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Arts Reporter
South Africa-based Zimbabwean artist and producer Major Mockery has been nominated for an accolade in the prestigious Naledi Theatre Awards scheduled for next month at Jo’burg Theatre.

Major Mockery has been nominated along with his South African counterpart Kholofelo Sewela for their role in historical production “Venus vs Modernity”.

The duo’s nomination is in the category of Best Original Score/Arrangement/Adaptation and “Venus and Modernity” also features in other categories. The production tells the story of South African icon Saartjie Baartman, whose horrific experiences of exploitation has become a reference point for black women’s body image and representation worldwide.

Baartman was taken from her Cape Town home to London where she was abused.

The woman was forced into prostitution and singing in various joints before she escaped to France where she later died.

A certain doctor bought her body and went to display her brains in a museum until the South African government requested that her remains be reburied in her home country.

Baartman’s sad story is also in South African history books.

Although Major Mockery expressed worry over the event at Jo’burg Theatre on May 20 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said it was an honour to be recognised for his work in a foreign land.

“It is an honour to be nominated among the best who have been in the industry for a very long time. It is also important to note that these are professionals who commit their all to the industry,” he said. The Naledi Theatre Awards are in their 15th year and have over 50 categories.

Major Mockery is also a dancehall music producer who worked with Winky D, King Shaddy, Sniper Storm and Guspy Warrior.