By Sindiso Dube
South Africa-based artist Lebani Sirenji, popularly known as Rasta, is determined to honour late music superstar Oliver Mtukudzi by painting his portrait despite harsh criticism of his work on social media.
Rasta (41), a Zimbabwean, has been criticised for painting portraits of dead celebrities and it is his recent work honouring Mtukudzi which got many social media users angry.
Social media lambasted the artist for doing a portrait which doesn’t resemble the late musician.
Other departed figures that have been painted by Rasta are Nelson Mandela, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, hip-hop stars Jabulani ‘HHP’ Tsambo and Linda ‘Pro Kid’ Mkhize.
Rasta told The Standard Style that his critics don’t understand his work, which he said was more than just art.
“My paintings are more than just visual art,” he said. “It’s a movement, which moves one’s mind to have faith and hope in life.
“People have mixed feelings over my art because art is done in different ways and many of the pictures that have found their way onto social media are pictures of half-done portraits.
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“People criticise me before the final product which will excite them is not yet out.
“The people on Twitter have no mercy and are too quick to judge, they don’t know my goals. Even a soccer player may falter and get booed, but come back stronger in the next match.”
Rasta said at one time the late Tuku encouraged him to keep painting. He wants to come to Zimbabwe to present the Tuku portrait to the late musician’s family.
“When I met Oliver Mtukudzi at Bra Hugh Masekela’s memorial last year, he said to me I should continue doing my work,” he said.
“So, I saw it fit to do his portrait as a way of honouring his works.”
Rasta was born and bred in Bulawayo in the high-density suburb of Pumula East to a Mozambican mother and a Zimbabwean father.
He completed his education at Magwegwe Secondary School in 1994 before crossing the Limpopo River.
“After moving to Mzansi I was employed at a restaurant in Sandton and then, from there, I was, like, sketching all the time when I get free time,”Rasta said.
“I then did a painting of my boss who pumped words of encouragement for me to take art seriously, which led me to quit my job and I took up art-full time in 2002.”
Rasta, who is married with two daughters, wants to come back home and hold painting workshops in Pumula and at his former schools and empower children to take art and craft seriously.
