Andrew
Nicole Chiimba
SCULPTOR Tafadzwa Matendere has not been enjoying good business of late.
The gifted artist, who operates from Warren Park in Harare, near the site of the Museum of African Liberation, blames Covid-19 and the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States and its allies for his predicament.
“My workplace is overcrowded with sculptures that are not being bought. Unlike in the past, a few tourists are visiting this place nowadays. This is adversely affecting my business,” said the 36-year-old artist.
With the pandemic, he said, most people were unable to travel due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, which led to poor sales during the lockdown period.
He said locals were left with little or no disposable income to buy his products as some lost their livelihoods, when providers of non-essential services were ordered to stop their operations as one of the ways to curb the spread of the virus.
Although the restrictions have since been relaxed, he added, many people are still feeling the impact of the lockdowns, and do not have money to spare on sculptures. Matendere said sanctions were making it difficult for him and fellow sculptors to access Western markets or to get payments from that side, which was not the case before the economic embargo.
He also noted that some global arts funders were reluctant to deal with them.
The artist said he was, however, hopeful that the rise in international arrivals, post-Covid-19, will see him enjoy brisk business.
Meanwhile, Matendere has since resorted to making tombstones, which seem to be in high demand.
However, competition is also stiff in the tombstone business.
He said business is a bit low around this time of the year.
“There are some traditional beliefs associated with the month of November. The last few weeks of this month (October) up to the first weeks of December present some challenges for us. We struggle with our sales as people observe the period by not doing certain things,” he said.
Despite the challenges he is facing, the sculptor said quitting is not an option for him as there are hidden and non-financial benefits from the work.
Through his work, Matendere has managed to keep some youths busy and away from drugs.
“We are training many young adults, who were inspired by our work here. As a result, they spend most of their time working, instead of taking drugs,” said Matendere.
He appealed for support to expand the business so that the youths find reason to continue working.
Online Reporter