Pachipamwe exhibition opens at National gallery

Ntombiyolwandle Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
NATIONAL Art Gallery in Bulawayo has opened a two-month exhibition that will see art works from local and international artists showcase at the Gallery.

Pachipamwe International workshops have been held in Zimbabwe since 1988 and the first workshop was held in Murewa, providing instrumental support for visual artists. Pachipamwe simply means coming together again.

The Gallery assistance curator, Clifford Zulu, said the exhibition carrying 20 art pieces from different artists will run up until the 28 April.

“The workshop exhibition started on 4 March but the official opening will take place on 24 March. We are inviting people to come and witness this exciting exhibition,” said Zulu.

The exhibition is running under the theme “Pachipamwe retrospective.”

Zulu, who is also the exhibition curator, said their major focus this year will be on the works of veteran British painter Chris Ofili. Ofili is one of the most acclaimed British painters. He won the Turner Prize in 1998 and represented Great Britain at the 50th Venice Biennale in 2003. Ofili has built an international reputation with his works that bridge the sacred and the profane, popular culture and beliefs.

Zulu said his contribution to the Zimbabwean arts industry compelled them to recognise him through the exhibition.

“We are having the works of Antonio E Costa from Canada, David Kholwane from South Africa, Viljoen from Namibia local artists such as Voti Thebe, Rashid Jogee, Stephen Williams, Marvelous Mangena and George Newi,” said Zulu.

He said the aim of this exhibition was to educate and inspire younger artists to go back to the basics of arts.

Meanwhile, Pachipamwe is running alongside the 28th annual Visual Artist Association of Bulawayo (VAAB). VAAB is an artist-led association of visual art that was founded in 1983 and is registered as an association with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe working in partnership with the National Gallery of Zimbabwe and other arts organisations within and outside Zimbabwe. Some of the artistes include, Tafadzwa Gwetai, Voti Thebe, Neville Starling as well as students from Bulawayo Polytechnic and Mzilikazi Arts and Craft Center.