Kwandabva Chinhambwe - I have come a long way
It can only be God, my Ebenezer who brought me this far.
Indeed, I will continue to see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living. This exhibition is an introspection of my life and artistic journey.
Chinhambwe means distance. I grew up at a Tea Estate in Chipinge, a place in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. This place cultivated a sense of hard work as I encountered workers doing different tasks every day on my way to school. Everyone would look forward to the weekend to enjoy the recreational activities around the estate.
The scenic surroundings and farming activities formed part of my painting subjects. It was not easy for galleries to accept my painting style which I call , " A bridge between Realism and Abstraction ". Road side curio markets in Chinhoyi and Harare gave me the first exposure to sell my earliest artworks to tourists in 1995.
Like the wind that comes and goes and the sand through the hour glass, so have been my days the past 50 years of my life. In 2011 at a time when my career was at it's peak and I was ready to start venturing abroad with physical exhibitions, that is when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 36.
This was quite a trying time and we had to adjust very fast as I was admitted into hospital exactly a week after my wife Ruth had given birth to our beautiful daughter Lalita. I was in hospital for 3 months to undergo a series of operations on most of my swollen major joints to deal with the septic arthritis.
When I came out of hospital I could not walk and had to start relying on external help for mobility.
I ended up bedridden and unable to paint for almost 7 years but my passion for art allowed me to explore other avenues to remain relevant in the industry. That was the birth of diversifying my work into digital prints on canvas, cards and selected merchandise. My remaining original paintings continued to be represented in physical exhibitions.
Instead of wailing over what I could not do anymore and my struggles I chose to remain in eqaunimity.
Life is both physical and spiritual. Battles are won in the spirit before that victory manifests in the physical. For every vision there is a provision. I thank God for the gift of life and for sending divine helpers throughout the way.
The value of my work goes beyond the price. You are investing in my story of determination, emotions and aspirations.
Valentine Magutsa - 2025
