Chronicle Editor
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ZIMBABWE
The National Gallery of Zimbabwe’s history has been shaped by artists and this year the institution will stage the Zimbabwe Annual Art Exhibition, the flagship exhibition that will this time around engage artists to celebrate 60 years of incorporation.
Running under the theme, form and colour, the showcase seeks to write futures through the interpretations of basic art elements. The onus is upon artists to produce artworks which reflect upon a celebratory and critical mood while looking to the future perceptively. Artists are expected to think outside the box while addressing with the theme that is, creating works in any form and colour. The exhibition is open to all persons of Zimbabwean extraction and residents of Zimbabwe over eighteen years of age.
Entries will be categorised in painting in any media, works mixed in any media, including collage graphics and drawings in any media, photography in any style.
It also encompasses designing of large scale such as stage set; mural, stained glass window, tapestries and their project in this nature are not covered by any of the other categories.
Architecture is also categorised in the following categories the pencil, ink, water colour, interior or exterior linear drawing in pencil, ink or wash
Zimbabwe Annual Art Exhibition has availed opportunities for many artists to boost their careers. It has served well as the main means of measurement of Zimbabwean visual art progress and development, and has embodied reclamation of place and knowledge of what it means to be a Zimbabwean.
It has seen many artists receiving awards at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe and in editions of yesteryear; the coveted Presidential Award was bestowed upon reputable artists such as Joram Mariga, Helen Lieros and Nicholas Mukomberanwa.
The exhibition contributed to the advancement of the Zimbabwean Stone Sculpture Movement in the 1960s, increasing the demand for locally produced artwork far afield to the leading museums of the world such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate Modern in London.
The National Gallery of Zimbabwe is excited in showcasing Zimbabwean art, not only for the benefit of the artists, but to offer a wide array of viewers a glimpse at the remarkable creative spirit on the local art scene.
The artwork, which will be exhibited, is significant as it does not only provide insight, but stimulates the viewing public on various elements and perspectives in everyday life. It is widely considered that art is the purest form of cultural communication.
As a national institution, the National Gallery appreciates perseverance of artists and values their creative product and output in facilitating this platform.
Visual art language is one of the most powerful mediums of expression as it is a definitive summarisation of a society’s identity, it is a reflection of the pulse of the nation and its history.
It is against this background that the National Gallery of Zimbabwe will continue promoting and supporting Zimbabwean artists by offering platform to exhibit their works at the gallery and internationally. Exhibitions of contemporary art seek to showcase, as well as create a greater awareness and appreciation of art and the artist.
The astounding progress that Zimbabwean artists have made is a reflection of the rich and varied culture of the creative energy that is the trademark of Zimbabwe and that which the National Gallery of Zimbabwe strives to promote. The exhibition provides memorable, immersive learning experiences, provoke imagination, introduce unknown worlds and subject matter, and offer unique environments in work places and homes.
The Zimbabwe Annual Art Exhibition offers a dynamic opportunity to expose children to experience and explore new things in an artistic, rich and educational environment. Through interactive exhibits, school goers will have the opportunity to take ownership of their own learning and develop and explore their own curiosities. This exposure provides the foundation for creativity, critical thinking, and connection to the world around them.
The exhibition is open to all artists, students, buyers, traders and business people. This is entailed within the Gallery’s Public Programming module.
The exhibition presents a rich cross-section of visual art with work from all over the country; members of public will walk away with at least one work of art that resonates with them.
The closing date for submission of artworks is November 10, 2017. Works will not be accepted for submission after the aforementioned date.
Submission will only be accepted by the Exhibitions Department of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare on weekdays from 9am to 4pm. The Zimbabwe Annual Art Exhibition will open on December 14, 2017 and run until February 28, 2018.
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