Zimbabwean sculptor uses art to boost confidence in coronavirus vaccine
By Oliver Matthews
Harare, Apr 25 (EFE).- The sound of a grinder and a cloud of dust in eastern Harare mark the whereabouts of David Ngwerume, a lawyer turned sculptor who uses his art to increase confidence in Covid-19 vaccines.
Ngwerume’s landscaped house has hundreds of his internationally recognized, realistic stone sculptures.
“I always wanted to be a sculptor. I grew up using nuts, objects, and wood to create art,” the 40-year-old tells Efe, after an assistant helps him remove the white dust that covers his overalls with a hand blower.
“(When the pandemic struck) I began to think about the best way to get involved in what was happening,” he adds.
“We, as humans, must campaign to show people that vaccines work.”
Among Ngwerume’s works of art is “Brazos”, a sculpture of a woman wearing a face mask about to get vaccinated with two hands holding a syringe, and another that is depicting a woman also wearing a face mask.
Ngwerume uses lepidolite, opal, chromite, and springstone, made out of local serpentinite minerals in his creations.
The African artist’s work attracted international buyers interested in anti-coronavirus art in the country that has recorded over 38,000 infections and more than 1,550 deaths since the pandemic started.
“I discovered in me a growing desire to create something artistic to convey a message,” Ngwerume explains. “That’s what I believe in, that good art should inspire people.”
