David Chinyama
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Chinyama was born on 10 February, 1978 in the Hatcliffe suburb of Harare, Zimbabwe. His father worked as a farm laborer and his parents sacrificed everything to send their seven children to school. Unfortunately, Chinyama had to leave secondary school in Domboshawa without writing Ordinary Levels because his family could not raise examination fees.

He sought any work to help support the family. It was at that time he met Pattie Pink, who would change his life by introducing him to the world of art. Pink was working as a private volunteer in Hatcliffe, helping young people unable to enter the formal employment sector due to incomplete education.

Pink helped form a self-help income generating group called New Generation Youth Group. In the beginning, the group collected, cleaned, mended and sold bottles and sacks at the local market. Eventually, the group received a donation of old typewriters from the Msasa Rotary Club and Hatcliffe Secretarial Services was born. The youngsters, including Chinyama, were all creative and hopeful in spite of their poverty.

Chinyama’s excellent calligraphy skills caught Pink’s eye and she was able to send him to the BAT Art Workshop in 1997. Out of hundreds of applicants, Chinyama was one of 45 chosen to enter the National Gallery of Zimbabwe’s BAT Visual Arts School. There Chinyama excelled in his first two years and was one of only 3 students selected to continue in the honors program.

Chinyama has conceived a style and technique all his own which he continues to develop. He shows us a world with rich overtones that show what is good and beautiful in the Zimbabwean traditional way of life. His work has been exhibited in Great Britain, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Australia, South Africa and the United States.