MUTARE-BASED visual artist Chengetai “Sarltex” Chinanga is aiming to establish an arts centre in the Eastern Highlands.
The self-taught multi-award winning artist uses metals, stones and plastic material with the artifacts revolving around his imagination of love expressions.
Chinanga’s creativity has earned him several awards and opportunities to exhibit at both local and international exhibitions as far as Netherlands and Germany.
“If I get money, I would like to construct an arts centre in Mutare where all artists around the province can meet and showcase their artistry. These roadside displays are not good because our products are not secure while electricity to work on hard and big stones like jasper, malakite, lepidolite continues to be a problem,” he told NewsDay Life & Style.
Chinanga revealed that his creative work is mostly on springstone since he has no storage space and resources to work on other stone types.
“My African Queen and crocodile sculptures show my passion and love for wildlife and animal conservation. I also shape stone, plastic and metal pieces to communicate various issues on love and affection,” he said.
Chinanga has been privileged to teach stone carving at colleges around Mutare through an initiative by the Tertiary Institutions Festival of Arts.
It is through this experience that he realised the limitations college graduates and aspiring artists have when it comes to working space.
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“Places like Chitungwiza Arts Centre are important because they are arts hubs which train artists and also serve as local and international tourism resorts. A place like this is ideal for Mutare as it would help to elevate the already existing efforts in uplifting the tourism sector,” he noted.
Chinanga, like several artists, believes that a comprehensive arts education curriculum in schools will make one perfectly fit into the mainstream industry.
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