Exhibition at the Schütz Art Museum "Hold my Hand"

Hugh Hatitye Mbayiwa
Mhondoro/Zimbabwe 1973
When looking at paintings by Hugh Hatitye Mbayiwa, one feels the sun and can almost smell the aromas of nature. The vibrant colors of any natural spectacle correspond to the artist's preferred color palette from Zimbabwe. Hugh Hatitye Mbayiwa was born in 1973 in Mhondoro as the first of seven children. His path to art was not straightforward, as there was no art education offered at rural secondary schools. After years in exile, Hugh returned to Mhondoro to introduce art classes at the Rio Tinto Mhondoro High School. During his teaching tenure, he realized that there was a lack of classrooms. With the support of the school's parents and German benefactors, this dream was realized: in 2010, an art center was officially opened at the school by the director of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe. Hugh was appointed as the patron and protector of the center.
Hugh primarily works with acrylics, oil paints, and mixed media on canvas or wood. He uses bright, vivid colors combined with fine, detailed patterns that interpret Africa on a "smiling day." Initially, rural life and nature were at the center of his works—strongly influenced by his rural background. However, his work has since evolved significantly: Hugh has expanded his media base to contemporary abstractions. As a result, sculptures, installations, and works made from recycled materials are increasingly emerging. His works can be figurative or landscape-oriented. Hugh describes his style as a means of communication. He firmly believes that art is a language—one that he fortunately speaks almost fluently. He uses this talent to explore and live in his own creative world.

Lionel Tazvitya Mbayiwa
Chegutu/Zimbabwe 1982
"My faith and my culture have shaped the way I work conceptually, and my upbringing has influenced how I incorporate my thoughts into my work through painting, drawing, printing, and photography. In a time when there was no technology, stories and fables kept us alive, and that has helped me in my current art production. Therefore, I use animals as figures in my works as metaphors. Myths, beliefs, and culture are part of my story," says Lionel Tazvitya Mbayiwa.
"I use oil pastel as a base and acrylic or oil paint on top, which I then scrape off, leaving the lines underneath the paper." Lionel Tazvitya Mbayiwa explains: "The escape to a foreign country due to economic and political violence in my homeland has become another theme I tell, as well as the general movement of black people, whether voluntary or forced." Mbayiwa also reflects on history, ancestor cults, and prehistoric finds: "The technique and way of drawing animals remind me of the cave or rock paintings of our ancestors, who wanted to document their current lifestyle." Lionel Tazvitya Mbayiwa did not attend art school but was taught by his older brother Hugh Hatitye Mbayiwa. In 2005, he participated in a group exhibition. This was followed by solo exhibitions at the Zimbabwe National Gallery and Delta Gallery.
Lionel Tazvitya Mbayiwa will present an exciting exhibition in Harare in 2025, deeply rooted in his Zimbabwean heritage and personal journey—while also opening the view beyond his own cultural horizon. His great role models—Hieronymus Bosch, Pablo Picasso, and Marc Chagall—significantly influence his art: Mbayiwa combines Bosch's surreal symbolism, Picasso's expressive form dissolution, and Chagall's poetic color world with a floating lightness into a distinctive, contemporary African visual language.
Exhibition duration: from March 7 until approximately the end of June 2026
Opening hours: Tue-Fri: 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM and Sat-Sun/Public Holidays: 10 AM - 6 PM
Nibelungenstraße 36, 4090 Engelhartszell, Austria
Tel: +43 7717 20320
Email: office@schuetzartmuseum.at
Web: www.schuetzartmuseum.at