A surprise decision by judges of the OZAP sculpture competition has led to four Zimbabwean artworks being selected for an upcoming exhibition in Oxford, UK, instead of just one as originally planned. The winning sculptures, created by artists from the Chitungwiza Arts Centre (CAC), will form the centrepiece of an exhibition exploring the legacy of Cecil Rhodes and the resilience of the Zimbabwean people.
By Plot Mhako
The competition, hosted by CAC, received 110 submissions, with 50 finalists chosen. Initially, only the first-place winner was set to be shipped to Oxford. However, judges found that the top four pieces complemented each other so well that sending just one would not be representative of the different aspects of Rhodes’ impact.
At an awards ceremony last Saturday, excitement filled the air as artists celebrated the announcement.
The OZAP Winning Sculptures
The overall winner was Wallace Mkankha, a 34-year-old artist from Chitungwiza, whose sculpture Blindfolded Justicecaptures the pain of colonial rule. “The face, shrouded in anguish, symbolizes the suffering of Zimbabweans,” Mkankha explained. “The two hands covering the eyes represent forced blindness to the truth, while the hands struggling to remove the blindfold signify resilience and the fight for justice.”
Credit: Nehemia Nyakudanga of Rare Photography
The other OZAP winners are:
• Second place: Tafadzwa Tandi – Peaceful Oppression
• Third place: Sydney Manjengwa – Three Labourers, One Struggle
• Fourth place: Gift Mutsahuni – Freedom Fighter
These four sculptures will be showcased at the University of Oxford from September to December 2025. The exhibition will begin at Oriel College—where a statue of Cecil Rhodes overlooks Oxford High Street—before moving to the Oxford University Church of St Mary the Virgin. Discussions are ongoing for the exhibition to travel to other institutions in 2026.
The exhibition aims to foster debate about Rhodes’ colonial rule in Zimbabwe, the resistance of the indigenous population—known as the First Chimurenga—and the lasting effects of imperialism. It is expected to engage students, academics, and the general public in both the UK and Zimbabwe.
The OZAP initiative, founded in response to the Rhodes Must Fall and Black Lives Matter movements, has been using Zimbabwean art as a means of historical healing and education.”
Before their journey to the UK, the winning sculptures will be exhibited at Nhaka Gallery in Harare from March 22, 2025.
For a livestream of the awards ceremony, visit: www.facebook.com/OZAPworld.
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