Charles Fernando

Charles Fernando (1941-1995) was a Zimbabwean abstract painter and jazz musician. His style was greatly influenced by the music he played, and showed similarities to musical symbols and notes as well. His work can be found in the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.

Background

Charles was born in 1941 in Zimbabwe and died in 1995. Charles’ family came from Mozambique, but he grew up in Mbare a ghetto of Harare. His greatest painting ever was Sound, the low note E painted in vibrant colours in circles. Some of his friends that he grew up with were; Christopher Chabhuka who was also an artist and Jazz pianist. Christopher was well known for his metal Cockerel which also exhibited at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. Satcha (Tendai Silas Machakaire) was one of Charles’ closest friends. In an interview in 1965 by the Harare Broadcasting Station, Satcha said that the future cars will drive on water (Hydrogen-Fuel Cell System being used today). He solved the problem of mixing Ethanol and Diesel by mixing them as vapours in the cylinder.^[1]