BOW, a Bulawayo visual artist, created a unique twist on Sandra Ndebele's comedy roast by painting her portrait live during the show.
It was a race against time, with BOW setting up his equipment discreetly backstage before the event began.
The pressure was on. As the roast unfolded over four hours, BOW meticulously painted Ndebele's portrait, aiming to complete it before the show ended and the bidding started.
"I wanted to avoid the fate of another artist, Rasta from South Africa, whose rapid painting style left room for error and I was also racing against time," he said.
This collaboration with Umahlekisa Comedy Club wasn't a random choice. BOW, whose name stands for Black or White, born Leeroy Brittain, wanted to integrate different art forms into the comedy scene. He discussed the idea with Ntando Moyo, the club's head, and they decided a live painting would surprise both the audience and Ndebele herself.
"She had no idea," BOW said, describing his hidden setup backstage.
Choosing Ndebele as his subject was an easy decision.
"She's a Bulawayo icon," he explained, "a true representative of the city and its vibrant energy. I wanted to celebrate her while she's still with us."
The bidding for the portrait started at $100 and quickly went up. Local businesspeople, including representatives from Harris Hotel, were eager to take home the piece. Ultimately, a winning bid of $1,100 secured the artwork for a new owner, which is Suzuki.
For BOW, the experience was a success on multiple levels. He connected with new people, opened doors for future opportunities, and most importantly, helped create a unique event that celebrated both comedy and an iconic figure in Bulawayo.
BOW has been in the arts for long and his passion for art burned bright, even during his eight-year stint as a sales manager at an engineering firm.
"My bosses always saw me busy drawing on the job. That's when it hit me – I'm wasting my one life in a job that doesn't fulfill me."
Fuelled by this realisation, BOW took a leap of faith. He quit his comfortable position and embraced the path of an artist. This decision led him to the stage during Ndebele's roast, where his live painting showcased his talent to the world.
He is also the artist behind the mural at Greenspan Maboneng, Red Cafe KoBulawayo, and
Cal_Vin's mural in Luveve (a collaboration with Caligraph). Last year, on election day, he caused a stir with a controversial mural on the Bulawayo City Council toilet walls depicting a child in worn clothes looking at campaign posters plastered with empty promises.
The posters were inscribed with generic, empty promises. The child looked on, symbolising the disappointment voters face when politicians fail to deliver.
This wasn't BOW's first brush with controversy. Last year, he created a mural portraying King Lobengula and Mbuya Nehanda, historical figures from different ethnicities, romantically linked.
"My intentions were to unite people and fight tribalism that is deep-rooted in the country," BOW said.
The city council disagreed, erasing the mural and deeming it unauthorised. However, their attempt to silence the artist backfired. The next day, graffiti appeared on the same wall, a stark reminder of the Gukurahundi massacre, a sensitive topic in Zimbabwe's history.
"Gukurahundi, we will not forget," read the graffiti text, in black with a splash of red paint insinuating bloodshed.
This ongoing saga highlights the power of street art as a tool for social expression, even in unconventional locations like public toilet walls.
