The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
SCULPTOR, David Guy Mutasa, this week made history when he became the first living artiste to be honoured for his immense contribution to the liberation heritage through captivating visual artworks.
Her was conferred with the Commendation Award.
Mutasa is an artiste with a perceptible experience in bronze casting spanning 55 years that has earned him both wealth and recognition as the godfather of contemporary sculpture in Zimbabwe.
His influence with the chisel, hammer, clay and bronze has been immense with his most decorated artwork being the statue of liberation war icon, Mbuya Nehanda that was recently unveiled by President Mnangagwa in Harare.
Mutasa, who is also a farmer and politician in Rusape, also made the Zimbabwe bird sculpture outside the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe as well as the farming and mining methods frieze depictions at the Central Bank.
He also produced a bronze statue of Mbuya Nehanda at the same bank in 1994.
In the same year, he also did a life size statue of Sekuru Kaguvi for the Parliament of Zimbabwe.
In 1984, Mutasa’s early engagement with the liberation heritage saw him producing a life plaster statue of an unknown soldier which he donated to Zanu PF headquarters.
Mutasa also did busts for the late national hero and Zanu PF chairman, Cde Herbert Chitepo, and another national hero, Cde Maurice Nyagumbo — a rich catalogue of liberation encryption that culminated in the conferment of the Commendation Award on him.
“I take the recognition as an honour. It is a milestone achievement for me in the field of art and sculpture. Not only does it profile me with a certain status, but it inspires me to do more,” he said.
Mutasa said before he attains 80 years (next 13 years), he should do a lot to document the country’s liberation history in three dimensional figures of artworks.
“All prominent fallen heroes and heroines by then should have their statues done. Each province has its own prominent heroes and heroines who despite being national, must have statues erected in those respective regions — like here in Manicaland we have Cde Herbert Chitepo and the late fearless traditionalist, Chief Rekayi Tangwena,” said Mutasa.
Mutasa is working on a number of projects, among them the statues of the late ZANLA Commander, General Josiah Magama Tongogora and that of the decapitated warrior and his clan’s great ancestor, Chingaira Makoni.
“I am working on the Chingaira statue and I have collected the pictures of General Tongogara and will be working on them soon. The late General Tongogara is a man I have so much respect for in terms of his rich liberation history and his vision for the country. Apparently, the late Zimbabwe National Army Commander, Lieutenant-General Edzai Chimonyo had indicated that they wanted that statue at the Tongogara Barracks.
“We can actually monetise on such liberation heritage through domestic and international tourism, where people will visit shrines in provinces to see the likes of former president, Cde Robert Mugabe, late Vice-presidents, Cdes Simon Muzenda, Joseph Msika and John Landa Nkomo, among others.
“One thing about art is that it unites the nation. Look at how people are talking about the statue of Mbuya Nehanda. They are not talking about where she comes from, but what she did for this country. When we have these liberation heritage, school children can visit and link what they read to the visual depiction. They will easily relate that with the liberation struggle history of the country,” said Mutasa.
The other project in the pipeline is the statue for the late Cde Nikita Mangena.
Mutasa started clay work at the age of 12 under the tutelage of Job Kekana at St Faith’s Primary School (Madetere) in Rusape.
He acquired his secondary education at St Mary’s Magdalene in Nyanga.
He did a Diploma in Arts and Craft at the Kekana School of Arts in 1972.
In 1985, Mutasa went to England and has worked with fine artists and designers like Peter White in Wales.
He visited famous artworks of the likes of Henry Moore to perfect his bronze casting acumen and skills.
Mutasa is the Makoni Rural District Council chairman and president of the Association of Rural District Councils of Zimbabwe (ARDCZ).
