Past & Present
An exhibition of paintings, graphics and found object sculpture with works by multiple artists.
DEREK HUGGINS
1940 - 2021
The Board of Trustees and the Gallery Delta Community extend their most sincere condolences to the Huggins and Lieros families, on the passing away of Derek Huggins; loving husband to Helen Lieros, brother to Mary and David. Derek was the Co-Founder of the Gallery Delta and instrumental within the artistic community since the 1970s. His contribution to the arts is immeasurable.
Derek is best known for his role of founding and running the Gallery Delta, first at Little Chelsea on Robert Mugabe Road (1975-1991), then at Robert Paul’s Old House, 110 Livingstone Ave, Harare (1991 – 2021). He has been integral in the seminal moments of some of Zimbabwe’s most well-known artists, and during the long story of Gallery Delta, maintained professional relationships with some of the beacons of Zimbabwean art; Arthur Azavedo, Cosmos Shiridzinomwa, Helen Lieros, Luis Meque, Masimba Hwati and Virginia Chihota, amidst others.
Derek’s writing was included in various publications during the 2000s. His own book, a collection of short stories entitled Stained Earth was published in 2004. He authored the extraordinary book Eleni Lierou/Helen Lieros mural paintings: the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel at Maputo, Mozambique, 1996-2000 (2015) with contributions from Jean Luc Duval and Anna Lazou. It is characteristic of Derek, that his efforts were so often directed towards illuminating Helen’s work.
Derek was affectionately known around the Gallery as Sekuru. His relationship with his friends and colleagues was personal and caring, he was a man of gentle humour, unparalleled compassion and kindness. He gave of himself entirely, to the arts and more significantly, to the artist; to none more than his beloved wife, Helen. Integrity, honesty and humility are seldom seen as visibly as they were in Derek. We have lost one of the righteous men of the world, but his example to us lives on, as does his legacy to the Visual Arts of Zimbabwe.
Helen Lieros
1940 - 2021
The Board of Trustees and the Gallery Delta Community extend their most sincere condolences to the Lieros and Huggins families, on the passing away of Helen Lieros; loving wife to Derek, Artist, Mentor, Teacher, and Co-Founder of the Gallery Delta. Helen was an inspiration to a great many people, and has been a central pillar within Zimbabwean Visual Arts for over five decades.
Her work is held in the Permanent Collection of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, the Cabinet des Estamps and Centre de la Gravure, Geneva and the Museum of African Arts, Paris, among many others. She was the first recipient of the President’s Award of Honour at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (1990), and the recipient of a National Arts Merit Award. It is perhaps her murals of the Greek Orthodox Church in Maputo that best represent her life and career. A work that transcends cultural, religious, nationalistic and artistic barriers. A work that celebrates both the tragedy and triumph of humanity, that expresses vividly, the artist’s zeal for life, passion for the arts and her great faith.
Through the foundation of the Gallery Delta, and her work as a teacher, she has impacted the lives of hundreds of people. For some, it has been an understanding and appreciation of the visual arts, for others the discovery of unseen creativity, and others still, the understanding of what it means to be a great teacher in the fullest sense of the word; to have belief in the people around you. She has been both nurturing and influential in the careers of many of Zimbabwe’s most prominent artists, some who have begun their careers at Gallery Delta, and who in some way, will carry forwards her legacy.
We will miss Helen’s passion, energy and force of life more than can be written. She leaves both an impact and a considerable void at this time. Her contribution to the arts will be forever cemented in the Zimbabwean story.
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open until
July
31
Mural Paintings
by Helen Lieros
The story and depiction of an extraordinary artistic undertaking by the Zimbabwean artist Helen Lieros to paint huge murals in the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Archangels Michael and Gabriel at Maputo, Mozambique over the period 1996 – 2013.
This 300 page hardback book traces, through its generous illustrations of the murals, drawings, sketches and descriptive texts, the artist’s struggle – mentally, physically, artistically and spiritually – to execute some twenty murals and other works.
Currently available for sale at US$50 a copy from Gallery Delta.
The Gallery
Established in 1975, Gallery Delta is an important venue in Harare for changing exhibitions of Zimbabwean paintings, graphics, mixed media sculptures and ceramics.
The gallery is situated in the former home of Robert Paul (1906 – 1980), now regarded as Zimbabwe’s finest landscape painter. Built in 1894 it may well be the oldest extant house in the city and, now restored, provides a unique historical, architectural and artistic environment for the presentation and sale of contemporary art.
This website aims to provide information about Zimbabwean contemporary visual art and some of its acknowledged artists. With few books on the subject, it is a distillation and small history for critics, collectors, students and the public. We hope it provokes interest and provides a meaningful function for all its researchers, and for art and artists.
