By Wallace Mawire
Hellen Matsvisi
Nhaka Art Gallery is intensifying efforts to empower upcoming marginalised artists in Zimbabwe.
According to Hellen Matsvisi, Nhaka Art Gallery Director, the current thrust of the gallery is to amplify the legacy of Helen Lieros of creating space for young and upcoming artists who have had none or limited exposure from renowned galleries who mainly wish to work with established artists.
‘ Our aim is to identify hidden talent and creating a platform for upcoming and young artists from across the country to enhance their visibility to the global arena,’ Matsvisi said.
Nhaka Art Gallery, formerly Delta Gallery was founded in 1975 by Helen Lieros and Derek Huggins.
The founders helped to establish the country on the global art scene by helping young artists to learn their craft,get international exposure and launch their careers.
ln honour of that legacy left, Nhaka Gallery now aims to inspire a new generation to follow the country’ s rich artistic tradition.
Matsvisi explained that these ambitions are also going to be amplified through a ‘Go Green ‘ climate justice and renewable energy solutions young artist exhibition to be hosted for marginalized artists, spanning the rural and urban divide on 24 June to 10 August,2023.
Matsvisi added that the exhibition will run under the theme, “Climate justice and renewable energy solutions’.
‘Zimbabwe”s contemporary art space has plenty of hidden talents and scarcity of opportunities to be showcased,’ Matsvisi revealed.
She also said that the exhibition is attracting entries from artists aged from as below as from 16 years and above. It is also added that artists from the 10 provinces in the country have been invited to submit their entries.
The art gallery says that it has also invited two artists from Netherlands for the exhibition on a cultural exchange programme.
Matsvisi elaborated that the exhibition has been motivated by the desire to communicate issues through art since past events have shown that the country is not safe from the climate crisis, hence the need to amplify voices on climate justice and renewable energy through art.
The gallery is also collaborating with the United Nations Foundation (UN) Foundation- Zimbabwe as a partner to advance its activities.
Some of the categories local artists will compete on include photography, sculpture, visual art,craft and painting, just to mention a few.
Some of the local artists who have confirmed to participate in the exhibition include Carlton Chimutowa,a Visual Artist from Domboshava, Evans Tinashe Mutenga,a Multi- Media Artist and Chipochangu Dzimano, a Creative Artist from Goromonzi.
Dzimano uses waste like bottle and tree bucks to create artifacts which she sells to make a living.
Mutenga said that it is very critical for artists to play a role in awareness on climate change and renewable energy issues.
He also that it is very critical for artists to raise awareness on issues such as impact of tobacco farming on deforestation, wetlands degradation and educating communities on ozone layer depletion.
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