Painting

The subject matter of the majority of the paintings was people, faces and human profiles. The artists captured human moments in their simplicity and revealed the artists' peace with the world and their appreciation for everyday life- children splashing in the river, women gossiping, and travelers at the bus station. These are issues that people can relate to on different levels depending on whether they have experienced it directly or indirectly.

One gets the feeling the young artists are saying 'stop!' and take a moment to appreciate the simple everyday things. The distorted faces from the various paintings and figurines seem to be posing a question to the viewer. Who is the person behind the mask? Why has the artist chosen this style of painting? These questions when answered give each viewer an individual intimate relationship not only with the work of art but also with the artists as one seeks to understand them; this quest to understand leads to an engagement and bond that has all been fuelled by the style of painting and sculpting.

Muvezwa Tackson, Strong Message, Oil on canvas, 1992		Meque Lewis, Poor, Acrylic on card, 1993

The modern day artists draw their inspiration from the strong traditional beliefs and practices, modern day life, events and challenges and feel able to express them using any medium available. The issue of legacy is very uppermost in the arts of Zimbabwe as most artists received informal training from family and friends. A situation is now emerging in which a body of the younger artists are content to carry on from where their mentor left off and continue to produce work that remains in the style of the mentor rather that branching out and finding their own voice as it were.