Portraits fact sheet

Prominent Personalities: Portraits of Zimbabweans Exhibition ARTISTS This is a group exhibition comprising of a mixture female and male artists who have been inspired

by Zimbabwe’s influential and yet inspirational public figures.

Kudakwashe Dongo Farai Sithole Franklyn Dzingai Kudzanai Mavhura Kudakwashe Tsandukwa Admire Kumudzengerere Esop Tsvovutsvovu Collins Bvukumbwe Hermit Muyambo Darlington Tarumbwa Munyaradzi masawi Charles Kamangwana Dion Makumba

Clive Mukucha Ronal Maranganda Farai Chirumiko Dean Chenje Option Nyahunzvi Paul Gambiza Blessing Chitate Justin Gope Julius Mushambadope Michael Mugabazi Johnson Zuze Tiller Maringa Joe Chinomona

Thomas Mwasangale Taurai Mufakose M. Kujeke Abel Zvorufura Casmia Nyamuba Tsiga Nyoni Dony Muwani Boarding Dzinotizei Artwell mudavanhu Learnmore Kaseke Tichaona Mudzingwa Ephas Tunha Mavis Tauzeni

Brighton Dambudzo

Prince Matsika

R. Masunga

BODY OF WORK

Medium The work is presented in different mediums using oil on canvas, spring stone, wood, mixed media, and pencil, acrylic on canvas, paint and oil pastels.

Description The exhibition is kick-starting the National Portrait Gallery project where the main aim is to empower and energise the portraiture genre. The exhibition is a celebration of people who have made significant contributions to Zimbabwean history in the past and present from all spheres of life; history, politics, entertainment, business, writers and authors, journalists and sports to just mention a few. 50 most influential Zimbabweans have been chosen from 25 different categories as chosen by the public in an earlier survey. Top artists were selected to produce an array of magnificent and eye catching portraits, which capture the mood, personality, power, spirit and representation of Zimbabwe’s prominent personalities. The audience will be captivated by the accuracy in capturing and producing a true representation that was executed by the chosen artists. The exhibition celebrates the achievements of Zimbabwe regardless of colour, gender or creed and celebrates the great inspirations and outstanding achievements of Zimbabweans.

Inspiration The artists made portraits of prominent Zimbabwean figures based on their achievements and positive contribution to society as a whole. The artists drew their inspiration from such figures as they have had a direct or indirect influence on their art.

Credit The Zimbabwe Prominent Personalities Portrait Show is organised be the National gallery of Zimbabwe with the generous support from Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited.

Duration of the exhibition: Running from 23 April to 29 June 2015.

Publicity Images: Pictures, captions and description of artworks Kudakwashe Dongo; Mbuya Nehanda Description of work: Mbuya neHanda became the pinnacle of resistance against colonial oppression during the first Chimurenga as this was one of the major socio- political issues of the early 1900s. She inspired the liberation struggle long after her death and became the centre of reference in addressing the social injustice. As such, Dongo drew inspiration from her and looks up to her as a symbol of peace and equality in his works that try to denounce violence nepotism corruption and social injustice in all its forms.

Farai Chirumika: Elliot Mujaji Description of work: Elliot Mujaji is a typical example of one of Zimbabwe’s heroes, whose battle has been fought not on the battlefields in the jungles of Africa, but that, which has been fought in the arena like gladiators. Mujaji an Olympian is a multi-time Paralympic gold medallist who has inspired so many Zimbabweans, able bodied and physically impaired alike that anything is possible and is an embodiment of the term “disability certainly does not mean inability”.

Tichaona G. Mudzingwa: Mai Rebecca Chisamba Description of work: Long before the “noise” of women’s rights all over the world and in Zimbabwe as a country, one woman who has stood in as an upholder of equality social justice is Mai Rebecca Chisamba. The name became a sensation with her “regular home invasion” with radio and television appearances on shows such as the Mai Chisamba and Chakafukidza Dzimba Shows where she has championed the women and children’s rights. Openly denouncing domestic violence and all violence in all its forms, Mai Chisamba is one of the many women in Zimbabwe who are the epitome of equality.

Thomas Mwasangale: Kirsty Coventry Description of work: Kirsty Coventry is also a Multi-Time Olympic Gold Medallist who has raised Zimbabwe’s flag up so high in Athens Greece in 2004. She is former world record holder in the back stroke and she has won gold, silver and bronze respectively. Studying in the U.K Kirsty never forgot her roots and has managed to inspire and help a younger generation of Zimbabweans to take up swimming as a profession, a sport commonly rejected by many. Kirsty is a beacon and an influential figure in the country, a typical hero with a never say die attitude.

Kudakwashe Tsiga: Pastor Tom Deuschle Description of work: Tom Deuschle is the founder and senior pastor of the Celebration Centre Church. His church is one of the popular denominations in Zimbabwe.

Learnmore Kaseke: Dr. Amai Grace Mugabe Description of work: Dr. Grace Mugabe is the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe and participates widely in philanthropic activities. Mai Mugabe is patron to an orphanage in Mazowe and has recently been elected to the ruling party’s Politburo. Her social work has seen her done more for the under privileged, orphans and physically impaired in Zimbabwe more than any other politician in the country, which has seen her adopt a familiar Shona name AMAI which means mother.

Batsirai Muskwe; Safirio Madzikatire Description of work: Safirio Madzikatire is one prominent figure in the country because one cannot talk of Zimbabwean Comedy without mentioning his name. The late comedian was a typical example of how artists “use lies to tell the truth” in addressing issues such as social imbalances and mischief amongst fellow Zimbabweans, arguably, Safiro was one of the pioneers of Zimbabwean comedy and paved the way for many others to take up show business as a profession. He will be remembered for his stage name Mukadota and his superb music.

PRESS RELEASES The National Gallery of Zimbabwe will this year launch the National Portrait Gallery of Zimbabwe Project through an exhibition celebrating national icons entitled ‘Prominent Personalities: Portraits of Zimbabweans’. This show will feature works by the top portrait artists in the country and seeks to build stronger local audiences for the National Gallery of Zimbabwe as the major viewers of its exhibitions are usually from overseas. To have a more local appeal, a show focusing on the Most Influential Zimbabweans through 25 different categories as endorsed by the public. Once the Gallery project is established, there will be bi-annual commissions of portraits for the local portrait artists PROMINENT PERSONALITIES: PORTRAITS OF ZIMBABWEANS Identity is an estate of perception that is dependent on inward and outward awareness; an acknowledgement of the surroundings of oneself and society’s acknowledgement construct one’s way of seeing and how they are viewed into a means of granting them admiration. Prominent Personalities: Portraits of Zimbabweans is an exhibition that addresses identity in celebrating figures who have made sterling contributions to Zimbabwean society across time.

The exhibition addresses the need for a visual annals that offers the Public with an experience of viewing experience that merges the most classic form of portraiture through painting. It could come to question why this form of figurative representation would be important, particularly when the camera has become the main medium of capturing the human form. The painted portrait is arguably the oldest form of figurative and facial representation and still takes centre stage as it is through the value and composition brought forth by the human hand.

Zimbabweans will find Prominent Personalities to be an elementary viewing featuring familiar figures who in one way or another contributed to the development and well-being of the current generation. This exhibition will go forward

as an enthused proclamation of Zimbabwean identity featuring Zimbabwean renowned figures, selected by the Zimbabwean Public and painted by Zimbabwean Artists.

At hand is our history, our identity and the recognition of those who have accomplished many a feat in business, entertainment, finance, law, science and the arts to name a few. Having such a diverse assemblage of works helps to give exposure to the many unsung portrait artists around Zimbabwe whom themselves have grown up with a knowledge and appreciation for many of the prominent figures and will by their hands go down in history as the first artists to be included in the National Portrait Gallery Collection.

National Gallery of Zimbabwe hosts another show of the Prominent Portraits Personalities of Zimbabwe Exhibition The National Gallery of Zimbabwe has moved to another level with the Portrait Exhibition by the top portrait artists of Zimbabwe which is set to run from 23 April to 29 June 2015 and is co-curated by the Executive Director and the Chief Curator. The show will coincide with the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA).

Fifty artists have been commissioned to create portraits of leading Zimbabwean personalities.

Some of them are late, while others are still active in the community. The sample of personalities was aired through radio and the internet and the public response led to a list that includes movers and shakers in over 25 different categories. These include philanthropists, academics, musicians, beauty queens, politicians, sport personalities, scientists, religious figures, gender activists, actors, traditional leaders and many more.

The artists include some of the top portrait painters in Zimbabwe and these include Thomas Mwasangwale, Julius Mashambadope, Hermit Muyambo, Option Nyahunzvi, Farai Sithole and Tonely Ngwenya among others. The show promises to be very exciting. The artists have been challenged to find either photos or communicate with the subject to secure a sitting.

The idea for the show is for a National Portrait Gallery for Zimbabwe as a longer term vision to be realised. Each portrait will be augmented for the subject and this will honour Zimbabweans that have made a lasting contribution in all spheres of human endeavour. This show will be a foundation stone of a periodical celebration of influential Zimbabweans as time goes by.

The National Gallery of Zimbabwe Chief Curator and Deputy Director, Mr Raphael Chikukwa, said: “This show is a publication which makes us see the need to recognise our own achievements and our own people in Zimbabwe. It is a celebration of our history and achievers, personalities and heroes who have made us who we are today. The journey of personalities is a continuous one and needs to be recorded and it can only be recorded accordingly by an exhibition of this nature that will bring to the people an idea of people seeing themselves.”

He added that this exhibition is beneficial to the rest of the country. “Normally portraits are done to put in houses and offices of individuals, but these will be put in an ‘art chapel’ at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe where they are accessible to everyone.”

These portraits can also be an advantage to students and children who will be able to see the vision of the people they would have learned about or heard about but do not know them.

“We will strive to renew this exhibition continuously over the coming years and our projection with this show is to see it become a standalone gallery that would seek to empower the portraiture genre and expose portrait artists while showcasing all of our people that have made sterling contributions across all sectors,” Chikukwa explained.

The collection will be able to travel within different parts of the world as well as local fifteen community halls, for example Stodart Hall in Mbare, Hatfield Hall, Mai Musodzi Hall in Mbare, Nyarutsetso Hall in Highfields and Rutendo Hall in Mufakose among others.

Prominent Personalities: Portraits of Zimbabweans The National Gallery of Zimbabwe will host the 2015 Portrait Show Exhibition by the top

portrait artists under the theme, “Prominent Personalities: Portraits of Zimbabwe”, from the 23rd of April to the 29th of June 2015 whilst launching the National Portrait Gallery of Zimbabwe.

This exhibition seeks to build stronger audiences for the National Gallery of Zimbabwe as the major viewers of its exhibitions are foreign based. This year, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe will stage a show focusing on the Most Influential Zimbabweans through different categories.

The categories range from figures in the world of linguistic, politicians, health and wellness personalities, visual artists, legal experts, science, music, actors for stage and screen, gender activists and even beauty queens among others. These categories tap into the success and inspirational Zimbabweans from recent history and strive to give a broad identity of the people who make Zimbabwe unique.

The purpose of the exhibition is part of a longterm project and it is always important to honour the founding figures with the inception of any project. The NGZ will develop this exhibition in coming years where the contemporary figures in that time are going to be preserved through portraiture.

“The idea of the show came up a long time ago and was inspired by the prominent personalities in Rhodesia,” stressed the Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the NGZ, Mr. Raphael Chikukwa, during his interview with the Star FM. “It is a publication which makes us see the need for us to recognise our own achievements and our own people in Zimbabwe.”

The genre of portrait painting does not have enough exposure to the public. Aside from the few cases of individual artists who draw portraits on the streets and at festivals, knowledge of the importance of this genre of painting is low. In line with the National Portrait Gallery Project, the NGZ has identified some of the Portrait Artists who can execute the work. The NGZ is also welcoming those interested to collect a registration form at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe Reception.

In order to mobilize public interest for the show,

the National Gallery of Zimbabwe would like to team up with the Media Partners in order to have a greater reach to the opinion base that will provide the content for the exhibition. This public campaign could result in 2 to 3 names in each category and afterwards the organizers would make choices through tally of results.

The Gallery would like to invite the public to choose their fifty most prominent icons thereafter. Fifty proven portrait artists will be commissioned to paint the images that will form the basis of the National Portrait Gallery of Zimbabwe.

“We strive to renew this exhibition continuously over the coming years and our projection with this show is to see it become a stand-alone gallery that would seek to empower the portrait genre and expose portrait artists while showcasing all of our people that have made sterling contributions across all sectors,” Chikukwa added.

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