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Helen Lieros

Vongai Mbara Arts Reporter
Many artists showcased their landscape paintings that were aimed at raising awareness for environmental protection at the landscape exhibition that opened at Gallery Delta on Tuesday.

The landscape paintings had titles like “Deforestation”, “Mutamba” and “Chinyadza mapofu”. Gallery Delta co-founder, Helen Lieros said the Landscape Paintings exhibition was aimed at exploring how artists interpret the natural world around them.

“The landscape paintings is about how people see the land and these are not pictures. This is art where superb artists of all ages, me being the oldest have come together to express how we see the environment and raise awareness for its protection,” she said.

Showcases included the works of local artists, Cosmas Shiridzinomwa, Lovemore Kambudzi and Webster Mubayirenyi Lovemore Kambudzi who painted a landscape of deforestation said he was motivated to do the paintings by the way people are always cutting down trees and not replacing them.

“The problem with many people is they think that all land is for them to farm. They forget that some of it is just meant for forestation. Trees are very important, we get medicine from them and some animals cannot survive without them for example in Hwange elephants are surviving from eating tree leaves. My painting is telling people to stop cutting down trees everywhere and it encourages them to plant more trees,” said Lovemore Kambudzi.

‘Chinyadzamapfu Valley’ by Webster

Another artist Webster Mubayirenyi who grew up in Chimanimani said when he relocated to Chitungwiza, he noticed that people were cutting all trees but the Mutamba tree and it fascinated him enough to paint a landscape of the Mutamba tree.

“At first I thought it was strange that people would cut all trees and leave it but then I realised that “Mutamba” is a very important tree to the community that provides fruits and medicine That can cure cancer and people should not cut it down,” he said.

Webster also showcased a painting of a famous mountain in his village called “Chinyadza mapofu” which he says is magnificent. “It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen and I feel like everyone should know about it,” he said.

Artists used different materials like acrylics and oil on canvas and their landscape paintings are on the market going from $100 up to $800.