BY TENDAI SAUTA GRANITE is the most common stone in Chitungwiza and many people break it into aggregates for house construction.
The granite stone is the country’s third hardest stone after mutori quartz and springstone.
Visual artists love carving these hard stones because they are easy to transport and produce tantalising and beautiful finishes that catch the eye of customers.
For visual artist Cleopas Moyo, the granite stone inspired him to carve it into African angelic monuments suitable for outdoor and indoor displays.
“I had difficulty in finding employment and decided to think outside the box to become my own boss through carving,” he said, pointing out that there was no easy road to life and thinking outside the ordinary was the only way out.
Moyo, who displays his artworks at Chikwanha Visual Art Centre, said his carvings helped people reflect on their spiritual lives.
“God knows our destiny and it is best to be guided by his mercy and grace,” he said.
“One of my pieces, Spirit Angel, whose face is facing downwards is symbolic of a message of hope being relayed from above, while the Eye Witness piece is a warning that God is watching.”
- 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
He said hard granite appealed to customers more than most stones.
“Granite is a hard stone and hardly cracks. It is much easier to work on a constant style and enables me to remain focused to produce my desired imagination,” he said.
Moyo believes that art can be adored in its absolute or abstract form.
“Lots of questions are raised when people view carved images and it is difficult to link them to any phenomenological understanding,” he said, adding that head figurines make people think about the way they do things or react to life situations.
“Head carvings make people think about leadership, moods, authority, command, advice and solutions from trusted persons,” the granite master sculptor said.
- Follow us on Twitter @NewsDayZimbabwe
