By Ashley Dean Misho | Arts and Entertainment Reporter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
www.zimgbcnews.co.zw<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mthokozisi Khumalo, born and raised in Emganwini, Bulawayo, a neighbourhood that shaped his world with the rhythm of Ndebele chants, street markets, and a single mother who kept the home lit while his dreams flickered in charcoal sketches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At just four years old, an elderly neighbour\u2019s habit of tossing bond papers into a makeshift \u201cgodini\u201d (trash heap) and shouting \u201cUmlalazi!\u201d became the unexpected catalyst that pushed young Mthokozisi to pick up a pencil and never let go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Early Years \u2013 Art Against All Odds
School was a battlefield. While his classmates chased textbooks, Mthokozisi chased lines and shadows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t allowed to take art as a subject because all my attention was on drawing,\u201d he recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No formal art school, no mentors\u2014just the raw, relentless practice of copying whatever he saw on walls, in books, or on the dusty streets. The only classroom he needed was the world around him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bulawayo Reality
Today, Bulawayo boasts a vibrant, underground art scene, yet it suffers from a chronic shortage of galleries, limited access to quality art supplies, and a public that seldom prioritises cultural funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are many artists in corners, but being seen and supported is hard.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We don\u2019t have many galleries, art materials are scarce, and the city doesn\u2019t support music, drama, or visual art enough,\u201d Mthokozisi explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He points to a bitter irony, Zimbabwe\u2019s rich cultural heritage\u2014Ndebele beadwork, stone sculptures, and historic narratives\u2014offers fertile ground for tourism\u2011driven art, yet economic pressures force most creators to juggle survival jobs while nurturing their craft in stolen moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The following are some challenges and advantages artists face , Material scarcity, such as Paints, canvases, and brushes are expensive and hard to find, Financial risk, Inconsistent income pushes many to abandon art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cultural wealth, a living history that translates into authentic, marketable pieces<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Community spirit, Street art festivals and informal collectives keep the fire alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Digital savviness, Social media (Instagram, TikTok) lets artists reach national and global audiences without a gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStay consistent, let the world see what we create, and one day it will pay off. Support each other\u2014visibility will follow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He urges young creators to build networks, share resources, and leverage every platform whether it\u2019s a WhatsApp group, a local caf\u00e9 wall, or a TikTok tutorial\u2014to keep the momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
looking ahead, Mthokozisi hopes to secure a small exhibition space in Bulawayo\u2019s upcoming \u201cArts in the Park\u201d festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also dreams of a community workshop where budding artists can access affordable materials and mentorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mthokozisi\u2019s story is a reminder that talent often blooms in the toughest cracks. If Bulawayo and Zimbabwe at large\u2014invests in its creators, the city\u2019s streets could soon echo not just with music and drama, but with galleries, murals, and stories painted by those who never stopped drawing<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Follow Zim GBC News for more in-depth coverage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 X (Twitter): @ZimGbc
\u00b7 Instagram: @ZimGBCNews
\u00b7 TikTok: @ZimGBCNews_01
\u00b7 Facebook: Zim GBC News
\u00b7 YouTube: Zim GBC News<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Get real-time alerts on WhatsApp:
+263 773 820 323<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For more, visit our website:
www.zimgbcnews.co.zw<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zim GBC News | Global News From An African Perspec<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Ashley Dean Misho | Arts and Entertainment Reporter www.zimgbcnews.co.zw Mthokozisi Khumalo, born and raised in Emganwini, Bulawayo, a neighbourhood that shaped his world with the rhythm of Ndebele chants,… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11113,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[127],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-and-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11112"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11114,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11112\/revisions\/11114"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}