While the centre stage will be taken by the Venice Biennale Pavilion from June onwards, a small advance contingent of young contemporary Zimbabwean artists is already making waves in the art capital of the world Paris!
From May 9 to 21, at Pav dOrsay, a gallery located a stone throw from the famous Louvre museum and Muse dOrsay, five young Zimbabwean artists – Moffat Takadiwa, Zacharaha Magasa, Wycleff Mundopa, Brian Banda and Terrence Musekiwa – are defying stereotypes not only of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwean art but of African art at large. They are also challenging the attitudes of audiences and their peers in Paris with their fresh and inspiring ideas.
The exhibition Harare Paris Young, contemporary and Zimbabwean, is the result of dreams and aspirations of First Floor Gallery Harare Zimbabwes first emerging art space. The plans for the exhibition have developed over the past year, by the young artists working together with the support of Paris based art critic and educator Valerie Kabov, who has also been the First Floor Gallery Harare senior advisor and mentor since its inception in 2009. The dream was to bring to European audiences a truly contemporary and dynamic vision of Zimbabwe and to broaden the audiences and support for emerging Zimbabwean art internationally.
The exhibition has found warm reception and support from the start, with a launch which featured a special performance from the guest of honour, Zimbabwes very own musical diva Busi Ncube, who came from Oslo in Norway to support the opening of the exhibition on 12 May, 2011.
Marcus Gora, the director and founder of First Floor Gallery Harare, speaking at the special viewing of the exhibition on May 19 said: Not only has this been an amazing opportunity to bring to the attention of a truly international audience contemporary art, it has also been an opportunity to change peoples hearts and minds about Zimbabwe. People who become interested in our artists also want to know about their lives and look beyond the headlines.
This has really made us feel how powerful art can be at changing perceptions and fighting prejudice. Of course the best thing has been to know that people from all around the world can recognise the merit and find joy in the works of young talented Zimbabweans who speak about their lives and lives of their people with honesty and integrity. This proves, that as artists we dont need to try to pretend to be like anyone else or conform to other peoples agendas. When we are truly ourselves that is when we find a global audience and support!
Post published in: Arts