30/04/2021
Upscaling cultural diplomacy
THE Government has moved in to reposition the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) to upscale its activities so that they impact the cultural and creative sector.
It did this through the announcement of six new members to the Board of Trustees of the NGZ. They join five members who were already on the Board, led by eye specialist, Dr Solomon Guramatunhu.
Informing the new appointments appears to be two thought processes; the country’s policy on engagement and re-engagement, which among other things, enjoins institutions such as the NGZ to scale up cultural diplomacy.
An example would be participation at high-profile events such as the Venice Biennale, due next April 2022. This is a platform to showcase the country’s artistic and creative works while flying the Zimbabwean flag high.
The net effect of such participation is promoting the country’s cultural heritage, while contributing to driving inflows of tourists.
But there is also consensus that the NGZ’s work and activities should not have as its focus the external market, but that there should be increased visibility domestically, while its cultural diplomacy should have a visible regional and African footprint.
The second imperative driving this move is the realization that globally, the corporate world has always been a critical player in supporting the sustainability of cultural and creative sector.
The other acknowledgement, additionally, is that art and culture should not be confined to galleries, but that they should permeate other spaces such as new office complexes, front offices/lobbies and company/institutions’ boardrooms.
In the Zimbabwean context, points of reference are roles private sector players such as Rowland Tiny Rowland, ART Corporation, BAT, Cottco, Longman, Mobil, Nedlaw and Stanbic, among numerous others, played as recently as the first two decades of Independence in supporting the National Gallery.
The role of the private sector is seen as having contributed immensely to the development of contemporary art in Zimbabwe. This was particularly evident through support for the NGZ’s annual showpieces – the Zimbabwe Annual Exhibition.
Headlining the six new board members is Zimpapers’ Group Chief Executive, Mr Pikirayi Deketeke. The other new members are: Mr Morris Mpala, a banking and finance expert; Ms Chelsea Sian Evans, an IT expert; artist and fashion designer, Ms Joyce Chimanye; Mr Nigel Phillip, a business person; and Bryn Taurai Mteki, musician, sculptor and cultural creative industries entrepreneur.
In announcing the new members, Dr Kirsty Coventry, the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, said she expected them to delve into two documents - the National Arts, Culture and Heritage Policy and the National Culture and Creative Industries Strategy because they will inform the NGZ’s Strategic Plan.
In order to guarantee the development of quality products, said the Minister, the Government was keen to institutionalize quality training that will help to reclaim the visual arts market niche and arrest piracy.
“Your task as a Board is clearly cut to ensure that the visual arts sector is formalized, it is positioned to anticipate positive growth change in tandem with changing times. Visual arts practitioners need to migrate to utilising digital media platforms in showcasing their work,” the Minister suggested.
She also encouraged artists to embrace social security schemes such as group medical insurance and group funeral insurance.
The announcement of the new members of the NGZ’s Board of Trustees comes as the country commemorates its 41st anniversary of Independence celebrations and the Zimbabwe @41 exhibition just mounted by the gallery.
The exhibition reflects works collected by the NGZ since 1980 and helps visitors to retrace the gallery’s journey from Independence – a collection reflecting four decades of acquisition and celebrating self-rule.
This is an historic exhibition by generations of artists and is informed by the past, inspired by the present and questing for the future.
Zimbabwe’s cultural and creative sector’s journey is presented through sculpture, paintings and mixed media.
The exhibition will travel to Bulawayo in August, and then Mutare in December.
Raphael Chikukwa, the Executive Director of the NGZ, believes the new board members will re-ignite private sector support for the NGZ.
He explains: “The National Gallery houses the nation’s visual heritage, with Zimbabwean artists contributing immensely to the image building of the country. Their works should not be appreciated and collected by outsiders only.
“Let’s grow the Zimbabwe art ecosystem together and empower local artists – both local and in the Diaspora – while building corporate collections for posterity.”
Chikukwa, basing on the appointment of new trustees from the private sector, believes that the corporate world will rally support for the National Gallery, a symbol of Zimbabwe’s heritage-based pride.
Established in 1957, the NGZ is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of the country’s contemporary and modern art and visual heritage.
Caption: Bryn Taurai Mteki (left), Minister Kirsty Coventry, Mr Morris Mpala, Ms Joyce Chimanye, and Mr Pikirayi Deketeke.
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