The Eye of the People.
By Stephen Garan’anga.
“The Eye of the People” is the title of the current one man show of contemporary paintings by Lovemore Kambudzi that has just opened at Gallery Delta in Harare. Rewarded with numerous awards both at home and internationally’ including the Commonwealth Foundation Art Award in 2003 for his work, the young dynamic and one of the most prolific contemporary artists around has no less than 40 exhibitions to his name at the age of 25. He has had a couple residency programs in New Zealand, Germany, Scotland and Holland and this is what he said for his current show.
“My paintings, in different ways, reflect the concerns of human rights and social justice. This is interpreted broadly in some of the works that have positive, joyful images, for example: 'Greenwood Park, 2006,' and 'Ghetto Fabulous 2007.' Others reflect celebrations such as 'Wedding Anniversary, 2006' and 'Topemberera, 2006' just to mention a few. But then there are the depressing ones, some of which appear political but I have really been painting what I have been through and what I see in Zimbabwe everyday.
All my adult life I have been observing the life of the people in my home town of Mbare, a very poor suburb of Harare. So I paint the people living among rubbles after their lives had been changed for the worse by the so called 'Operation Clean Up Trash', e.g. 'Results of Murambatsvina 2006.' These works reflect the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe: in public hospitals, the citizens are not being treated properly because the doctors and nurses are on strike for better pay. All the problems have made the situation almost unbearable for ordinary people, forcing them to turn to corrupt activities, such as that depicted in 'Amakorokoza Gold Panners' which has resulted in land degradation. My paintings are through the eye of the people: 'Ziso harina muganhu.' I cannot hide the truth.”
The show is at 110 Livingston Avenue, Greenwood Park, Harare. Tel/Fax +2634792135.
