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Boniface Chimedza Arts Correspondent
Chinhoyi University of Technology final year student Ashley Mapfuise is holding a solo art exhibition at Moto Republic in Belgravia, Harare.

Mapfuise, who is studying a Bachelor of Science Honours in Visual Communication and Multimedia Design degree programme, said the art exhibition, which is part of her coursework, is done to showcase the work she produced over her four-year study.

“We hope to use these art exhibitions to market ourselves to the industry so that people know the type of work that we are capable of producing. I have personally invited captains of industry to the exhibition so that they can appreciate art through that platform,” said Mapfuise. The exhibitions are organised personally by students and are included on their final assessment, with each student doing the groundwork from the exhibition preparation to its completion. Boasting of an assortment of artworks that include 11 photographs, five paintings, four drawings and several graphic designs, the young artist and graphic designer said she deliberately chose the abstract discipline as signature of her artworks, because of the complexities characterising it.

“All of the artworks follow an abstract and modern contemporary discipline. I like creating abstract pieces. They are not easy. I enjoy challenges, so I then try and use modern contemporary designs to make them a little more decipherable,” Mapfuise affirmed.

Mapfuise said the theme of the art exhibition, called ‘Time Capsule’ encapsulates the aspect of the four-year process during which she has been creating her artworks, which she is now collectively unveiling at the launch of her art exhibition.

“A time capsule is a storage facility where things are kept and viewed at a later date. The theme is reflective of the creative process that I went through as a student over the past four years. I have been creating and keeping the work over a period of time; now I am opening the ‘time capsule’ to reveal what I have been putting together,” said Mapfuise.

“I wish to inspire people that will see my work to appreciate art more. I hope students that will come and attend the exhibition will use it as a source of inspiration to take on art and pursue it,” she added.