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Arts Correspondent
The National Gallery of Zimbabwe was a busy domicile with diplomats, Government officials and art fanatics at the official opening of the exhibition titled “Kabbo ka Muwala”.

Art lovers got the chance to explore first hand migration and mobility through a variety of media.

National gallery executive director, Doreen Sibanda said the fate of displaced people around the world is unassailable new interest as the uproar in numerous parts of the world is taking its toll.

“Art communicates across language barriers henceforth the need to explore the issue of displaced people around the world, through art, on the other hand migration has so many aspects and facets,” she said.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Melusi Matshiya, in his opening remarks, said the move of showcasing the reality of migration and displacement must be applauded.

“Exploring the issue of migration through art is a welcome change to pontificating arm-chair politicians on TV channels across the world,” he said.

“The installations, photographs, video clips and paintings gave each attendee the chance to ponder upon the implications of the distinct forms of migration there is, in fact, too much to see.

“The graphic representation through these artworks serves as a means to inform people and educate them with regard to the risk and critical situations that they pose to

fall into when they are displaced.”

The name of the exhibition, Kabbo ka Muwala, means “The Girl’s Basket”, which alludes to the dowry a woman carries with her as she leaves her family for her connubial home, the most accepted and universal form of migration.

In the photos one can see displacement, disappointments and fragility as immigrants are contained in small spaces and essentially trapped in vehicles, behind razor wires and pre-cast walls.