Sean Mpetiwa: I Paint the Beauty in the Chaos We Live In
Sean Mpetiwa’s works are self-portraits of a generation: vibrant, fleshy, ever-moving figures that map the everyday life, joys, anxieties, and survival strategies of Zimbabwean youth.
Amanda Shingirai Mushate: I’m expressing myself as a colorful person
Amanda Shingirai Mushate’s paintings resemble maps, where fluid lines and vibrant color blocks unfold into complex universes. As she explains, they are emotional landscapes, charting her past, present, and imagined future. Their fluidity and sensitive rhythm also convey a distinctly female experience, while for the artist painting is a way of following music, rhythm, and flow—her brushstrokes moving fast or slow, in tune with the song.
Tashinga Majiri: Hands are metaphors — they represent people and carry memory, family, livelihood
First Floor Gallery Harare presents Maoko Maranda, a new body of work by Zimbabwean artist Tashinga Majiri. Here, hands are never just hands — they become metaphors for identity, memory, and resilience. They carry stories of labor and struggle, but also of tenderness and creation. In this conversation, Majiri also speaks about hands as characters, the rhythm linking his poetry and paintings, and the dialogue between tradition and contemporary life.
Gresham Tapiwa Nyaude: The power of art lies in its ability to evoke emotions and create connections
Gresham Tapiwa Nyaude impressed me with his unique style, which transcends classic Black figurative art. His works are not only vibrant…
Akindele John: Creating art is a lifelong commitment
When I first saw his paintings, I was fascinated by how Nigerian artist Akindele John balances the ordinary and the sacred.
I believe in people’s freedom to express themselves and move through life without fear
I believe in people’s freedom to express themselves and move through life without fear
I can only tell my story, I don’t want to speak for anyone else
I can only tell my story, I don’t want to speak for anyone else
Sometimes showing humanity is like a piece of art
Sometimes showing humanity is like a piece of art
Beauty is about your skin, the way you dress, and the way you talk
Beauty is about your skin, the way you dress, and the way you talk