eBusiness Weekly
On September 13, a Meeting of Minds will take place at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.
The exhibition features artwork from Zimbabwean artists who are alumni of Dutch Institutions such as Patrick Makumbe, Admire Kamudzengerere, Harry Mutasa, Richard Witikani, Misheck Masamvu, Terrence Musekiwa, Option Nyahunzvi, Lovemore Kambudzi and Gareth Nyandoro.
The objective of the exhibition is to highlight Cultural Exchange that has taken place between Zimbabwe and The Netherlands.
A delegation from Netherlands is currently in the country, consisting of Patricia Kaersenhout and Farren van Wyk, who are both Visual Artists; Florian Weigl, a curator and Annet Zondervan, Anke Bangma and Frederique Bergholtz who are directors of Art Institutions.
The trip is focused on the extension of networks and stimulation of dialogue between art professionals and is facilitated by the Mondriaan Funds.
The context of the exhibition is simple as it will shift a lens to the creative influence the artists had during their extensive studies in The Netherlands.
The artworks on show will be created locally, revealing the development this group of artists has had over the years.
There will also be artworks from First Generation sculptors from
Tengenenge on show, as the founder of that institution, Tom Bloemfield, is
of Dutch ancestry and has built links with the Dutch Art market over the years.
Hence the inclusion of works from Tengenenge Sculpture Community will be important in the narrative of the dialogue between the two countries over the course of the last four decades.
The Ambassador of The Netherlands to Zimbabwe was recently accompanied to Tengenenge by Raphael Chikukwa, the Chief Curator of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, to study the rich history of the Community and identify which contributions it could bring to the Meeting of Minds.
This component in the exhibition would thus serve in tracing the nature of Cultural Exchange that dates back to the 1960s between Zimbabwe and The Netherlands.
The viewer will be offered the opportunity to enjoy the story of a dialogue that has taken place on two continents over a lengthy period of time.
Meeting of Minds will provide a rich thematic insight on how exchange can positively influence the practice of local artists, and the successful careers of the exhibiting artists is a deep example.
What the viewer will take note of is that each of these artists have not been limited to practicing traditional techniques, but have adopted sustainable approaches to their individual practices.
Meeting of Minds is supported by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Zimbabwe. The exhibition will open on September 13, 2018, with an Artist Talk and Harare Conversations taking place on September 14, 2018.
