adminRebecca Nyathi Sunday Leisure Correspondent
LOCAL visual artist Talent Kapabza could be the black version of the late world renowned Italian artiste — Leonardo da Vinci, as his paintings entail more than just art but possess a deeper meaning. The 27-year-old Kapabza has with no doubt made a name for himself, as his art work seems to be in high demand internationally. He is one of the artists who represent nature without artifice, either in his painted landscapes or in his drawings of plants and animals.
According to Kapabza, the highest prize that he has charged for his paintings is $1 500 and the lowest being $100.
“My prices depend on the size of the painting. The biggest painting I have sold has cost up to $1 500. But considering the time I would have taken painting that certain artefact and the money I would have used to buy the resources such as paint and brushes, the price is worth it,” he said.
Kapabza said that before he became a resident artiste at the National Gallery in Bulawayo, he worked in South Africa, in 2008 under Sheppard Graphics, which is now Sheppard Art Gallery.
From South Africa, he said he then moved to Harare in 2009, where he worked at the Peter Birch School of Art at the Harare Polytechnic College.
Kapabza mentioned that he started painting in 2005, as a hobby but took it seriously in 2009 when he moved back to Zimbabwe.
“Painting on its own is tricky; I first have to make a sketch of what I am to paint and probably take days working on it. Although I sometimes sell paintings worth a fortune, it’s not every day that I do that. I can spend a month or two without selling anything, which means I have to make sure I budget, so that I can survive until I sell my next painting,” he said.
Kapabza said he mainly targeted international tourists, as they appreciated art more than locals did.
He, however, mentioned that he did not live a luxurious life, as people would perceive.
“You need to be known as an artist to get what you need. This business is not a stroll in the park, for you to put food on the table you go through a lot of struggling. Selling of paintings doesn’t happen on a daily basis, for one to survive in this industry, he or she has to be talented and clever enough to be able to endure all the hardships that one goes through above all patience is money in this industry,” said Kapabza.
He added that he was expecting to exhibit most of his work on 23 October at the National Gallery in Bulawayo.
Like most artists, his aim is to also succeed.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu