Zim visual artists financially exploited

current world salary statistics reveal that Zimbabwean visual artists are the least paid and most financially exploited artists world-over.
Apart from a few prominent sculptors (most of whom are since deceased), the majority of mid-career artists and professionals in Zimbabwe are forced to survive on a menial average pittance, despite their above-average output and material replacement costs.
This article attempts to shed light on what visual artists are worth in terms of monetary value. It takes into account the question of royalties, exhibition payments, appearance fees, stipends and per-diems.
Promoting art
According to curatorial world art standards, a full-time visual artist earns a reputation, salary and royalties, via promotions, publications, exhibitions, and appearances and eventually, the sale or auction of their art works.
However, there are other forms of payments due to the visual artist in Zimbabwe that are often not accounted for, or deliberately omitted.
More often than not, gallery owners, agents, publicists, curators and commissioners of galleries do not pay the artists their fair due.
This is a trait, very similar to the colonial explorers who exploited the “tribal artist” and forcibly acquired his ancestral heirlooms (nhaka) and material culture and now charge a museum entrance fee for Africans to be able to see our looted art in western galleries and museums.
It is a crying shame, however, when as indigenous Africans and indigenous white Zimbabweans we continue to practice the same cultural exploitation on our fellow indigene today – in our era of indigenisation and empowerment.
Pay to exhibit
By law the reason an artist is paid for his/her works on exhibition is because a commercial exhibition is literary considered to be “a hiring of works from the artist for public display and possible sale or auction”.
An artist must be paid for his/her works on exhibition because the artistry has sole ownership of the intellectual property and art he/she produces.
Without the artist’s work or intellectual property there would be no show, no gallery patronage, no business and no culture.
In Zimbabwe, the practice of paying the artist for the exhibition of their work is considered to be an “alien concept” or “unnecessary expense” as one prominent arrogant gallerist quipped! How often do artists hear gallery owners say:
“I paid for the frames, so I’ll deduct 40 percent from the sale of your work.”
Meanwhile the same frame has been making its rounds in previous exhibitions (used over and over). Other common excuses are:
“What about the cost of printing invitation cards and brochures?” or, “the bus fare/taxi fare I paid to cart your works of art here?” or better still:
“Can you see all these patrons at your show, they are here because of me – I invited them and bought the refreshments, it cost me an arm and a leg! I’ll have to deduct that too if your work sells. Don’t be a difficult artist, or I wont show your work next time.” Or ultimately:
“Have you been talking to that critic Tony Monda? What nonsense has he filled your head with this time? I have banned him from the gallery”.
These comments seem trivial but are clever excuses to make the artist feel indebted or beholding to their gallery “masters”, madams” or commissioners, regardless of their colour or race. Professionally run galleries know and understand that recurring exhibitions expenses are part of the business of staging art shows.
It is the galleries’ responsibility and financial obligation to hold exhibitions – not the artists. Overheads or running expenses are in fact a part of every business.
Intangible heritage
Gallerists ought to know that art is not a perishable commodity like “madomasi pa musika”. Art is a serious national investment and an ever-evolving cultural product whose meaning changes overtime.
This is why today we can still study and marvel at the work of the Renaissance artists, the Michelangelo’s, Picasso’s, Caravaggio’s, Ruebens, Rembrandts, Van Gogh’s and Dali’s in prestigious museums and galleries world over, as well as what remains of our well known and loved national treasure – the Zimbabwe Birds.
The tangible heritage created by these artists provides revenue and income for the respective nations and people who hold the art in their galleries. Art remains intellectual property long after the artist has passed on.
Art promoters, agents, curators, cultural attaches, exhibition officers and commissioners serve both, the artist and the public, not themselves. They ought to be financially and legally astute about the dues and various legal implications involved in hosting art exhibitions and serving the arts.
Touring artists, Beinnales and art expos
Like musicians, visual artists go on exhibition tours. Selected artists who attend international art shows such as documenta , Biennales, Triennales, Trade Expos and other world art shows usually spend close to a year or more creating their works. How do they survive?
They are a like a one-man band, expected to produce work of a full opera or classical concert single handedly. The artist is therefore entitled to a living budget for art materials, transportation/travel allowance, hotel/accommodation, clothing allowance for extreme weather conditions and ensuing receptions and a sustenance per-diem as well as health insurance and insurance for his/her works of art.
2010/2011 Guide to artists’ allowances for international art exhibitions stipulates a rate of US$250 – US$3 000 per day, over 10 day period, depending on the international importance and magnitude of the exhibitions.
These fees usually cover the artist’s labour and production time, loss of income incurred during the travel to and from exhibitions, and ensures the well being of the artist whilst away from his/her home.
Paying the piper
Regrettable this practice is being deliberately overlooked in Zimbabwe, whilst organisers benefit from the travel and exposure to international art shows and destinations – feasting on the fat of the artist’s labour and sweat, and the benevolence of their sponsors. Exhibition organisers, cultural benefactors and national representatives who this writer spoke to recently professed ignorance regarding the issues mentioned in this article, preferring in fact to say:
“The artists in Venice seemed to be overjoyed and happy with their stay at the recent Zimbabwean entry into the 54th Venice Biennale in Italy”.
It would be interesting to establish if they had indeed been paid what was due to them
Visual artists of Zimbabwe deserve to be served and promoted in a respectful, transparent and professional manner – it is time we paid the piper
l Dr Tony Monda holds a PhD in Post Modern Art Theory and Philosophy and a DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration) of Post-/colonial Art and Heritage studies. He is a practicing artist, visual designer/consultant, and Corporate Image consultant. All queries and comments on this article can be forwarded to [email protected]