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Nunha with one of his pieces

Tafadzwa Zimoyo Senior Arts Reporter
It is true that a picture tells a thousand words. However, if the picture is one-sided, it might tell a negative story.

This is the issue visual artist Ephas Nunha tries to explore when he paints images that suggest men are sidelined in the society as most debates are focusing on the girl child and women empowerment.

In an interview, Nunha said everyone has a role to play and artists should not only depict the status of women and girls in art, forgetting that men also have issues that need to be addressed. “I have seen a lot of paintings at several exhibitions centred on women and children, yes they sell but what about the rights of men. How many people tackle the rights of men? What if we too, tell a story in the picture with men on it?” he said.

The 21-year-old said he was working on a solo exhibition project which is centred on the importance of men. “So far I am finishing some of my paintings on children’s rights but later figured out that men were left out, so I have just started my artwork on the men’s rights too. I am planning to host a solo exhibition soon,” he said.

He said it is artists’ role too to give a true picture of the society’s problems and solutions. “Sometimes our paper and brush is the only way we can communicate our ideas. I encourage other artists to have artwork with solutions rather painting things which doesn’t have a meaning or identity. Look at developed countries on how they portray their images, resulting in them making a living because people will have a clear picture of what is happening and how it can be solved,” he said.

Nunha who has exhibited at the National Art Gallery in 2013, 2014 and 2015 said he was inspired by societal settings. “If you check well my paintings tell a story of a certain location. My role model is Tapfuma Gutsa and I love what he does as a sculptor he too carves what he sees in the society,” he said.

The talented artist said financial constraints is limiting his work to go far apart from lack of exposure. “I had several challenges, growing up, my family wanted me to have another profession not as a visual artist and to date it is still an issue but I am here to prove them wrong that if visual artistes are taken seriously they can sustain livelihoods. Lack of exposure and financial constraints is affecting us as it is always the same people exhibiting and making money but there is untamed talent outside,” he said