Gwanza to feature international artists

Standard People
Gwanza to feature international artists

By Simbarashe Manhango The Gwanza Month of Photography will witness an array of international artists, who will exhibit their works during this month-long spectacle, which opened at the National Art Gallery on Friday. These exceptional artists will be exhibiting a series of images from different cultural backgrounds. Expected to be part of this photography show is Switzerland’s renowned artist Laurence Bonvin. Her works are mostly concerned with suburban environments and landscapes and currently she lives and works in the cities of Geneva and Berlin, on a rotational basis. Accompanying her is one of South Africa’s most celebrated artists, Mamaki Rakotsoana, whose works have stood out to be a benchmark of South African art and photography. “Most of my works attempt to explore the relationship between memories and photographs, and also retrieve the past and act as a reminder,” she writes on her photo-site Afro Punk.” “My photographs also have a unique status of being able to show the presence and the absence of a person at the same time.” Speaking to the Standardlife &Style, Public Relations officer at the National Art Gallery Rutendo Mutadzapasi said all the participating international exhibitors were already in the country with the event promising to be bigger. “This year’s edition of the Gwanza photography display is definitely bigger and all the participating international artists expected to be part of the exhibition are here. “From Africa we have artists from Ghana, South Africa and DRC.” “Some of the exhibitors are already taking part in a week long Master Class workshop between Gwanza and Market Place Workshop from South Africa,” she said. Curator of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Raphael Chikukwa said, “The event adds value to the contemporary art practice not only in Zimbabwe but in Africa. “The National Art Gallery is proud to present Gwanza as it provides space for the Month of Photography. “It remains our hope that it will keep growing year by year, but we need more of these initiatives and we also value the contributions of our local artists,” he said. The photographic display will run up until September 10.

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