VISUAL ART: A Beautiful Protest
Born and raised Godfrey Gifford Makopa in Bulawayo in a family of five, attended my primary studies at 5 different schools and high school at Bulawayo Adventist High School. Godfrey then went to Mzilikazi School of the Arts in 2009 to 2011. The budding artist then moved to the Bulawayo Polytechnic 2012 to current. Godfrey says art has always been in my cord, although I only started painting professionally in 2013.
Godfrey says he has been drawing, painting, illustrating form as far back as he can remember “ever since I could hold a pencil…” Godfrey believes he is in the right space and working on what he calls a unique technique. That he is developing as he produces more artistic works that are all a blend of where he is going to, he said “I’m just starting to find myself and master my technique as a young and upcoming contemporary artist. It is a path that never ends I suppose..”
Kwantuthu Arts asked the painter where he drew his inspiration for his works and he had this to say “My inspiration is drawn from real life experiences..” He further went on to explain how the exploration life and deaths raise questions to all thus his art provides a medium for all. Also Godfrey highlighted that his art could be used as a way of society a glance at silent epidemics that people don’t usually want to talk about, feel like taboo or get involved with.
We asked the painter about his exhibitions and he told Kwantuthu Arts that he had taken part in the . Mzilikazi annual exhibition in 2011 and went to have a second place fine art price in the very same show. In 2013 went for the VAAB 27th annual exhibition where he won a 1st prize for young artist of promise. Currently working on an upcoming exhibition Godfrey had exhibited at the Social Gravity this year 2014 July at the National Gallery of Bulawayo.
One thing for sure is my work will keep evolving, and see a future where my work dominates the world more than would. As for now Godfrey said he would just like to call his work ‘a beautiful protest..’ mainly just giving solutions to real life situations that people face day in day out.
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