Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
Versatile creative and arts administrator Hope Masike firmly believes in the power of collaboration to elevate the arts sector to new heights.
As a phenomenal mbira player, she consistently partners with other creatives to harness synergies.
Her recent involvement in visual artist Sabina Mutsvati’s exhibition titled “Ndishonengereiwo,” held at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, exemplifies her commitment to collaborative artistry.
The collaboration made wwaves after music and visual art were fused fused in a photoshoot of Masike in avant-garde pieces, Varoora and Vamwene.
The two striking pieces, woven from traditional African brooms, are groundbreaking artistic dresses celebrating African culture at large and the women of Africa.
“I was really delighted to collaborate with some of Zimbabwe’s finest artists, visual artist Sabina Mutsvati and photographer Nyasha Gurure. These are women who seek to explore creativity without any boundaries, bringing pertinent societal conversations to the fore.
“My own brand seeks to celebrate African art. So this collaboration spotlighted exactly that, while also celebrating the mbira. Many thanks to the National Gallery of Zimbabwe for allowing us to explore all creative possibilities with Sabina’s exhibited works,” stressed Masike.
Mutsvati, who also collaborated with top photographer Nyasha Gurure in the same exhibition, believes in the power of combining forces.
She asserts that the industry can only progress if they work together. This was demonstrated in this exhibition, where music, fashion, and photography were combined.
She spoke highly of the power of collaboration, which ensured they created something amazing and striking.
“These dresses are a symbol of the power that we carry as African women. We should not be told otherwise. We are bearers of great wisdom, power, and strength,” Mutsvati explained.
Explaining her creative process, Gurure said, “I like thinking beyond photography, and these pieces inspired me to do exactly that.
The two dresses, Vamwene and Varoora, made me think: these are early morning queens, and the first eyewitness is the bird. That’s why I took one shot from a bird’s perspective, and I maintained a sunrise light feel.”
The trio’s exhibition was made possible by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, which prides itself on celebrating exceptional work by Zimbabwean visual artists and generously opened their doors for this photo shoot.
NGZ curator Fadzai Muchemwa, who has been overseeing the works of visual artists, spoke highly of Masike’s collaboration with Mutsvati and Gurure, which has yielded positive results.
“Ndishonongoreiwo is an act of care and a refusal.
Through collaborations like these, we are reminded that institutions, too, are living organisms, capable of transformation if we allow them to be unsettled,” said Muchemwa, the curator of the exhibition.
For the record, Mutsvati is one of Zimbabwe’s well-known visual artists, commonly celebrated for her immersive art.
She continues to gain global acclaim while advocating for greater recognition of women in Zimbabwean society and art.
As for Gurure, she is an award-winning artistic photographer and concept director.
Her focus is on artistic African photography, which she uses to tell beautiful African stories recognised worldwide.
Masike needs no introduction as one of the top mbira players who have been in the game for years.
According to her profile, she is one of the most celebrated mbira musicians of our time.
She is a singer/songwriter, mbira player, writer, poet, music teacher, and art and culture administrator who currently sits on the boards of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and the Alliance Francaise de Harare.
With four albums, four books, and several collaborative and tour credits to her name, she continues to champion the custodianship of mbira both locally and globally.
