By Edward Makuzva.
Harare,Zimbabwe. (News of The South) – The National Gallery of Zimbabwe School of Visual Arts and Design had an end of year exhibition; Green Shoots 2015, which featured the works of forty-two graduate students.
The exhibition was opened on January 14 and will run up to February 15 2016.
Education Officer at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe Akim Nyakudya said the Green Shoots seeks to bring the works by these graduate students to the National Gallery of Zimbabwe audience and these works interrogate different themes which include social issues, poverty, religion and people to people relations.
“The show you are going to witness reflects an urgency to find a foothold in the visual art industry.
“Just like their predecessors, the likes of Chiko Chazunguza, Virginia Chihota, Portia Zvavahera, Mercy Moyo, Wallen Mapondera and many others, the young artist have clearly built a foundation on which to develop into accomplished artist in future”, said Nyakudya.
Nyakudya said the branding of this exhibition is premised on the similarity between the young crop of art students who graduate from the school each year to the blossoming of flora and fauna with the beginning of each new rain season.
He added the show is evidence that the school is successfully achieving its mandate of nurturing artistic talent and contributing to National Manpower Development of the artistic industry of Zimbabwe.
Speaking at the same occasion, Tambu Madzimure, Manager for Freedom of Expression at Hivos, said that the exhibition was powerful and was a notch beyond what can be considered student work. She thanked the students for the job well done as well as parents for their continuous support to their children.
“The exhibition focuses on our school’s graduates’ development as a vehicle to measure these students’ progress and to evaluate our own core function in nurturing artistic talent and contribution to the manpower development of the visual arts subsector in Zimbabwe,” said Madzimure.
National Gallery of Zimbabwe Deputy Director and Chief Curator, Raphael Chikukwa also showed appreciation to the students work, as well as the instructors who helped the students to excel.
Chikukwa said forty-two students at the National Gallery School of Visual Arts and Design’s studios at the Beatrice Cottages in Mbare, the school has reared some of the most reputable artists and will continue to do so in future with many more opportuni¬ties for students to exhibit their work in a professional capacity.
“The school has over the years positioned itself as a hub for excellence in nurturing visual artistic talent for young Zimbabweans” Chikukwa added.
This is the third edition of the Green Shoots after last year’s initial showcase which presented the works of emerging artists enrolled at the National Gallery School of Visual Arts and Design.
The recreation of art students, for art lovers and art collectors comes very high on the agenda. It is on such platforms that connection with business people can find real talent and threats on the forth coming realisation of opportunity.
Some students find themselves being awarded with awards of excellence of having the best outstanding artwork. In 1st Level Students ,Shalom Kufakwatenzi won the 1st prize and Takudzwa Guzha who won the 2nd prize and in the 2nd Level students Kudzanayi Mavhura won the 1st prize and Anderson Nyabasa took 2nd prize. >
<br
The National Gallery School of Visual Art and Design is also going to participate at the Cape Town Art Fair from the 18th to the 21st February 2016, as a way of bringing international exposure to students and recent alumni.
Comments
About Author
