Online Reporter
Maria Chiguvari
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
ARTIST Option Dzikamayi Nyahunzvi will present “Zvatiri” in his first Harare solo exhibition.
The exhibition, which offers a reflective exploration of identity, culture, and the subtle gestures that shape Zimbabwean social life, will open to the public on February 13 at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.
Scheduled to run throughout February, Zvatiri examines the often overlooked everyday practices that define communal belonging.
Nyahunzvi draws attention to cultural markers such as totems, greeting rituals, and body language elements he believes are fundamental to understanding who Zimbabweans are. Nyahunzvi said the exhibition draws cross-cultural parallels, linking local practices to global traditions.“We really do not think much about the mundane things that make us, such as our reference to totems or clapping our hands as we greet.
“These are values that have stood the test of time, they survived colonialism even, and I want to caption our kinesics through painting,” he said.
Through figurative and symbolic works, Nyahunzvi illuminates how inherited gestures and postures have conditioned society toward “Unhu” a philosophy centred on humanity, empathy, and communal responsibility.
Some of his work compares the lotus position commonly associated with Eastern esotericism to resting and sitting postures long practiced in African societies.
According to Nyahunzvi, such kinesics emphasise openness and welcome rather than aggression, reinforcing a collective moral compass.
The exhibition curator Zvikomborero Mandangu said the work “Zvatiri” as a timely and resonant body of work within the gallery’s 2026 programme.
“As one of the solo fulfilments on our schedule this year, we felt that Nyahunzvi’s work, which is rooted in investigation of identity, would be a great showcase.
“I think Zvatiri will serve as a post-millennial rallying cry for spiritual patriotism.”
Last year, Nyahunzvi had his debut London solo exhibition “Kwatinobva Kunoyera” (Sacred Origins).
Nyahunzvi is celebrated for his vibrant, mixed-media compositions that explore themes of spirituality, ancestry, and cultural mythology, deeply rooted in his Shona heritage.
His distinctive style merges painting and printmaking techniques, creating dynamic layers of bright colours and intricate contour lines that evoke both the physical and spiritual realms.
Nyahunzvi’s work often features distorted, ghostly figures that represent ancestral spirits, serving as guardians and guides for the living.
These spectral forms, often portrayed in animalistic shapes or as familiar faces, inhabit vast, dreamlike landscapes, inviting viewers to explore the intersection of the real and the imagined.
A recurring motif in his work is the zebra, a totem symbol that connects the artist to his clan and ancestors.
Mathew Masinge