Venice Biennale: Zimbabwe Artists Ready for 60th International Art Exhibition
Zimbabwe, a country known for its vibrant arts and culture scene, is preparing to participate in the prestigious 60th International Art Exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia.
The Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Dr. Kirsty Coventry, announced Zimbabwe’s seventh consecutive staging at this renowned global platform.
The country’s continued presence at the Venice Biennale is a testament to its thriving artistic community and the recognition it has garnered on the international stage.
Unveiling the Artists Representing Zimbabwe
Under the Pavilion of Zimbabwe, a group of talented artists will represent the country at the 60th International Art Exhibition.
The artists chosen to exhibit their works in Venice include Gillian Rosselli, Sekai Machache, Victor Nyakauru, Moffat Takadiwa, Kombo Chapfika, and Troy Makaza.
These artists will showcase their creations from April 20th to November 24th, 2024.
Dr. Coventry expressed the government’s support for the artists and emphasized the importance of promoting Zimbabwean talent on a global platform like the Venice Biennale.
Promoting Zimbabwean Artists on the World Stage
The participation of Zimbabwe at the Venice Biennale not only showcases the artistic prowess of the nation but also plays a crucial role in image-building and fostering international cooperation.
The government recognizes the potential of this platform to propel artists’ careers and create new opportunities in the cultural sphere.
Over the years, alumni of the Zimbabwe Pavilion, such as Portia Zvavahera, Virginia Chihota, Misheck Masamvu, and Gareth Nyandoro, have gained recognition through their participation in high-profile exhibitions around the world.
A Glimpse into the Artists’ Profiles
Gillian Rosselli
Gillian Rosselli, an artist driven by a deep concern for social injustices, channels her passion into her artwork.
Her seemingly gentle paintings hold powerful messages, addressing various socio-political issues such as domestic violence, the aftermath of colonization, and the refugee migration crisis.
Influenced by her experiences in Zimbabwe, Rosselli’s art delves into an exploration of her own identity and the broader challenges faced by the country.
Through the intricate layering of acrylic paint, skillful use of color, and enigmatic contours, Rosselli’s paintings reveal multiple layers of meaning to the viewer.
She has showcased her work both locally and internationally, including the notable exhibition “Five Bhobh – Painting At the End of an Era” at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town in 2001.
Victor Nyakauru
Victor Nyakauru, a mixed media visual artist based in Harare, has made significant contributions to the art scene.
He received his art education at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe Visual Art Studios from 2004 to 2007.
Nyakauru has participated in numerous exhibitions within Zimbabwe and abroad, garnering recognition through awards such as the NAMA awards, PPC concrete awards, national gallery outstanding awards, ILO outstanding mixed media work, and the prestigious Robert Sterling Clark Fellowship for African Artists in Vermont, USA, in 2011.
His talent has taken him to international platforms, including the Incheon Sculpture Symposium in South Korea in 2014 and the first Afrocentric exhibition in Hong Kong in 2017.
Nyakauru, who previously served as a sculpture instructor at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe School of Visual Art and Design, continues to leave his mark on the art world.
Kombo Chapfika
Kombo Chapfika, a versatile artist born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe, pursued his studies in Atlanta, GA, USA, graduating with a BA in Economics in 2006.
While mostly self-taught, he believes that art transcends any particular medium and that each discipline informs the others.
His artistic journey has encompassed animation, advertising, broadcast, web development, and fine art, providing a diverse foundation for his creative practice, technical skills, and artistic direction.
Chapfika’s work revolves around the transformation of contemporary African culture in the face of modernity and technological interconnectedness.
His creative process centers on curiosity, experimentation, and social commentary.
He explores the interplay between technology and culture, recognizing how the tools we employ reshape our lives. This theme has become increasingly significant as Chapfika reflects on his own complex relationship with technology and its profound psychological, social, and physical effects.
From personal experiences to global and inter-generational contexts, his hybrid aesthetic mirrors his ongoing cultural remixing brought about by globalization and mobility.
Through his art, Chapfika expresses both the immense potential and pressing challenges faced by Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole.
Currently, he holds a Fellowship at Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart, Germany.
Troy Makaza
Troy Makaza, who specialized in painting during his time in art school, has always been fascinated by form and texture.
However, he decided to forge his own hybrid medium that could align with his artistic goals.
Through experimentation, Makaza discovered silicone—a material that allows him to cast, paint, weave, and tie.
Since joining the First Floor Gallery Harare in 2015, Makaza’s works have evolved progressively, serving as a visceral and philosophical response to the issues that deeply concern him as a young Zimbabwean artist engaged with politics, history, power dynamics, and their impact on the daily lives of ordinary people in a global context.
Combining traditional techniques such as weaving and tapestry with a contemporary twist, Makaza’s artwork sparks conversations about the possibilities of African and uniquely Zimbabwean contemporary art that resonates on an international level while captivating local audiences.
His artistic endeavors have garnered critical acclaim and caught the attention of collectors, leading to notable achievements such as participation in the 2018 Zimbabwean contemporary art survey at Zeitz MoCAA, a solo presentation at Art Basel Miami Beach, winning the Tomorrows/Today prize at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair in 2019, and inclusion in institutional collections like the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden in Marrakech, Museo Fico Turin, Rollins College museum collection, as well as private collections such as the Jorge Perez collection in Miami and Beth De Woody Rubin’s The Bunker in Palm Beach.
Moffat Takadiwa
Moffat Takadiwa, an artist based in Harare, Zimbabwe, belongs to the post-independence generation of artists in the country.
His works have been extensively exhibited in major institutions both in Zimbabwe and internationally.
Takadiwa played a pivotal role in establishing the Mbare Art Space in Harare, where he actively mentors the growing artist community.
His recent exhibitions include solo shows such as “Zero Zero” at Semiose in Paris (2023), “Vestiges of Colonialism” at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare (2023), and “A Love Letter to LA” curated by Storm Ascher at Superposition Gallery, Phillips Auction House in Los Angeles (2023).
Takadiwa’s artistic journey has also taken him to various other locations, such as the Musée d’art contemporain de la Haute-Vienne – château de Rochechouart in 2022, Semiose in Paris for “The Bull” (2022), Nicodim in New York for “Brutalized Language” (2022), and Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles for “Witch Craft: Rethinking Power” (2021).
Additionally, he participated in international exhibitions like “This is Not Africa: Unlearn What You Have Learned” at ARoS Museum in Denmark (2021), “Mr. Foreman you have destroyed the farm” at Semiose in Paris, France (2021), and “INXS: Never Before Seen Major Works” by Simphiwe Ndzube, Moffat Takadiwa, Zhou Yilun at Nicodim in Los Angeles, CA (2020).
His work has also found a place in esteemed collections, including the Museum for Contemporary Art Leipzig.
Sekai Machache
Sekai Machache, a Zimbabwean-Scottish visual artist and curator based in Glasgow, Scotland, explores the concept of self through her profound artistic practice.
Photography serves as a vital tool in her exploration of historical and cultural imaginaries.
She creates studio-based compositions using digital techniques, employing body paint and subdued lighting to produce images that emerge from darkness.
In her recent works, she expands beyond photography and incorporates other media and approaches to evoke the unseen and undocumented.
Machache delves into the relationship between spirituality, dreams, and the artist’s role in disseminating symbolic imagery to facilitate healing within the context of colonialism and loss.
Her outstanding talent and dedication have earned her the prestigious 2020 RSA Morton Award and a residency with the Talbot Rice Residency Programme from 2021 to 2023.
Machache actively engages with her community through collaborative projects as a founding and organizing member of the Yon Afro Collective (YAC).
Some of Sekai Machache’s recent projects include showcasing her RSA Morton Award outcomes alongside John Brown and Hannah Paterson at the National Galleries in Edinburgh for the Research: RSA Awards in Focus in January 2022.
She also exhibited her Invocation series with Sakhile & Me Gallery at the 1:54 African Art Fair in October 2021. Additionally, she participated in the Edinburgh Arts Festival 2021 with Alberta Whittle’s RESET, a group show at Jupiter Artland, and presented her solo exhibition titled “Projects 20” at Stills Gallery, where her new film work, “The Divine Sky,” made its debut.
Moreover, her project titled “Body of Land: Ritual Manifestations” had its public debut at Street Level Photoworks as part of a two-person solo exhibition with Kenyan artist Awuor Onyango.
These projects were facilitated by Focas Scotland and supported by the British Council East Africa and Scotland programs. Furthermore, she collaborated with artist Thulani Rachia for “These Stories,” curated by Katherine Ka Yi Liu, at The House for an Art Lover’s Heritage Centre building at Studio Pavilion, as part of the Glasgow International Festival 2021’s Across the City Programme.
Looking ahead, Sekai Machache has upcoming projects such as an exhibition and new film titled “Svikiro” at Mount Stuart Estate on the Isle of Bute, opening on September 2, 2023.
She will also be part of the “sacred x mundane x profane” exhibition with Sakhile & Me Gallery in Frankfurt, Germany, from June 29 to August 12, 2023. Additionally, her work will be featured in “In the Same Breath” at the Freelands Foundation in London from March 23 to May 29, 2023.
Furthermore, she will contribute to the “Lively Blue tapestry” exhibition at Dovecot Studios for the Edinburgh Arts Festival, celebrating 250 years of women in the arts in May 2023.
In August 2022, Machache participated in a month-long residency at Cove Park, funded through the Bridge Awards Emerging Artists Grant.
Her series “Light/Deep Divine Sky” was recently acquired by the Fleming Collection, and a review of her project “The Divine Sky” can be found in the Summer issue (no.35) of Scottish Art News. Lastly, she has a solo exhibition scheduled with Sakhile & Me Gallery in Frankfurt from October 27 to December 3, 2022.
Venice Biennale: Zimbabwe Artists Ready for 60th International Art Exhibition
