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exhibition “Tavatose/Sisonke” showcasing works of young people from across the country.
Tavatose/Sisonke means “we are together”. It is a show based on unity and brings pupils of different backgrounds together to express themselves through one mode of communication — art.
There is a need to create a fluency in art amongst Zimbabwean youths as there is much consideration for reading, writing and arithmetic aptitude in education. An artistic understanding would serve as a bulwark for Zimbabwean youth as it would serve as a fourth pillar in gauging literacy.
“Research on the effects of art education on a child’s learning development have shown significant positive outcomes on children exposed to arts programmes with teacher supervision compared to children not exposed to arts education,” according to the National Gallery’s executive director, Doreen Sibanda.
“It is quite a discontent situation whereby a future of unemployment becomes a post-education guarantee as many of the potential human resource become underutilised and short of an escape. Art is that escape.”
As to unlock the artistic talent in the young generation several themes were provided to all these schoolchildren and students, who have been divided into tiers. The overhead theme is the Millennium Development Goals. These targets will provide topics for the students to select. Once a topic is selected, students will be free to create art work executed in any media such as pencil, ink, watercolour and charcoal.
As there is a strong focus on sustainability, the National Gallery urges pupils and students to use discarded materials and found objects to make their work. Mrs Sibanda goes on to state: “Art develops personal investment, nourishes self-directed learning and encourages the learning experience itself rather than learning as a means of test score performance.”
Selected art works will be exhibited at the National Gallery in Harare from September 1 to October 31 2013.
This project will not only foster art appreciation in the students, it will educate them on important social and environmental issues. This is because the students will be asked to choose a theme and make an artwork based on it.
The specific themes that students will tackle include:
- Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger,
- Improving maternal health
- Combating HIV and Aids
- Ensuring environmental sustainability
Work can either be made in two dimensions or three dimensions. Attention to the principles of art such as line, tone, texture and composition will be highly considered. The work must be either interpretative or observational in its manner. A combination of both these aspects will be also accepted.
This is “Tavatose/Sisonke’s” inaugural exhibition.
Submission of art works, selection and exhibition.
1. Artworks should be submitted to the Department of Education at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe during normal working hours Monday to Friday from August 8 2013, between 0800hours to 1530hours.
2. Selection and adjudication of artworks will take place on August 19-20 2013.
Online Reporter