Gallery Delta goes historic

 Shona sculpture, promoted by the National Gallery, dominated the art scene at the time, and entrepreneurs Derek Huggins and Helen Lieros decided, with the new gallery, to provide an alternative space for top quality paintings, graphics, textiles and ceramics.
37 years on the shiny bald look is in for men, women continue to wear the mini, and Gallery Delta has gone from strength to strength, moving premises to Robert Paul’s Old House in Livingstone Avenue, and becoming an internationally recognised icon of the arts. A recent historic exhibition, ‘Past and Present – a Retrospective Insight’, marks the 37th anni-versary of Gallery Delta’s ope-ning. Choice works of art drawn from the portfolios of acclaimed Zi-mbabwean artists through the dec-ades are on display. All these artists have been part of one, two or three man sh-ows .
Zimbabwe’s foremost metal sculptor, Arthur Azevedo, was one of the first artists in the 70s to exhibit his works at Gallery Delta. Born in 1935, Azevedo left Harare for Rome in 1956, where he studied theology, philosophy and later art for 6 years. Returning home, he concentrated on metal sculpture, welding scrap iron and steel into beautiful art works. His distinctive style is recognisable whether his inspiration focuses on a galloping horse and rider, a crow or a flock of ostriches in full flight. Before the advent of ugly, fully clad electric gates, many an artistic home owner’s ambition was to own a pair of iron gates, welded into extraordinary shapes and designs by Arthur Azevedo. On display at the current exhibition is ‘Goat’, a handsome prancing specimen hammered out of several pieces of mild steel, then welded together.
Kingsley Sambo (1936-1979) came from the Rusape district. Trained as an artist at Cyrene Mission, he gained early             recognition exhibiting together with Marshall Baron and Thomas Mukarobgwa at the Commonwealth Festival of the Arts in      1964. A talented cartoonist and jazz guitarist, his artistic subjects were drawn from everyday life. At the current exhibition at Gallery Delta, his oil on canvas painting, ‘The Dancers’,              typifies his zest for life, which ended so prematurely and          tragically. Sambo’s work is still popular, and occasional       pieces continue to change hands in prominent London auction houses.
Collectors will find works by the young rock stars of the 90s art world, Luis Mecque and Hilary Kashiri, at this exhibition. Both died young, while on the brink of fame and fortune as outstanding Zimbabwean artists.
Fortunately, there exists a galaxy of young, mid-career           and established artists, whose talents, fostered by Gallery         Delta, continue to impress international art lovers. Greg Shaw, born in 1972, studied fine art with Helen Lieros and divides        his time between teaching art at the prestigious Hellenic School and creating art works. ‘Sentinel’, an impressive piece on            display, is made from oil paint, canvas, wire, wood and            mud. Harking back to a time of housebreaking and suburban violence, ‘Sentinel’ illustrates a sense of resolve, togetherness and strength.
Gallery Delta’s exhibition of artists past and present reminds us of the poet TS Eliot, when he says in his Four Quartets: ‘Time present and time past/Are both perhaps present in time future/And time future contained in time past.’ Whatever these artists have given us already, and whatever they might have given us, had circumstances not intervened, is all part of the here and now, pointing towards the present. There is also much to look forward to. (Additional reporting from www.gallerydelta.com)