BY TENDAI SAUTA
LOCAL visual artist Tendai Garavaza says he is working towards setting up a school of sculpture in Seke, Chitungwiza.
In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style, Garavaza said art played a critical role in life as social, economic and political ills can be solved through admiration and commercial usage of artistic products.
“Art heals troubled minds, so let us sculpt to escape from the troubles of the world.
“The sculpture industry in Zimbabwe can become a great foreign currency earner for the country if it gets serious attention from the relevant ministry and can also reduce unemployment,” he said.
Garavaza said mentoring and grooming his brothers and other people in his neighbourhood to be fine and abstract artists was the greatest achievement in his career.
“I was introduced to stone carving by my father John, a great inspirational mentor in 1995.
“We did portraits and a wide variety of small animal sculptures. At that moment, the South African market demand rose and we made tremendous success,” he said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“Throughout my protégé’s mentorship period, I brought to life an art form I call spiritual shadows which earned me an award in 2008 as the most creative and original artist in Chitungwiza.”
He said his work had featured at many annual exhibitions at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe and have been showcased in international galleries such as Birdwoods, New Zealand, Zimsculpt, Shamva.com and Rice Lake galleries, among others.
l Follow us on Twitter
@NewsDayZimbabwe