TALKMORE Mundinzwa, a local visual artist has bemoaned the lack of a ready market for their paintings.
Own Correspondent
The lack a ready market has seen several visual artistes losing hundreds of dollars from their prized products to middlemen leaving them struggling for better livelihoods.
The Chitungwiza-based Mundinzwa, who conducts his business at Newlands Art Market in the capital, is one of the many visual artists who are appealing for support from relevant authorities.
Mundinzwa said the desperation to get money for up keep sometimes forces him to dispose his products at lower than anticipated prices.
“The demand for visual products is fairly low as local people do not value the products. This has left us with no option, but to sell for less to middlemen who get more from our sweat when they sell the products abroad,” Mundinzwa said.
“This is not good for our business regarding that material like canvas, artistic oil, board, turpentine that is used to bring out pieces are expensive.” Mundinzwa said local clients should understand the value of visual art and pay more money that sustains the project.
He said the low tourist numbers have adversely affected their business.
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Mundinzwa appealed to relevant authorities for support and said many other artists like him are failing to access loans from organisations like the Zimbabwe Youth Council to boost their operations.
Many local visual artists generally lack marketing skills and therefore face difficulties in securing minimal income from their talent.
On several occasions visual artists lose the negotiating power due to their economic hardships and end up selling their art pieces for meagre amounts.
