RENOWNED poet Chirikure Chirikure has challenged upcoming artists studying art to be driven by passion rather than monetary benefits and urged them to remain focused so they could take their work to greater heights.
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
Chirikure was speaking to NewsDay at the opening of a three-day academic exhibition, through which final-year Chinhoyi University of Technology creative art and design student Darius Mutamba sought to debunk the belief that nudity was taboo.
Chirikure was guest of honour at the exhibition, which showcased photography, print works, three-dimensional sculpture, drawings and paintings centred on nudity, at the KooVah Gallery in Harare.
“Upcoming artists, especially those still in school, should not be inspired to pass so that they get their diplomas or degrees and get into the mainstream to make money and lose their focus and creativity, which is all that takes their careers to greater heights,” Chirikure said.
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Mutamba said nudity was not subject to public debate because it provoked fierce resistance from society.
He said the nude body was an object of desire that could evoke complex and contradictory responses than any other form of imagery.
“With this exhibition, my attempt is to draw mankind’s attention to the nude human form and encourage debate and appreciation,” he said.
“The image of the nude body reminds me that sexuality and mortality are our very nature and that the beauty of our animality cannot be separated from the beauty of our spirituality.”
Mutamba said he was inspired by a sense of fulfilment whenever he created work of art, as he cherished the heightened pleasure of creating.
“This Object of Desire exhibition represents my ideals of freedom of expression, open mindedness, individualism and identity while at the same time celebrating the human form through a mythical and artistic story,” he said.
Zimbabwe Union of Journalist secretary-general, Foster Dongozi who was part of the guests, said he was excited that photographers working in visuals were now showcasing their work through exhibitions.
“Last month, the union ran an exhibition for photographers around the country and we are happy that Darius has taken up the challenge to exhibit his work,” he said.