BY TENDAI SAUTA MULTI-AWARD-WINNING visual artist Keith Zenda has embarked on an environment and cultural restoration drive that seeks to debunk societal myths through his on-going Bold and Beautiful exhibition at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.
Zenda’s solo exhibition, running up to September 30, consists of artworks done with acrylic on canvas and most of the paintings are 1 200mm x 800mm.
The Chirumanzu-born self-taught artist took pride in his rural communities by painting his upbringing imaginations in an attempt to demystify several myths associated with totems, taboos and witchcraft.
Zenda’s footprints signature, signifies the history of native ancestors who left their mark on this earth.
“The Bold and Beautiful are paintings that bring to light how African culture and tradition inform our way of life,” he said, noting that despite the introduction of organised religion, totems are still widely used as a means of character identification through African surnames.
“The exhibition is a series of work referencing the spiritual narrative of our ancestors particularly those of women and animals.”
Raised by a single mother after his father’s death, Zenda said he learnt that the beauty and behaviour of women lied in them being identified with their totems.
It is a mystery how animals can connect to and have influence on human beings until human beings can be praised using animals’ names and their appearance.
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“As artists we are not doing enough in demystifying beliefs which are retrogressive. I believe this is because of lack of support from the government, our families and communities as well,” he said.
The artist has been a source of inspiration to many young people in his Makepesi, Lower Gweru rural home.
In an effort to help the young disadvantaged youths discover their talents in the arts, Zenda has established an art centre at his rural home.
He has managed to build a beautiful house for his mother and his own through income earned from art.
Zenda bemoaned financial challenges faced by up-and-coming artists.
“Currently I am using limited resources, but my desire is to see more young artists becoming successful and establish more arts centres in rural areas to discover talents from grassroots level,” he said.
A number of local and international corporations are after his creative work.
“I sold some paintings to Zimbabwean and South African prominent people. One of my paintings was given to the President of China as a present,” he said, urging government to give maximum support and priority to visual artists in the same way it does to film and music.
“My desire is to see some of the practising visual artists getting government posts or positions in arts departments and ministries because they know and understand better what is on the ground,” he added.
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