Chronicle Editor
Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter
ZIMBABWE and the world at large are set for exciting times ahead as graphic designer and creative director S’angelo Donga will be curating an Online Gallery in the first week of January next year.
It is a norm to have physical and in-person art exhibitions at galleries.
In a bid to challenge the conventional way of doing things as well as affording space for exhibitors who sometimes do not get exhibition space at galleries, the Icebo Design Expo creative director will be curating a virtual one.
S’angelo Donga, who designed album covers for Bekezela Music and Mamozi (the latest album), said the idea of curating an online gallery is meant to afford every creative a chance to showcase his or her craft to a wide audience.
“I’ve realised that so many creatives are failing to get space for exhibition at our art galleries yet most of them will be having very high-quality work.
I’ve decided to curate an Online Gallery which will showcase works from all over the country, giving graphic designers, artists and photographers among others, a chance to be seen outside Zimbabwe.
“My aim is to grow the creative space and make Zimbabwe one of the leading countries in the region when it comes to Art and Design,” S’angelo Donga said.
Donga, who has more than nine years of invaluable hands-on experience in handling creative design projects, concept creations, graphic design, photography, animation and visual conceptualisation, said the virtual expo will be a game-changer.
“Such an expo will be a first of its kind in Zimbabwe where physical exhibitions are the norm.
Designers are slowly coming to the party.
I’ve been to so many platforms where designers are starting to share ideas and speak of standards.
There never used to be design standards but now designers interact and share ideas, comparing with standards from outside Zimbabwe.
We are slowly getting there,” he said.
Donga cited events like the Icebo Design Expo in April where designers met and learnt about design standards and the roadmap of design in Zimbabwe.
“We need more events dealing with the design aspect of branding and the Online Gallery will initiate such conversations as well,” added Donga.
However, Donga bemoaned the lack of appreciation that the graphic design industry endures.
“Like any trade, there’ll always be ups and downs.
The downside of our industry has been a lack of appreciation from our local market.
Most of the time, people look down on designers and so the monetary value of design is lowered.
Where a design’s value is US$50, a client would want to pay US$5 to US$10.
Most designers don’t get the full value of their designs.
“Designers end up exporting their services and forsaking the local markets because they don’t value the industry.
It’s difficult to get finances for start-ups and most of them come with terms and conditions that end up drowning one’s business as they try to pay them off.”
Donga said the future of graphic design has been elevated to new heights as it is now fused with augmented reality and 3D printing.
“For one to own any of these gadgets can cost an arm and a leg.
Therefore, scalability of their business becomes difficult as a designer stagnates sometimes for more than a decade,” he said.
Donga has been credited for designing logos for big brands that include Lockdown Shandis UK, Sebenza Apparel and ByoPodcast.
He also did visuals for different companies at this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
Donga, who is the founder and CEO of graphic design company Urban Moon Media studied Graphic Design at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust).
He has Microsoft System Security Certification, Google Social Media Marketing and a Higher Diploma in Microcomputer Technology.
Besides the obvious world of computers and technological advancement, Donga loves to sing and is a member of different gospel acapella ensembles. – @eMKlass_49
Online Reporter