Historic double triumph: Zimbabwe to host CIMAM conference

Mbulelo Mpofu, Zimpapers Entertainment Hub

ZIMBABWE’S growing stature on the global arts stage has been emphatically affirmed by a historic double triumph. Raphael Chikukwa, the Executive Director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) in Harare, has been elected to the Board of the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CIMAM) for the 2026-2028 term.

This milestone election, which took place during the 57th CIMAM Annual Conference in Turin, Italy, crowns an already momentous period for Zimbabwean and African art.

The news of Chikukwa’s election follows the landmark decision announced on June 24 in Barcelona, where CIMAM selected Harare as the host city for its Annual Conference in November 2026. This prestigious event will be held at the NGZ, marking the first time CIMAM has convened on African soil. Chikukwa’s election amplifies the significance of this impending conference.

“For years, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe has taken Zimbabwean Art to the World and it’s time to bring the world to Zimbabwe through CIMAM Annual Conference 2026. Furthermore, this is a great opportunity for African museums professionals to engage more actively with CIMAM and for the global attendees to experience Africa’s contemporary art scene at first-hand in Zimbabwe. This important gathering will contribute to the global dialogue in both modern and contemporary art, which is CIMAM’s mission and the gallery’s mission too.

“The staging of CIMAM Annual Conference at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe is a recognition of its contribution to the modern and contemporary art history. CIMAM Annual Conference will also strengthen international connections by bringing museum directors, curators, and scholars from around the world. Furthermore, it is an opportunity for the Global South narratives to be understood from their own context,” he said.

Chikukwa’s election to the CIMAM Board positions him at the forefront of global museum leadership and significantly amplifies Zimbabwe’s voice within one of the world’s most influential cultural networks. This achievement transcends national borders, representing a crucial moment for the entire Global South.

It signals a growing recognition of African institutional leadership and perspectives within a field historically dominated by Euro-American viewpoints.

His decades of work — shaping contemporary art discourse in Zimbabwe through ground-breaking exhibitions, collection development, impactful education programmes, and elevating Zimbabwean artists internationally — have now been acknowledged at the highest level of museum governance.

He joins a newly elected board led by Amanda de la Garza Mata, Artistic Deputy Director of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS) in Madrid, who has been elected President of CIMAM. While the new board features leaders from Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas, Chikukwa’s presence carries exceptional weight. It underscores a commitment to African representation, cultural sovereignty and the vital integration of regional perspectives into global museum policy and dialogue.

In a prior interview with Art Africa Magazine’s Stephan Rheeder, Chikukwa highlighted the necessity of Zimbabwe hosting the conference to bridge the gap between global and regional understanding of African art.

“We cannot avoid speaking to each other, and the CIMAM Annual Conference 2026 in Zimbabwe is an excellent opportunity to connect and find each other. Over the years, we have been invited, and we now understand their context; it’s equally essential for the international museum community to understand our context. Furthermore, the international Museum community cannot fully grasp our context through media alone; this is where the CIMAM Annual Conference 2026 in Zimbabwe presents a valuable opportunity.

“Hosting the CIMAM Annual Conference on African soil comes at the right time, as many African artists showcasing on international platforms, along with a small but significant portion of the global museum community, will have the opportunity to see African artists and museum professionals in their context. This is an opportunity to rethink the state of museum practice in these difficult times, repositioning the narratives in Museum practice and decolonising museum practice. The global museum landscape can only change when it examines its own practices without being allergic to both its long and toxic past, as we look into the future.”

CIMAM is the only global network of modern and contemporary art museum experts in the field, with its members comprising directors and curators working in modern and contemporary art museums, collections and archives worldwide. The organisation expressed gratitude to its members for their trust during this election cycle.

For Zimbabwe, Chikukwa’s appointment is a powerful source of national pride and a potent reminder of the country’s vibrant and ongoing contribution to shaping global art narratives. Zimbabwean professionals, such as UK-based multifaceted award-winning musician, bass guitarist, singer, songwriter, actress, mbira player and Vice-President of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM), Edith WeUtonga Katiji, continue to work beyond their positions to help carry the country’s artistic narrative forward, demonstrating a refusal to be treated as inactive members of international boards. —@MbuleloMpofu