stay away from drugs and alcohol and focus on school work. You should use the opportunity you have right now wisely because whatever you do in school will determine your future. Some guys of my age look older than me because of alcohol and drug abuse”
In Zimbabwe today, getting drunk or high is extremely easy and cheap.
Just one dollar buys the ‘strong stuff’ that is turning some of the people the country defines as ‘productive age’ into zombies that cannot tell the difference between night and day.
And if half that dollar can but a ‘star’ of mbanje on any street corner, the temptation for the young artists to get completely lost in the world of alcohol, drugs and subsequently crime is hard to resist.
But focussed young men and women are known to exist.
Brothels have produced graduates and some of the world’s best known businesspeople actors and other celebrities overcame difficult childhoods.
Oprah Winfrey had a difficult upbringing, so did Nicki Minaj who once said of her crack-abusing father, “All of my young and teenage years, we lived in fear that my mother would be killed by my father. It was ridiculous. My father was violent- physically and verbally”
Rihanna too had her childhood badly affected by her father Ronald’s addiction to crack, alcohol, and marijuana.
Being around places where alcohol and drugs are abused does not mean one will automatically fall prey.
Dominic Benhura should be applauded for taking the lead in educating young artists about the danger of recklessness in presentation of their personalities as a complement to the artwork.
Online Reporter