Suburban
THE Board of Trustees and the Gallery Delta community have extended their condolences to the Huggins and Lieros families, on the passing away of the couple, Derek Huggins and Helen Lieros last week.
Ivan Zhakata Suburban Reporter
Both Huggins and Lieros were aged 81.
The couple were the co-founders of the Gallery Delta and instrumental within the artistic community since the 1970s. Huggins’ contribution to the arts is immeasurable while Lieros was an inspiration to a great many people, and has been a central pillar within Zimbabwean visual arts for over five decades.
In a statement, the Board of Trustees and the Gallery Delta community described the late couple as an inspiration to the development of art in Zimbabwe.
“Her (Helen) 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,” said the board.
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.”
The board said Helen had 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.”
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).
The board said 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.
They said he maintained professional relationships with some of the beacons of Zimbabwean art namely Arthur Azvedo, Cosmos Shiridzinomwa, Helen Leiros, Luis Meques, 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.”
The board said his relationships with friends and colleagues were personal and caring as 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.”
