NORTON - Oliver Mtukudzi has unveiled a life-size stone sculpture memorial monument christened Why Me - Statue of the Unknown Artiste which he dedicates to deceased Zimbabwean artists whom he upholds as eminent heroes too.

The statue standing at 1,66metres and made from green serpentine, by Victor Fire from Springstone Trust in Ruwa, is mounted at Pakare Paye Arts Centre, an academy founded by Mtukudzi here.

The symbolic tribute illustrates the agony of a bereaved mother portrayed with a bare bosom and a depleted womb apparently drained by the incessant loss of her children whose own small grim faces are chiseled out on her back and looking away from their mother in quite a telling gesture.

Left: Tuku salutes Why Me - Statue of the Unknown Artiste

“To some people artistes are not heroes. Yet we have arts heroes and heroines who have made us what we are today. We want to remember them always…their work, greatness and love,” said Mtukudzi.

Mtukudzi said the priceless statue is entirely inclusive in its representation as it embodies deceased Zimbabwean artists across art forms - poets, actors, sculptors, musicians, disc-jockeys, writers, comedians, dancers…everyone.

”This is a personal initiative to acquire the statue. If we don’t remember our own arts heroes ourselves, who will…?”

By unveiling the statue Mtukudzi is simply driving home the same profound message carried in one of his compositions Andinzwi (What Is A Hero?) - a song that is as evidently self-explanatory as its title.
Mtukudzi himself has an obsession with sculptures and buys almost any piece that he comes across and adores.

He has assortments of pieces adorning his gardens at Pakare Paye Arts Centre and does not appear to be slowing down as yet in his collection.

Only recently he collaborated with sculptors from Springstone Trust on a unique win-win project where Mtukudzi performed at the sculptors’ farm in Ruwa with daughter Selmar. The sculptors pocketed fairly handsome box-office proceeds and Mtukudzi went away with pieces the equivalent of the cash raised from the show’s ticket sales. – By Shepherd Mutamba / tukumusik.com