Zimpapers Logo

Kundai Marunya, Arts Correspondent

The National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) has unveiled an ambitious programme for this year that is expected to improve public appreciation of visual arts.

NGZ chief curator Raphael Chikukwa (pictured) said the plans will include exhibitions, remembering liberation heroes and free Sunday tours of the gallery.

This, he said, sought to improve public appreciation of visual arts.

“Our opening exhibition will be Green Shoots, which is a showcase of art by our students from the School of Visual Art and Design.”

“This will be followed by an exhibition on the life history of the late national hero (Gen) Josiah Magama Tongogara.

“This will be a first show of its kind which involves memorabilia, photography, video and audio interviews on (Gen) Tongogara,” said Chikukwa.

“We want schools and families to get an appreciation of our history.  This is a rare opportunity to come and understand our history and also learn how to document for our families for generations to come.”

NGZ will also put up an exhibition of a veteran artist Munya Mazarire, who died late last year.

“He passed away after a very short illness, something that touched us all as he was part of the National Gallery family,” said Chikukwa.

“We will celebrate his contributions to visual art, both as an artist and as a teacher at our school.”

Cuban artist David Palacios will hold a solo exhibition which would be his first in the country. “It is important to bring diversity and his contribution in the use of new media in visual art needs to be showcased in the country,” said Chikukwa.As NGZ continues in bringing about diversity, it will also showcase works by Angolan artist Yona Mine.

The artist, who is wrapping up his diplomatic tenure in the country, will exhibit a body of work that speaks on his Zimbabwean experience.

“The exhibition is titled ‘Chibuku Disco’. It captures a narrative on the Chibuku brew, sungura music and roadside posters that are pasted around the country advertising different events. He has been able to play around with Zimbabwean landscapes,” said Chikukwa.

The exhibition will also feature new media artist Kombo Chapfika.

NGZ will also host another exhibition titled “Zimbabwe at 40” celebrating the country’s four decades of independence.

“In this exhibition, we call on all local artists to contribute as we want to capture all generations of visual artists and their take on different periods after independence,” said Chikukwa.

“We will get to see what artistes think of the past and the future.”

There will be various other exhibitions and events to be held at the gallery.