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The National Gallery of Zimbabwe offers various programmes for the public such as the Saturday Art Classes, tours (groups, schools, etc).

At the Gallery
WHEN was the last time you visited the National Gallery of Zimbabwe? As we celebrate our 60th anniversary, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe invites members of the public to come into the gallery and enjoy wonderful works on show and other cultural programmes that the gallery has to offer. Every Friday of the month of July, which is the birthday month; entrance into the Gallery will be free and open for everyone.

But what is a gallery, and what does it do or have to offer to the public are some of the questions that many people ask. The National Gallery is the largest museum of contemporary art in Zimbabwe and houses the largest permanent collection in the region with collections ranging from European Old master, Asian and African art and artefacts.

For this week’s column, the article is not simply targeted at our usual readers but to that one person that has always wanted to know what was beyond the glass doors at the national “art” gallery; what it is as well as what to expect when in that space and would like to visit us.

As we celebrate our 60th anniversary we have realised that there is a gap that needs to be addressed, and we are going to use this platform to adjust that by giving a step by step guide of what to expect from the moment you climb up the stairs to walk into the gallery, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.

The National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) is located on Julius Nyerere Way, between the NSSA Building and Harare Gardens. As you walk towards the Gallery entrance you will be welcomed by a huge banner of the 60th anniversary and other smaller banners of currently running exhibitions.

As you walk through the door there is a large foyer and straight ahead you will see a desk with gentlemen clad in grey shirts with the NGZ logo embroidered onto the left breast pocket whilst on the far left you’ll see yet another reception area clearly marked “Reception”. Straight ahead of you, you’ll see a glass slide door which leads into the shop area, the Sanctuary Café and the ZOL-powered Internet café a little further in.

Once you’ve acclimatised yourself with the space and taken in your surroundings, you walk over to the central desk with the gentleman in grey and black and inform them you would like to look at the exhibitions. At this point they will inform you that to view a show is $1 for adults and children over 12 and 50 cents for children bellow 12. Once you’ve paid and been given your little yellow receipt you’re ready to experience the best of art NGZ has to offer.

From there you move forward into the first gallery space, right next to the desk at which you paid your entrance fee, which is called the Courtauld Gallery; this is the only gallery space on the ground floor. Sir Stephen Courtauld was one gallery benefactor during the 1930s.

Once you’ve gone around, usually from right to left, taking time to stop at each piece hanging on the wall or displayed on the floor you move to the ramp which then takes you to the next level of the building. For those that want to sit and process the work they have seen, there is a set of two black chairs positioned just under the ramp on which visitors are more than welcome to sit and ponder about the work or simply take a break before moving onto the next level.

Currently in the Courtauld Gallery is the Zimbabwe InDesign Exhibition. The exhibition occupying the whole space explores five facets of the Design paradigm that are Applied Design on Traditional Structure, Material culture, Fashion, Hair, Graphic Design.

The show reveals design is not new to Zimbabwe and that iconic designs have their roots in utility, trends, communication, information and technology to create a strong sense of cultural identity and cachet. As the National Gallery of Zimbabwe celebrates its 60th anniversary, the Design show looks back at design precedents that have impacted on our current design aesthetic.

When you are at the top of the ramp you have a choice to make; to either go right and down the corridor, or a double right turn and go down that corridor or turn left. If you turn right, you will be able to view work of the Vatsvairi Vamakwara/ Trailblazers exhibition that is hung on the wall that leads to the Thomas Meikle library.

The library is open for use to the public by paying a small fee of $1 for every use or by joining our Friends of the Gallery membership thus receiving many more benefits. If you take the double right turn there will be work along the wall to your left and if you walk all the way down to the end, there are two doors on either side.

The door on your right into the MMCZ Gallery is always locked but the room can be accessed from another door, whilst the door on your left leads into the PG Gallery. Currently in the PG gallery is the Cont.Emp exhibition is a showcase of works from resident artists at the Gallery.

If you decide to turn left at the top of the ramp you immediately step into the South Gallery space which leads into the East Gallery a little further down then into the MMCZ with the door that was locked as mentioned above.

In the South Gallery is an enthralling exhibition by wood sculptor Shepherd Ndudzo. The exhibition titled “Ndafunga Dande: Yearning for Home” showcases 16 wooden sculptures, by the Botswana- based artist, which point to his longing for home and the common conversations of those living in the Diaspora.

Ndudzo’s craftsmanship in wood brings the viewer the affliction of being away from home. His ability to extract poesy from dead wood and pose new paradoxes is compulsive. What is most enigmatic about this exhibition, however, is that Ndudzo achieves the impossible with nefariously hard wood eventually exacting fluid movement from his creations. The viewer can see that Ndudzo is possessed with a robust sense of humour coupled with eye for detail that brings his contemporary figures to life and makes them accessible to all.

In the East and MMCZ gallery is the Tavatose/Sisonke schools annual exhibition brought by the Gallery in collaboration with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA). The Tavatose/ Sisonke schools exhibition aims at creating a greater awareness, at an early age, of the importance of keeping the environment clean, awareness around issues of improper handling of waste and its risks to the environment and human health and awareness of how recycled waste can contribute to the sustainable development of our communities.

A total of 810 artworks from across the nation’s 10 provinces are on show. These include drawings, paintings, designs, 3- Dimensional work, photographs and collages all responding to the theme “Celebration Time” with the environment in mind. Some of the gallery spaces are set to be changed this month to reflect our revered artists that catapulted the modern art in Zimbabwe to the international platform.

The National Gallery of Zimbabwe also offers various programmes for the public such as the Saturday Art Classes, tours (groups, schools, etc). The art classes and tours are open to pupils and students currently studying art as a subject or individuals who would like to sharpen their artistic ability with the intention to explore new dimensions in art. Adults who are interested in enhancing their artistic skills can also register for the classes.

Another exciting public programme which takes place every first Friday of the month is the First Fridays. The First Fridays initiative is aimed at the young generation and seeks to introduce alternative music into the Gallery atmosphere and create a space for young art lovers to experience an evening of diverse genres of music in a museum setup.

The next First Fridays will be on the 6th of July 2017, featuring “The Movement”, an entertainment group who have a unique way of entertaining the audience with DJs and musicians (saxophonists, percussionists, guitarists, a violinist, keyboardist, gifted poets and comedians).

Celebrate with us by coming into the Gallery and experiencing the best of local and international art that the National Gallery has to offer. Remember every Friday of the month of July will be free and open to everyone.

Business Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 9am-5pm

Address: 20 Julius Nyerere Way, Harare

•  Connect with us via our website www.nationalgallery.co.zw / Facebook http://www.facebook.com/NationalGalleryofZim /twitter @NatGalleryZimb/ Instagram @natgalleryzim