The Ndola City Council has disassociated itself from the animal sculptures placed in the city which have become a subject of ridicule and mockery on social media.
Photos showing a few animal sculptures have been circulating on social media with some Zambians calling on the Council to remove them for being ugly and making the city dirty.
A blogger Ndela Sichizya described the artwork as ugly.
“What animals are these??? While we may be inclined towards supporting local talent, let’s also be their critics when they do mediocre works. These sculptures are ugly and extremely below what should be acceptable for display in a big city like Ndola. Even if the council got them for free, they reserve the right to say No until the sculptor raises his bar. Bene Zambia let us be averse to mediocrity at levels and in all things,” Mr Sichizya posted on his Facebook page.
But Ndola City Council Spokesperson Tiljenyi Mwanza said in a statement that the Council had nothing to do with the sculptures.
Ms. Mwanza said stated that at no time did management commission, erect, or subcontract any company or individual to put up the statues or sculptures.
She revealed that the sculptures were put up by a local businessman as a philanthropic act who purchased the artworks from young learner artists as a way of empowering and promoting their work.
She however said the Ndola City Council will endeavour to pay attention to concerns raised by well meaning people and that management will consider engaging the private businessman behind these sculptures to take note of the public’s concerns.
Below is the full press statement
NDOLA CITY COUNCIL RESPONSE ON MEDIA SCULPTURE DEBATE
8th December, 2017.
NDOLA City Council has noted the sculptures that are currently a subject of debate especially on social media and allegedly put up by Ndola City Council were actually put up by a private businessman over three years ago.
The businessman choose to donate them to the city as a philanthropic gesture.
We therefore wish to state and advise that at no time did management commission, erect, or subcontract any company or individual to put up the statues or sculptures as the public is being mislead to believe.
In his undertaking, the private businessman was motivated to purchase the artworks from young learner artists as a way of empowering and promoting their work.
However, Ndola City Council will endeavour to pay attention to concerns raised by well meaning people.
Additionally, Ndola City Council management will consider engaging the private businessman behind these sculptures to take note of the public’s concerns.
Meanwhile, the Council will not be derailed by some malicious individuals who have gone to the extent of photoshoping and forming graphic designs such as the sculpture of a lion and zebra depicting them to be existing in the City of Ndola when such do not exist in Ndola.
Although the Council is preoccupied with matters regarding the provision of services such sanitation, garbage collection, maintainance of city infrastructure related to its mandate to ensure that the city is healthy we will always endeavour to address matters that are of a public concern and brought about without malice.
We remain steadfast to serve the people of Ndola and ensuring that the city remains clean as one of our key mandated priorities.
As management of Ndola City Council we remain committed to ensuring that there is sanity in the City of Ndola.
Issued by:
*Ms Tilyenji Mwanza*
*Public Relations Manager*
*NdolaCity Council*
These are truly ugly statues. Whoever did the artwork must just have been trying or experimenting. I have always thought so too and wondering who could have foot the bill over ugly statues.
These ugly looking statues could be the reason why UPND thought they won elections on the copperbelt. They just enjoy ugly things like tribalism.
Disaster!
Look at that lion standing looks exactly like Bowman Lusambo…
I can’t see mbwili.
That artist is good man, is it Wile?
At least something is happening in Ndola unlike the filth in Lusaka and sleeping Mayor!!
ZAMBIAN AUTHORITIES ARE NOT SERIOUS. HOW CAN A CITY COUNCIL FAIL TO LOOK FOR A PROPER SCULPTOR? IF YOU CAN’T FIND PROPER SCULPTORS GO TO BOTSWANA AND ASK FOR THOSE WHO DID SIR SERETSE KHAMA STATUES. ALTERNATIVELY, GO TO GHANA AND ASK FOR THE ONES WHO DID THE KWAME NKRUMAH MEMORIAL PARK. HAVING SAID THAT, IT’S NOT LIKE WE DON’T HAVE CREDIBLE SCULPTORS IN ZAMBIA. KEN ZULU IS AMAZING. JUST DRIVE ALONG KAFUE ROAD AND BEFORE CHILANGA CEMENT AT A CERTAIN LODGE ON THE RIGHT IS KEN ZULU’S WORK. HENRY TAYALI IS ANOTHER BRILLIANT SCUPTOR, ETC. PROPER SCULPTURES/STATUES SUCH AS THE KWAME NKRUMAH ARE A TOURIST ATTRACTION.
This is art. What is wrong with you Zambians? Educate yourselves on the different forms of art. The quoted Sichizya is the mediocre beast not the artists.
let us be averse to mediocrity at levels and in all things,” Mr Sichizya posted on his Facebook page.
Very right ba Sichizya. The music in Zed is as mediocre as that from uncoached kindergarten debutants. The reporting is so poor you wonder if the reporters did composition at school. The political leadership is so ignorant about human rights or administration you wonder if they know why they are in office. Etc
Art is never ugly or beautiful. It all depends on what the artist wants to portray and whether it finds resonance with the audience
Not all of them are ugly, some are nice. Most People don’t understand and appreciate.
are you the one that sculptured them..why are you embracing such corruption of the mind and the integrity of our country and wildlife. There is no beauty in mockery..Chinese don’t know animals like we do and hence their failure to mimick the reality and just use sarcasm..
True! That is art. Just leave the sculptures alone. Anyone with ‘better” sculptures can find space to put them up also. The City has more than enough space for that. Let’s learn to appreciate art; please! The City fathers ought to be pro-active; by encouraging and promoting budding artists, and not pander to shortsighted so-called public sentiments. Kudos!!! to the local private businessman responsible for putting them up.
Thanks for sensible comments @ Lombe and Silent Observer! The business man buying the sculptures is exhibiting the imagination of learner artists! Where are the seasoned artists who have failed to show case their mastery? Mr Thawe gave Kitwe City Council the “Mposa Mabwe” statue there after which other artist followed suit in any of the jurisdictions around the country? If among the critics are parents then it goes without saying that when your kid brings home from school you’re non appreciative of the child’s effort! Know it all Armchair critics only exhibit envy on lack of artistic imagination! For the business man, please keep supporting these novice artists for theirs is a noble effort at doing something to earn an income than idling! As self taught artists someday one may…
contd….. As self taught artists someday one may graduate to design a statue as “Mposa Mabwe and the Freedom Statue!” By the way is Tayali’s statue of “The Graduate” on the UNZA lawn not ugly?
Please, let’s not praise mediocrity. There in nothing artistic about each of these artworks. The proportions and composition of these sculptures are terrible to the core. Its clear they were done by unschooled artists. I know what iam talking about because I am a trained artist from recognised institutions with accomplished lectures. Talent alone is nothing in the art world…schooling is this field is important for one to understand the fundamentals of art and elements of design. Let’s not leave like our Congolese brothers whose artworks are mostly considered as bush artworks because of lack of art schools. If we are here to promote young talent, let these artifacts be placed elsewhere in some themepark and not in the City Centre. Visitors will judge us by such substandard works.
The Mayor was trying to make sculptures of himself while asleep!!
Shame..shame shame..and he calls himself a Zambian. THe city is just a load of thieves for them to accept that nonsense….
The zebra mammal resembles a donki.
The council management must be ashamed of themselves…..im sure the businessman did his URGLY part and in turn got the plot he has always been pursuing…he is a business man….their policy is that…there is NOTHING FOR FREE on this earth….
The idea of art is to stir the imagination and reaction, look at Picasso!!
It could be that the local businessman is a sadist and donated these hideous non-works-of-art to tickle himself after finding suckers stupid enough to put them on public display.
Naimwe ba ndola city council bushe vonse nikuchita respond…..who knows maybe that guy who wrote article is jealous of the artist
WTF!
They look SATANIC.
Please REMOVE THEM and let the Youth Compete for the ARTISTIC Honour of displaying their skills around selected sites in NDOLA CITY.
The sculptures are actually quit good, the only one which looks bad is the first one of a perched lioness or something that actually looks like a frog – that one looks very different from the others and must be from a different artist no doubt. So to the guys making the statues of the antelopes, etc good job guys keep it up!
Yaba. Awe this can’t be art mwe. I also know a good piece of art when I see one.
Come on people, Michelangelo does’nt have to re-incarnate. We Africans already have a lot of artistry in our DNA for us to be displaying such grotesque malformations. Are there no Art schools around to mobilize their students to do a local project for the city? Or does it take donor funds to produce quality works of art?
I am a bit confused here. Ndola City Council says it has nothing to do with the statutes – so anyone can erect anything on the city lands? The council didn’t or doesn’t have to give permission?
Kikikikikikikikikikikikikikiki, Vintu ivi.
Council in Ndola take charge of your city these sculptures have a meaning, in old times people used to worship them as gods.Ensure you know what is happening in your town and don’t be caught in aware.
I now understand why the city is nit getting anywhere. We don’t need the city council. They are busy sharing plots while some mad person is expressing madness through sculptures. Cage the guy and admit him together with the mayor. There is a mental hospital behind Ndola Central hospital
City council of Ndola woke up before your city is flooded with these urgly sculptures.
And because there is nothing to do in this country, next you will see the local government association of Zambia coming to the defence of Ndola city council. Nefishilingile
Yes,Lombe you’re right.Let just pic good one.These so called think they have authority on everything. Knowing how to construct sentences does not make you a scholar .If u want attention form NGO or join politics.Let encourage our people do develop skills
these structures were erected without the council knowing?/are you sure Bwana councillor?
they are indeed ugly…plse remove them at once.
you are scaring investors…they are obviously going to assume that Zambians are not talented !
kikikikikiki
Please contact Zambia WildlifePreservation on Facebook if you need things done. Who honestly gave authorization to have these put up. It looks like Chinese art and hope they never gave this contract to a Chinese over a Zambia because we need to give jobs to Zambians and know we have talented Zambians who could have done a tremendous job. And to think leaders allowed this spectacle. This is embarrassing and shame to whomever authorized it. Just give projects like this to the guy on Facebook Zambia WildlifePreservation from Kitwe.
One can only wonder what money was chewed and now they want to disown them. Those who approved the budget for these so called sculptures should simply reimburse the Council. Anything for an opportunity to chew!!!
How can the council say they are not aware or have nothing to do with the sculptures? No wonder unplanned ‘villages’ can come up in the city without their concern. Come on, don’t be like the bible character who refused knowing Jesus. You are simply there for the sake of your bellies. Without Rutherford the town would have been just a bush.
Ugly or not, the artists need exposure. Who knows the critical comments will make them work hard and improve on their work…my comment is that maybe these young stars did not have access to good photos of the species they wanted to depict. A Kudu’s antlers sitting on something that looks like a cow while Oryx horns are crafted on something that looks like a Kudu. Sure this could have been avoided..But congrats guys, keep improving…!
The best thing for the council is to set up a city zoo where real Zambian animals will be free to live and enjoy grass while Zambians can take their families there to relax. These sculptures are a serious deformity on our mental capacity as we are unable to recognize garbage when it is right there before our eyes.