Origins
The first traces of artistic expression concern pottery and cave art. Dating from the Stone Age, they are the work of the San, a people of hunter-gatherers. The walls of the caves are covered with drawings of various themes and techniques, including incisions. Animals, human figures and mystical scenes are represented in brown, ochre, red, yellow and white tones.
In the pure African tradition, Zimbabwean art touches all aspects of daily life. In addition to everyday objects, masks, drums, textiles and tattoos are decorated with beads, feathers, figurative and abstract motifs. The chevron and the Zimbabwean bird have become part of the lexicon and are commonly carved in stone. Used in architecture, the bird inspired by the bateleur eagle of the savannah became the national emblem.
Beginning of the modern era
In the 19th century, the native culture was trampled by the Christian missionaries. As soon as they arrived, they imposed the destruction of everything that was contrary to their beliefs. All spiritual objects, in particular masks and votive statuettes, were destined to disappear.
The sacred stick, sculpted and topped with a gold pommel, seduced the gold seekers. A symbol of authority, this icon of Zimbabwean culture is the attribute of the medium or tribal chief.
Gradually, the vast majority of Zimbabwe's products were destined for tourists and the local white population.
Conversely, Europeans who visited Zimbabwe in the 19th century liked to paint views of the country to take home. British artists painted hunting scenes in Zimbabwe during an expedition led by missionary David Livingstone between 1858 and 1861.
Independence
The nationalist guerrillas of the 1970s were marked by all sorts of atrocities. Those accused of collaborating with the ruling forces had their lips sewn shut. The white government commissioned photographs that were published as a propaganda booklet under the title "Anatomy of Terror.
At the same time, the white minority enjoyed painting the local flora and fauna. These works not only avoided angry subjects, but also provided snapshots of an era.
Few black artists were recognized before 1980. The painter Kingsley Sambo (1932-1977) and the figurative sculptor Joseph Ndandarika are noteworthy. These artists were trained in Catholic centers by the missionary John Groeber.
Thomas Mukarobgwa (1924-1999), a Nyanga-born painter and sculptor, worked most of his life in art galleries. His meeting with Frank McEwen, then young director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, was decisive. In addition to recruiting him, McEwen provided him with materials and invited him to enroll in the art school he opened in the basement of the museum. This is how he started painting; four of his paintings will enter MoMA. The landscapes and legends of Zimbabwe remain at the heart of his themes. His style is characterized by a vivid palette and simplicity of composition.
The National Gallery is involved in the launch of many artists, including the annual Zimbabwe Heritage exhibition of contemporary art.
Shona sculpture
Shona sculpture, named after the main tribe of Zimbabwe, is one of the most important African art movements of the 20th century. The main themes illustrated are based on Shona mythology, including the human-animal metamorphosis. Traditionally, the stone of choice for the sculptors was soapstone. With time, the size of the sculptures increased to satisfy white collectors.
Jairos Jiri (1921-1982), nicknamed Baba or Father, greatly promoted the development of Shona sculpture. Through the Jairos Jiri Association, he undertook to teach artistic skills (painting, carving, basketry, silversmithing, etc.) to people with disabilities. The Jiri Center, the first of its kind in Africa, began promoting artists internationally in the 1960s.
Originally, the mine workers were looking for an outlet for their emotions. The first artists of this movement were Henry Munyaradzi, Fanizani Akuda, Nicholas Mukomberanwa, John Takawira, Bernhard Takawira, Bernhard Matemera and Edward Chiwawa.
In 1957, when Frank McEwen took over the management of the National Gallery in Harare, Shona artists finally had a place to work and exhibit. McEwen organized group exhibitions for them in France and the United Kingdom.
You should also visit The Shona Sculpture Gallery in Harare.
Nicholas Mukomberanwa
Among the first students at the school of the current national gallery, the sculptor Nicholas Mukomberanwa (1940-2000) began with drawing. As a police officer in South Africa between 1962-1976, this stay marked his style in a decisive way. Following his meeting with Frank McEwen in 1962, he turned to sculpture. The curator offered him a space in the museum's Workshop School and the necessary equipment to work with stone.
In 1976, Nicholas left the police force to become a professional sculptor. He was a resounding success in South Africa. With the sales of his work, Mukomberanwa went into farming and delegated some of the work in his sculptures to family members. His unique style was honed through his exhibitions around the world. For this pioneer of contemporary Shona sculpture multiplies innovations. He plays with textures and colors while preserving a meditative style.
In 1993, he exhibited at the Chapungu Sculpture Park in Harare. His works are included in the most prestigious collections, such as MoMA in New York, the British Museum in London and of course the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare.
His seven children are also sculptors.
Chapungu and contemporary sculpture
The Chapungu Sculpture Park, established by Roy Guthrie in the 1970s, is fast becoming the center of Zimbabwean sculpture. Roy Guthrie began by founding a modest gallery to promote sculpture. Soon, his project spread over several hectares.
This sculpture village hosted international exhibitions that attracted tourists. Unfortunately, the decline of tourism has an impact on the attendance of the place. Nevertheless, young artists continue to find their place on the property.
Second generation
Tapfuma Gutsa, born in Harare in 1956, explores the means of expression. He began with photography, until he met the sculptor Cornelius Manguma, who made him aware of the work of stone. In the 1980s he left to study in London. From then on, he proposed a personal look at African culture through the prism of European culture.
Gutsa was the first to introduce wood, iron and all sorts of organic materials into his sculptures and installations.
In 2003, he and other artists condemned the Mugabe regime. In 2007, he was one of the artists selected to participate in the Victoria and Albert Museum of London exhibition, "Uncomfortable Truths: The Shadow of Slave Trading on Contemporary Art.
Awarded by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, he participated in the Venice Biennale in 2011. In his installations, the themes of Shona sculpture remain present as in Genesis, preserved at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.
The sculptor Agnes Nyanhongo, born in 1960, is known for her depiction of dignified women, brimming with vitality.
Calvin Dondo, born in 1963 in Rhodesia, uses photography to analyze contemporary society, particularly in urban areas. As curator of the Month of Photography in Harare, he uses his fame to promote young photography.
Paint
More discreet on the cultural scene, painting is nevertheless carried by exceptional talents. Most painters practice other disciplines in parallel. Some of them spill ink at their own expense, like Owen Maseko, born in 1975, and incarcerated the day after the opening of his exhibition "Sibathontisele" (National Gallery in Bulawayo, 2010). Consisting of three installations and twelve paintings, the exhibition warned of the massacres suffered by the Ndebele population under the dictatorship of Robert Mugabe. In addition to their political content, his predominantly red paintings are of a stunning expressionist force.
Tapiwa Chapo, sculptor and painter, devotes a cult to the material. In the tradition of the Shona culture, he creates emotions and forms from serpentine, a semi-precious stone. To paint, he hijacks the batik technique by appropriating vegetable dyes.
Wallen Mapondera, born in 1985 in Zimbabwe, settled in South Africa. In Paris, he exhibits his multifaceted work at the Mitterrand Gallery. Painting, drawing, installation and sculpture are combined to produce wall sculptures inspired by a children's game, chikokoko. His message? Bring pleasure and joy!
Public Art
Although public art is prohibited in Zimbabwe, some murals or statues are tolerated by the authorities. The stricter the rules, the more street artists clamor for freedom. When the public space is used as a political platform, it is exposed to controversy and even prison sentences. More surprisingly, there was public outcry in 2010 when the government commissioned two statues of Joshua Nkomo from North Korean artists.
Basil Matsika prefers to turn away from social or political themes. His colorful frescoes can be seen in Mbare, one of Harare's oldest neighborhoods. By celebrating musicians and footballers, he hopes to bring hope to a neighborhood plagued by crime. Along Matapi Road, national heroes painted on the walls thumb their noses at poverty.
