All set for Art Exhibition

Sophia Chese Arts Correspondent
All is set for the Zimbabwe Anuual Art Exhibition to be held on December 15 at the National Art Gallery.

This year’s edition will be running under the theme “Mharidzo”.

In a statement, the National Art Gallery spokesperson said this year’s edition will feature new artworks from different artists.

“Mharidzo directly translates to sermon and as such, the various ideas of liturgy across a plethora of faiths comes to mind. This year’s edition will feature new artworks from the likes of Lovemore Kambudzi, Antony Bumhira and Wallen Mapondera,” he said.

He urged artists from around the country to embrace this year’s theme. Raphael Chikukwa will curate the showcase.

“We are calling upon artists from around Zimbabwe to respond to the theme Mha­ridzo, which translates to Ser­mon,” he said. He highlighted that the National Gallery of Zimbabwe is excit­ed in showcasing as much of this Zimbabwean art, not only for the benefit of the artists but to offer the wide array of viewers a glimpse at the re­markable talent on the local art scene.

“The artwork which is exhibit­ed is significant as it does not only entertain but educates the public about various oth­er elements and perspectives in life. It is widely considered that art is the purest form of cultural communication as it is evident through rock art presents the world over,” he said.

Meanwhile, the annual exhibition is an exciting opening for artists to produce new works that reveal best efforts in terms of excellence, im­portance, reality and mastery through work with a strong communicated meaning. It is Zim­babwe’s oldest art exhibition that has fostered many artis­tic careers and contributed to the visibility of Zimbabwean internationally.

After a brief hiatus, the Zim­babwe Annual Exhibition was resuscitated last year and the event took off as if there had not been any hiatuses in be­tween.

At last year’s event, engrossing sculptures and subtle paintings took centre stage, notably, the most con­sistent artists in the land and in the diaspora put forward their most sublime works.

The Annual Exhibition will be going through its 32nd cycle after having been taken off the calendar in 1973; a time when the economic situation in the country crippled ex­ports, in this case sanctions imposed on the country halt­ed sculpture from being ac­quired.