adminStephen Garan’anga VIsual Art
As a new direction to promote professional portrait painting in Zimbabwe and celebrating major contributions made by individual Zimbabweans that helped the betterment of the country, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare has made a strong introductory impact to the cause by commissioning and inviting some professional artists to work on portraiture of various icons in various fields and staged an exhibition of the work to coincide with the commemorations of the country’s hard won independence.
The current show is indeed refreshing as various skills are on display especially the resemblance and mood capturing in various techniques.
The exhibition themed “Prominent Personalities: Portraits of Zimbabweans” with seventy six pieces in two dimension and two in wood and stone sculpture respectively of intermixes politicians, freedom fighters, sport personalities, educationists, religious people, spiritual icons, business people, and artists to highlight a few. The art show has some magnificent work, which include pieces by Ecoz Ras Tshovutshovu.
The sheer size of his work in oils on canvas is amazing. He executed the exact replica paintings of Ambuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi as we know them from the historical images. The pieces stretch from the aged shiny brown square floor tiles of the upper deck of the National Gallery to the newly installed titanium white sparkle ceiling about four meters high. The paintings had to be inclined from the perpendicular to rest against the wall rather than hang as they would fit. His proportions and mere photographic resemblances in work of such size is incredible. One wonders why he has not exhibited extensively in the country to inspire many especially the aspiring young and upcoming artists.
From the spiritual icons as well as first war of liberation fighters against the invading minority British colonist, Ras Tshovutshovu went on to repeat similar sized execution of the portrait of the iconic current President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, a freedom fighter and educationist His Excellency, President Mugabe in a colourful and much more demanding and pains taking seeming impasto brush stroke technique.
Again the resemblance and slightly happy mood capturing is astonishing. His work deserve to be viewed as a body of its own in an open public space if it were possible where the surrounding space is much greater as much as the accessibility.
There are several remarkable pieces with undoubted resemblances and unsurpassed artistic execution like Thomas Mwasangwale’s “Joshua Nkomo”, a fairly sized painting in oils on canvas of the late iconic Josua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo who was also known as “Father Zimbabwe” or “Chibwe Chitedza”.
He was the leader and founder of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU), a trade union leader who became the president of the banned National Democratic Party before being jailed for over a decade by the evil colonists.
The freedom fighter became the first free Zimbabwe vice president in 1987 and contributed immensely to the well-being of the country.
Amai Grace Mugabe’s recent cheerful addresses to political gatherings was captured by Learnmore Kaseke in acrylics on canvas in “Dr Grace Mugabe”.
Zimbabwe’s First Lady born in 1965 is heavily involved in philanthropic activities and is patron to the Grace Mugabe Orphanage in Mazowe and was is ZANU-PF’s Secretary of Women’s Affairs.
The late Charles Kamangwana who passed on a few days ago has a painting of first generation stone sculptor, the late Bernard Matemera whose work amongst others helped put Zimbabwe’s visual art on the world map and some of his works are erected at important spaces overseas mainly in the Western World and has permanent collection work at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. The small sized painting is in the proverbial grey scale on canvas in the use of quality luminous oils. Those who acquainted with Matemera during his hey days will instantly evoke the lively interactions memories of the creative cultural practitioner who co spearheaded the so-called “spiritual Shona stone sculpture” era that attracted a significant following beyond our geographical borders. Bernard Matemera the 1946 born who met his demise in 2006 explored his artistic life confined to Tengenenge Sculpture Community near Guruve, rich of indigenous Southern African cultures originating mostly from Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia. The neighbouring countries’ foreigners had migrated to the country during the oppressive colonial era in the region when the then Rhodesia provided cheap labour employment in its vast agricultural lands.
They began to explore stone sculpture mined in the subdivided tobacco farm owned by Tom Bloomfield who became a major pioneer in promoting and marketing Zimbabwe’s stone art.
Other artworks on the show include portraits of late heroes and war of liberation fighters Josiah Tongogara, Herbert Chitepo, Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo, Border Gezi, Simon Muzenda and Ruth Chinamanga.
There are also pieces portraying academics Dr Nziramasanga, Prof M.N. Bhebhe, Prof Stan Mudenge, Phatisa Nyathi, Prof Walter Kamba, Prof Stanlake Samkange as well as writers Dambudzo Marechera, Shimmer Chinodya, Charles Mungoshi.
Media personalities Willie Musarurwa and Nathan Shamuyarira; visual artist Joram Mariga and musicians Oliver Mtukudzi, Stella Chiweshe and Dorothy Masuku are also celebrated.
There are also portraits of philanthropists Jairos Jiri and Sally Mugabe; sport personalities Elliot Mujaji, Kirsty Coventry and Ndumiso Gumede; business personalities Roger Boka and Ben Mucheche; financial leaders Kombo Moyana and Bernard Chidzero; military icon General Constantine Chiwenga; health and wellness personalities Gordon Chavunduka and Dr Samuel Parirenyatwa.
Other portraits show women entrepreneurs Kubi Indi and Devine Ndhlukula; community leaders and grassroots personalities MbuyaMulambo and Rebecca Chisamba; religious figures Pastor Tom Deuschle and Father Ribierao and film maker Tsitsi Dangarembgwa.
Traditional leader Chief RekaiTangwena; science and technology personality Prof Chetsanga; linguist/critic Prof George Kahari, conservation and wildlife personal Charlene Hewitt; beauty queen Angeline Musasiwa; and dancers Matthias Julius and Maylene Chenjerai are also celebrated through the exhibition.
Online Reporter