Visual artists from Chitungwiza ended 2024 with a promising exhibition in their home town.
While some of artists had several awards and have been showcasing their work in international blue-chip galleries and art fairs including the prestigious Venice Biennial, they decided to bring the glory back home this time.
It is a radical and assertive move that challenges the perception of art being a commodity for the rich.
Organised by Chitungwiza Artists Collective, the exhibition titled Nhimbe was hosted at Chikwanha Hotel and featured works by Admire Kamudzengere, Batsirai Muskwe, Tawanda Reza, Victor Nyakauru, Clive Mukucha, Prudence Chimutuwah, Tinotenda Chivhinge, Evans Mutenga, Sky Salanje, Crispen Matekenya, Sharon Sanzira, Ngaatendwe Mapako, Terrence Musekiwa and Pardon Mapondera.
Nyakauru recently represented Zimbabwe at the Venice Biennale (2024). His last solo exhibition in the country was at Artillery Gallery in Mt Pleasant Heights, an upmarket suburb in Harare. Likewise, Kamudzengere, who represented Zimbabwe at the Venice Biennial in 2017, recently held a solo exhibition across Samora Machel Avenue at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. There is an established pattern of what one writer observed as “the lopsided economies of visibility and attention.’’
“We thought it was important for us to do something together that involves all the artists from Chitungwiza. As you know Chitungwiza has always been very supportive towards the arts in Harare,” Kamudzengere said.
“If a large percentage of artists participating in the cultural sector in the visual arts in Harare are coming from Chitungwiza, why not have something of our own?” he said.
Nhimbe was officially opened by Stephane Rey, Switzerland’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, who with his spouse Sogol Jafar Zadeh Rey have been very visible at cultural events in Harare. The ambassador took the opportunity to encourage artists to apply for the Swiss Support to Arts Development in Zimbabwe grant.
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According to the curatorial statement the show was titled Nhimbe, “meaning, community engagement capital. Nhimbe embodies the ethos of collaboration and community.” The show seamlessly lined up painting, sculpture, mixed media and collage works in what was deemed a conversation with the community about identity, culture and social justice.
The location was chosen for its convenience due to the confluence of traffic coming from Harare and Manyame rural.
Popularly known as musha mukuru implying its greatness, Chitungwiza is also a mystical place where Pasipamire, medium of the spirit of Chaminuka, lived according to historical records.
The collective was formed during the COVID-19 era when artists attempting to travel to Harare were denied a pass as they were deemed non-essential services. Restricted movement and lack of activity fostered a bond as the artists were compelled to congregate and moot ideas on how to escape from lethargy. The same spirit continues to drive the activities of the collective.
Mukucha and Chivhinge’s works hit different tones here. Their found objects sculpture shed that false sense of novelty as they look just like the trash across the road. Sourced from the same community, one might say the trash has come back to haunt those who threw it out. It might bring up the question on how this is art. Hopefully it will lead to a discussion related to Marcel Duchamp and his well-known work, the Fountain.
The bold colours of Chimutuwah's work might quickly resonate with women weaving colourful synthetic braids in local hairdressing salons. And Muskwe's abstraction could be seen as a mirror to the spray-painted body works of automobiles at nearby repair shops.
“The response for the exhibition has been very good. We’re trying to expand the audience to involve the community and regular people,” Kamudzengerere said, adding that the venue was popular with patrons coming to the bar and young people visiting the mall for various activities. It was taken as a great opportunity to showcase mixed media, painting and found objects mediums that are not as popular as stone sculpture.
During a quiet moment on the exhibition opening day a grizzled old man casually shuffled in as if coming from nowhere. Moving in clockwise direction he curiously examined the artworks mounted on the walls. Coming to Nyakauru’s leather heavy piece he leaned forward, held the edge of the quilt and peered behind it. Standing back, he looked it up and down, not like an art snob but seemingly at the verge of awakening from the dream of a so-called ‘reality’.
Walking towards the opposite end he was about to repeat his previous action, when young Razor casually walked in. Galvanised into action, he moved with alacrity to reprimand the elder. With much deference he informed the old codger about gallery etiquette and not being allowed to handle the artwork which probably sounded odd to him. Without appearing disturbed the strange visitor turned to the ladies serving snacks where he was welcomed with charming bemused smiles.
In a way the old man’s appearance bodes well for this project. Traditionally old people are honoured as intermediaries between the living and the dead in terms of hierarchy. Being closer to the ancestors, old people are vested with the power to bless or curse. The solitary old man's visit felt like an approval of sorts. His benign presence might be interpreted as a blessing: Chitungwiza residents may stand to benefit from more exhibitions in 2025.
