NGZ director speaks on Africa, Europe museum workshop

Rutendo Gomwe-Arts Reporter

Zimbabwean curator and the executive director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe Rapheal Chikukwa has said there is need to expand networks and foster Africa connections so that they develop into Africa and European Museum collaboration. 

Chikukwa is in Dakar, Senegal, attending a workshop which has brought about 60 African and European museum directors in a bid to strengthen partnerships between the two continents. Today, the committee will finish the declaration of Dakar which will be shared to all members. In an interview with The Herald Arts, Chikukwa said the reason why he was taking part at the Africa and European Museum directors workshop was to learn about other cultures as leaders for the betterment of the arts sector. 

“There is a need to expand our network and foster the Africa to Africa Connection which can benefit us as we look into Africa and European Museum collaboration,” he said. “This is also in line with the Government re-engagement agenda. 

“The workshop brought together 29 African Museum directors and in total of 60 Museum directors from Africa and Europe.” 

Chikukwa said it was important for local people to appreciate local art before it was appropriated by outsiders. 

“If you buy local art it means empowering the local artists,” he said. “Being here in Senegal means a lot for Zimbabwe and Africa at large. Some of the issues in the workshop are empowerment, role and function of museums, traveling exhibitions, conducting joint exhibitions, conservation, restoration, collection inventory management and preservation methods, the use of local knowledge and bare foot professors out there in villages whose knowledge remain marginalised because of colonial education systems.” Chikukwa said some of the topics discussed were of great importance in shaping the NGZ. 

“The topic of infrastructure development spoke to me more because of our National Gallery of Zimbabwe, the Victoria Falls project and Tengenenge Community Art Centre project,” he said. 

“It remains my hope that by the end of the workshop we can create an African Museum Association that should allow us to exchange and network in our continent. Africa to Africa Connection is key to our future of museums in Africa.” Chikukwa said the future of museums in Africa had taken a centre stage and to see how they can be funded as they contribute to tourism and to the GDP. 

“Museums are of importance now and also their contribution to the preservation of our cultural heritage as we look into the repatriation of looted heritage during the colonial era,” said Chikukwa. “We also discussed building inventories from our own point of view for the inventories that exist which do not reflect who we are as a people.

“The gaps that exist are very insulting for they do not reflect our different cultures. For example, a Karanga head rest is labelled Shona head rest. A reminder of the current inventories to be done by the communities who the object belonged to. The gaps that exist can be a tool to empower the dis-empowered communities.” Asked about the NGZ plan, he said in the next six months, the gallery will continue with its exhibition programme throughout Zimbabwe. “Our energy is also on our new baby, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe Victoria Falls, refurbishment of the Chinotimba House,” he said. “Some of the challenges that we continue to encounter remain funding and getting our local people to appreciate local art.”