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The National Gallery of Zimbabwe in partnership with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees successfully hosted a visual art workshop for school children at Tongogara Refugee Camp from April 26 to 29. The aim of the workshop was to stimulate art activities within the refugee community through the sharing of artistic skills, expertise and imparting these to the youths within the camp.
This was with the view of involving the artists in exhibitions and markets outside the camp through the National Gallery of Zimbabwe network.
The theme for the workshop was “Arise and Show your Talent”, whereby individual abilities and strengths are valued and allowed to flourish. It meant to teach students to advance the growth of their art; to allow them to evolve further to their own style and sense of self by encouraging and supporting personal variations of mediums and styles.
A total of 36 students participated. Students chose the genre in which they would want to participate in from the available: drawing, painting, toy making and jewellery. However, Akim Nyakudya, the education officer in the project stressed the need to include other disciplines such as basket-weaving.
The objectives of the workshop were met as evidenced by the artworks that were produced and an exhibition was held on April 29, officiated by the Camp administrator. The workshop stimulated the children’s own creative impulses, helped to relieve artist’s block, or result in new ideas and inspirations for future work.
These are some of the fringe benefits of having the workshop, amateurs and first-timers experimenting and creating whatever they feel like. “Even though you are the one doing the teaching, beginners in particular are not bound by convention and tend to engage in original techniques and approaches that experienced artists who are more set in their ways might overlook or not think of,” he said.
The administrator heaped praise on the National Gallery of Zimbabwe for coming up with the art workshop initiative which awakened the artistic sleeping giant within the camp. The workshop had a relaxed atmosphere that was supportive and nurturing.
Students had to leave their ego at the door and enter with a childlike frame of mind, one that eagerly seeks the unknown and enthusiastically puts what is learned into practice. Nyakudya said there is an awesome artistic talent within the camp and that the skills need to be honed so that the artworks can become marketable.
He added that all the art materials which were left over from the workshop were handed over to the camp administrator so that students can continue to practice their art while more resources are sourced for continuing the project.
In order to make the project sustainable, the facilitators were asked to form an art club so that they continue to develop their skills and link up with Mutare Gallery for exhibitions and selling of the artworks.
The team plan to involve the artists in various platforms in Manicaland through the National Gallery of Mutare starting with the International Refugee Day, where apart from the revelries that take place in the camp, some artworks could be exhibited at the National Gallery of Mutare.
The exhibitions will be done to bring the much needed exposure to the artists and open new markets.
Online Reporter