adminThe Herald, December 25, 1980
COULD the National Gallery in Salisbury become a forum for contemporary African art? Will it become an activity centre for artistic expression?
Its director, Mr Chris Till, has returned to Zimbabwe from a trip to Mexico, Britain, France and the United States, more than ever convinced that it can become both of these things.
“It came across to me very strongly, while I was away, that our national gallery is unique in many ways,” he said in an interview.
“There are galleries and museums in West Africa which collect traditional African art. I do not see that we can suddenly bracket ourselves into finding wonderful collections of African art,” he said.
That would be the task for the much-moneyed anthropological and ethnographic museums of art. Nor could the gallery in Zimbabwe afford to bring huge exhibitions from Paris and London costing thousands of dollars.
Mr Till does not think the gallery should lose its function as a national gallery of art, but that this should be extended to be- come a living expression of contemporary art in Africa, especially; and as “the focal point of investigation” into this type of art.
He sees Zimbabwe as “the star on the horizon.” His election to the newly-formed Committee of Fine Art at the triennial conference of the International Council of Museums, will give Zimbabwe a chance to keep in touch with world activities in art.
“It allows us to get in at the ground level,” said Mr Till. “The fact that it is a Fine Art’ committee is not as important as the idea that we mix with people from other countries and exchange ideas.”
He suggested that from his contact with other delegates at the conference, Zimbabwe could fill the gap in the knowledge on contemporary African art.
The national gallery should also stimulate artistic expression within the country, Mr Till said. “We will continue the relationship between the performing and visual arts by staging theatre at the gallery.”
He envisaged an “activity centre” where people could “experience a growing culture.” “People have got to find out where the culture is going, what are its important points, and participate in it.”
Mr Till foresees a place where children can “feel, touch and clamber” at the national gallery.
“I am not suggesting that we rip all the paintings from the wall and turn this into an action barnyard: but the people in the street must be reflected in what we are doing here and we can become really exciting centre of expression.”
The appointment of an education officer in January will be the first step in bringing the activity in the schools into the national gallery. Seminars on teaching methods will be held.
Ideally, work and artistic expression achieved within the gallery would be radiated by travelling exhibitions with, say, a sculptor explaining his art from the back of a Land Rover, in the rural areas.
In the United States a similar type of activity is called “outreach”. Mr Till hopes he can introduce the same here, so that the national gallery spreads its artistic expression, even outside the country.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
Established in 1957, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) is the nerve centre of artworks like stone sculpture in Zimbabwe its rich collection.
The National Gallery has evolved from the Euro-centric perspective to a gallery that accommodates and reflect art works from diverse cultures in a new Zimbabwe.
The NGZ gallery also plays a pivotal role in bringing together art into the public domain, showcasing works by local artists, many of whom have become household names.
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