As with pretty much everything else, the crème de la crème of visual artists has remained concentrated in Zimbabwe’s two biggest cities (if they haven’t emigrated overseas.)

So much so that the Mutare Art Gallery was forced to shut down last year.

That might be the norm, but there are always exceptions. Two hundred kilometres north-west of the capital, in the farming town of Karoi, art is alive.

Nyasha Kafudza is a pencil artist born and raised in Karoi, where he has been drawing for as long as he can remember. Fresh from finishing his undergraduate studies, Kafudza is determined to make his name as a visual artist. And he is willing to do it without having to relocate away from his home.

For our first Artist Avenue segment of 2025, we sat down with the Karoi-based artist to explore his experience as an artist growing up in a small town, how that affected his perspective, and his ambitious plans for the future. Enjoy!

Glad to have you here with us. Can you please introduce yourself?

Likewise, it’s an honour to be getting a feature on Mcheno and More!

l’m Nyasha Kafudza, I go by the alias 55 Arts. l’m 24 years old and I stay in Chikangwe, Karoi.

Take us back to when you started doing art?

Honestly, it’s hard to say when exactly, it feels like I’ve been doing art all my life. I remember back in creche, I used to draw on the soil using small sticks. (laughs)

From drawing on soil up to now, how have you grown as an artist?

To keep it real with you, it feels like l’m still growing. l’ve been putting a lot of work into my art from the beginning.

Consistency and patience are the major tools that have made me grow from where I started up to now.

How has growing up in the high-density suburbs of Karoi influenced your art?

To be honest, growing up in Karoi has influenced my art negatively.

Growing up as an artist in the ghetto can be really tough because people do not really understand the value and purpose of art. The environment has been such a setback for my art, l haven’t been able to sell any artworks in my own community.

Now that I am older, I understand that the community has bigger problems to solve than supporting visual artists; and that is why I am slowly changing my perspective. Now, l draw portraits, not because l want them to be valued, but because l love art. That just who l am.

Which medium of art do you specialise in?

Currently l’m more into pencil art, which uses different types of pencils (graphite, charcoal etc.) on paper. I’ve been polishing my prowess at hyper- realism, and I’m getting better.

However, l’m also looking forward to extend by capabilities to painting.

Many artists have been taking advantage of new technologies and going digital. Do you want to try your hand at digital art, or you will continue drawing by hand?

No, I’ll stick to hand-drawn pencil art. That way, I can get to make a mark in the industry with my own unique style.

Take us through your creative process?

First, l go around with my cellphone or camera, taking pictures of different things that l can draw. I then use those pictures as my references.

Sometimes, l can just look at something over and over, then l draw it from my imagination.

Do you consider your art self-inspired?

It depends. Sometimes l can get a client who tells me to draw something that he or she exactly wants. However, most times l can just start an artwork from scratch.

Have any of your artworks been exhibited yet?

No, not yet. So far, l haven’t been focusing on exhibitions as l believe that l’m still on my way up. I don’t want to rush, l want make sure that l get into my prime mode first before I start pushing for exhibitions.

Do you wish to showcase your art in a gallery one day?

Yeah, obviously that’s almost every artist’s dream time to time. But, for me. the real goal is building my own gallery.

Did you ever study art in school?

Actually no, l never studied art throughout my entire school life. I never had a chance to, as my parents always wanted me to focus on the mainstream subjects.

But as an inborn talent, it just manifested.

Do you remember your parents’ reaction when they realised that you are into art? Have they been supportive of your talent so far?

Hmm my parents’ first reaction, l don’t really know because l was a child when they realised it. l was too young to understand.

But for as long as I can remember, my parents have always been supportive of my love for art. They give me time and space to do my work, and their support has even increased, since I graduated.

You majored in Media, but it looks like you are taking art more seriously. Why?

I’m taking art more seriously because l believe that I can combine the two to create something even better than if I was focusing solely on the program I did in University.

Did it benefit you to study Media? How do you plan on combining art and media?

It was very beneficial for me to study Media. l gained a lot of exposure on how to interact with audiences, and I learnt different ways to be the voice for the voiceless.

Intertwining art and media will be easy for me, I’ll use my artworks to explain compositional issues of the society.

For someone who has been doing art for so long, obviously you have a favourite artwork. Briefly explain the meaning behind it?

A portrait of my grandmother is probably my greatest piece. What makes it great is the memory that it holds, as my grandmother who recently passed away.

To close off, where do you see yourself in one year, as an artist?

With my passion for using art to spark social change by blending art and sociology, l see myself creating a unique and powerful form of storytelling that can resonate with people on a deep level by next year.

As l continue to hone skills in pencil art, my sociographic art will gain recognition on social media platforms with my artwork being shared and appreciated by growing audiences who have interest in social justice and activism.

[End of expect]