Cynthia Zukas recalls …
“Henry Tayali came to Zambia from Zimbabwe in 1966, when he was just 23 years old. Whilst at school he had been encouraged by Alex Lambeth who ran the Mzilikazi Centre, where the painting ‘Destiny” was being exhibited. It belonged to Tim Gibbs, son of Sir Humphrey Gibbs, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabawe)’s Governor General at the time.
Sometime after 1980, Tim Gibbs gave Henry permission to exhibit the painting, and Henry took it on a grand tour around Europe. It finally went on show at the African Centre in London in 1989, in an exhibition of Zambian Art that was, by luck, organised by Zambian artist and gallery owner, Ruth Hartley. I was in London at the time, and was overwhelmed when I saw the painting. Lechwe Trust had been in existence since 1986, and I was determined to try to bring Destiny back to Zambia, for our just started collection. So I began lengthy negotiations with Tim Gibbs, and after two years the painting was finally purchased and successfully brought home to Zambia, to the Lechwe Trust Collection.”
TAYALI, Henry.
Born 1943 in Serenje District, Zambia Henry Tayali was one of the most celebrated and accomplished artists. He went to school in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and attended the Mzilikazi Art Centre where he was tutored in Art. Tayali obtained his BA in fine Arts at Makerere University in Uganda in 1967 and his MA from the Staatliche Kunstakademic, Düsseldorf in Germany.
He was a prolific multi-disiplinary artist and art advocate who worked and served on many committees such as Department of Cultural Services, the Art Centre Foundation, International Artists Association and the Lechwe Trust and was appointed as University artist and lecturer at the University of Zambia.
His works are in the private and public collections, some of which include the famous “Bull”- a metal sculpture which was along the road the airport, Lusaka and the “Graduate” concrete sculpture at the University of Zambia graduation grounds. After Henry’s death in 1987, Mpapa Gallery showcased a retrospective exhibition in Lusaka (1988) and the following year it was held at the African Centre in London. Henry’s work has also been exhibited several times at the Lusaka National Museum and the Lechwe Trust Art Gallery were his work is well preserved and treasured including the iconic "Destiny".
Henry Tayali & Cynthia Zukas at a makeshift gallery at Kulima Tower car park.
Photo from the Zukas family Archive
Henry Tayali in his Studio 1980s Photo by Ian Murphy
Henry Tayali, Makere University, Uganda late 1960s