dyton mupawaenda
Valerie Mpundu and Rumbidzai Mushonga–Arts Reporters
FOUR visual artists from the University of Zimbabwe are staging a three-day Cap Stone Art Exhibition, in line with Education 5.0, at the campus.
Running under the theme “Remembering and Forgetting, Finding and Losing”, Paul Mashango, Mufaro Katsande, Chipo Chekai, and Samantha Ncube took the audience through their artistic journey.
Mashango gave details about his piece, named “Gumbeze Remwanakomana”, which depicts how drugs have ravaged society.
“There is a lot of rot in society lately due to drug and substance abuse. The youths have given up on life and have become careless. With a piece like this, I am highlighting a lifestyle fashioned by drugs and the destruction they bring.
“Not only is this affecting the youths, but this has also roped us in as parents and society at large. We need to work together to beat this,” he said.
Another artist, Katsande, highlighted her personal life as the source of her inspiration.
“I have been through highs and lows in life, yet I still wear a smile as a badge of honour. I have battled silent wars, and have won through art. I evoke expression through art. It is about how we overcome challenges in life, building positivity and impacting those around us.
“Words cannot express what battles the heart encounters. We might be in anguish and pain, and lack the courage to speak out. As an artist, I believe a picture says a thousand words,” she said.
Chekai, who has since become a lecturer in art, emphasised the importance of embracing Education 5.0 and the need to prioritise the integration of arts in educational decision-making.
“I did not know that someday I would be a lecturer in art. Determination took me places I never thought I would be. We are embracing Education 5.0. Art has been neglected in decision-making in schools; not been much has been done to promote art in schools. We aim to shift the trajectory.
“Having chosen art as a major, not many people within our college understood and believed that art was an important major. Most of them associated art with those who had underperformed in school,” she asserted.
Ncube expressed her positive feelings towards art, saying it was a remarkable decision. To her, choosing art was all about unearthing and exploring one’s mind.
“I am proud to be an artist and I let my work search within the souls of the audience. Whenever one gazes at my art, their thoughts have to be evoked. I was not aware that it was going to be like this. I enjoy my work, and through art, we are embracing Education 5.0. Let us protect our environment while sustaining ourselves.
“Exhibiting today in front of such an audience has empowered me. I am elated it is such a great honour,” she said.
The Cap Stone Art Exhibition not only showcased exceptional talents of the artists, but also served as a powerful platform to advocate for the integration of art in education.
In line with UN Sustainable Development Goals, the quartet mostly uses materials found within the environment.
By embracing Education 5.0, the group has managed to pave the way for a more holistic and enriching educational experience, one that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and societal transformation.
They are also contributing to self-development, transforming the world, and ending inequality while demystifying the stereo-types surrounding art.
Online Reporter